Andrew McClelland
The Advocate
The Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ) has promised new financial assistance for the purchase of new equipment for producers and companies in beekeeping and plant production.
Quebec estimates that up to 550 projects could be financed with the new funds. The money is being provided in the context of changing conditions for bee and plant producers due to climate change, which brings challenges to both sectors but also opportunities as the longer growing season allows for greater production.
“Increasing productivity in the agricultural sector is a priority for this government,” said Quebec Minister of Agriculture André Lamontagne. “I’m pleased with this support, which will allow companies specializing in plant and beekeeping production to modernize their equipment and increase their competitiveness.”
The province wants producers to fully modernize both sectors of production, and projects approved must involve the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment. Apiculturists will increase their chances of successfully applying by outlining projects that will increase their beekeeping stock, whether by increasing the survival rate of bees or by purchasing additional hives.
Agriculture equipment prices have soared post-pandemic, with supply issues raising prices beyond already-high inflation. Beekeepers also suffered heavy losses in bee populations last winter. La Financière agricole du Québec has reported record-high claims in the province of over $3 million.
Special bonus for “outlying” regions
“With this announcement, we are also giving an additional boost to companies located in remote regions,” said Lamontagne in an official announcement on November 24. “The economy of all regions of Quebec will benefit.”
Quebec will make $20 million available, with a 15 per cent bonus for producers in “outlying regions”, which MAPAQ defines in this case as Abitibi-Témiscamingue-Northern Quebec, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Outaouais, and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Funding will come over the span of three years: an initial amount of $14 million will be paid in 2024-2025 and another $6 million in 2025-2026.
So what can the new envelope of $20 million be used for? The funding will chiefly benefit agribusinesses in Quebec that have ambitious innovation plans that involve the purchase of new equipment and can back up their project with a solid business plan.
MAPAQ says that the first part of the “Productivité végétale” initiative gave out $96 million dollars to over 4,300 projects from 2018 until 2023.
In those cases, funds were allocated to everything from nearly a quarter of a million dollars to Université Laval for conducting research on storage and overwintering for queen honeybees to $40,000 for creating a guidebook on the commercial harvesting of wild plants. Another Quebec company received over $80,000 to make improvements to it soilless strawberry cultivation system.
This time around, Quebec’s funding initiative is much more pointed, hoping to provide an economic stimulus in the purchase of new equipment and to put plant producers and beekeepers in a position to whether climate change and a shifting economy in the future.
First come, first served
Like many of Quebec’s agriculture funding programs in recent years, money is offered on a “first come, first served” basis. Applications will be assessed by a jury, but the initiative lasts until the deadline or until the money runs out.
That means Quebec agribusinesses will benefit by getting a strong application in early.
There are two sets of deadlines for the Productivité végétale initiative: producers from outlying regions will be able to submit their projects from December 10, 2024 to February 7, 2024 — or until the funds are exhausted.
Producers from a “central region” will be able to submit their application from January 7 to February 7, 2025 (or until the available funds are exhausted.) Quebec considers these regions central: Capitale-Nationale, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Estrie, Montréal-Laval-Lanaudière, Laurentides, Mauricie, and Montérégie.
For more information or to apply, Google “initiative ministérielle productivité végétale” or visit: