Feds announce funding to Southern Ontario food industry
Food in Canada
Business Operations Research & Development Bake & Snack Food federal funding George Brown College investment Southern Ontario$10.1 million goes to Furlani’s Food Corp. and George Brown College
Toronto – The federal government has announced up to $10.1 million in funding to strengthen the Southern Ontario food and beverage industry.
Up to $3.1 million of the funding will go to Mississauga-based Furlani’s Food Corporation, a producer of fresh and frozen specialty garlic bread products.
The company will use the repayable contribution, which comes through FedDev Ontario’s Investing in Business Growth and Productivity Initiative, to improve efficiency and productivity, and to expand capacity. The company plans on purchasing advanced production equipment and will add 21,900-sq.-ft. of freezer space. The improvements will also allow Furlani’s to expand its existing lineup and to develop a new line of breadsticks.
The project is expected to create up to 74 full-time jobs by 2017, and an additional 34 full-time jobs within two years of its completion.
Toronto’s George Brown College, through its Office of Research and Innovation, will also receive up to $7 million to expand its Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt) and to create new R&D labs to support product development and improvement efforts. The $14-million project will include a Bake and Large Quantity Lab, a Beverage Research Lab, a Culinary and Large Quantity Lab and a new Industry Engagement and Interaction facility.
The project will create up to 76 new jobs, as well as 54 jobs in the three years following its completion. The investment comes through FedDev Ontario’s Investing in Commercial Partnerships Initiative.
“George Brown College is proud of the role we play in supporting job creation and business growth,” says Anne Sado, president of George Brown College. “Our increased capabilities in applied research, made possible by FedDev Ontario and by donor and industry support, will result in new and enhanced partnerships within the food and beverage industry. This will drive product and business innovation while providing our students with hands-on experience as they prepare for their future careers.”
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