WINDSOR, ONT. The province is investing more than $3.6 million in greenhouse growers to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and boost competitiveness and innovation. Funding is being provided through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative to support 12 “innovative” projects to help develop new technologies. During these exceptional times, Ontario s greenhouse operations have played a critical role in making sure families across the province can continue to put food on their tables all year long, Ernie Hardeman, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs said in a news release. That s why we are investing in projects that will help greenhouse businesses improve productivity and adopt new technologies to address labour challenges and better position greenhouses to recover from COVID-19 faster.
January 27, 2021
The province is helping to support innovation in the greenhouse industry with over $3.6 million in funding.
In all, a dozen projects have been selected through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative.
Allegro Acres Inc. is receiving $999,345 to test, on a commercial scale, the impact of up to 24 hours continuous light of low intensity lighting on a commercial scale, which will reduce electricity consumption during peak hours and improve energy efficiency in greenhouse vegetable production.
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers is receiving $149,634 to develop a cost-effective anti-viral coating technology to treat tools and surfaces to reduce the spread of plant and human viruses in greenhouses, including COVID-19. This technology will help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and enhance biosecurity.