Ontario’s agri-food businesses to get funding to help prevent spread of COVID

Farmers and other agri-food businesses in Ontario can now apply for federal funding aimed at keeping workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government says $11.6 million will help with improvements for Ontario farms such as building physical barriers for worker separation, upgrading HVAC systems and improving hand-washing facilities

It’s part of a $35 million investment announced in last month’s throne speech to help the country’s agricultural sector weather the pandemic.

The Ontario government is responsible for delivering the funds.

Agri-food workers — especially in the Windsor-Essex region — were hit hard by the pandemic’s first wave, with several outbreaks on farms.

The province says the agri-food sector supports more than 837,000 jobs in Ontario.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press