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Beef and Pork Primary Processing Automation and Robotics Program

Advancing Canada’s Primary Red Meat Processors

The 2022 Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) Competition for the Beef and Pork Primary Processing Automation and Robotics Program has been developed in response to the Canadian meat industry’s need to enhance global competitiveness, accelerate the adoption of emerging technology, mitigate challenges with worker safety and productivity and overcome the impacts of COVID-19 on meat (beef and pork) processing businesses.

The goal of this funding call is to support research and development to accelerate the adoption of automation and robotics in Canada’s primary meat processing industry.

With support from Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED), CAAIN is dedicating $5 Million to this program.  The expected outcomes of this initiatives are:

  • Increased profitability of stakeholders in the value chain
  • Improved global competitiveness of the Canadian beef and pork industries
  • Increased efficiencies of production
  • Decreased dependence on laborious, manual labour and complementing higher skilled positions
  • Improved worker safety in plants
  • Improved product quality and food safety

Application Stages

The application process for this call involves 3 stages:

  1. Project Registration Form (PRF): Outlines the criteria and eligibility requirements, providing applicants and their project partners a clear understanding of the competition’s parameters.
  2. Expression of Interest (EOI): Provides a more detailed description of the project and includes a simplified financial workbook.
  3. Full Project Proposal (FPP): Provides a detailed project description, full financial workbook and relevant supporting documentation.

Note that submissions at the EOI and FPP stages of the competition is by invitation only; no unsolicited EOIs or FPPs will be accepted.

Application Timeline

Program launch Mar 15, 2022
PRF due Deadline passed
Invitation to submit EOI May 16, 2022
EOI due Deadline passed
Invitation to submit FPP July 2022 (date TBD)
FPP due Summer 2022
Notice of Decision Fall 2022