Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP)

Overview of the Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP) program:

The Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP) is an initiative administered by Bioenterprise Canada and funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). With a total investment of $5.95 million, SGAP is designed to help southern Ontario’s later-stage food and agri-food technology companies modernize their operations through sustainability-focused projects. The program’s objective is to de-risk the adoption of clean technologies and promote environmentally responsible practices across the agri-food value chain. SGAP provides non-repayable, project-based funding ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 to eligible projects that integrate proven clean technologies or implement sustainability enhancement activities. Funding can cover costs such as advisory services, operational assessments, equipment purchases, and employee labour directly related to the project. The goal is to accelerate decarbonization, increase operational efficiency, and improve environmental outcomes in the region’s food innovation ecosystem. SGAP emphasizes collaboration between eligible applicants and Sustainability Project Partners—organizations offering technologies or consulting services that help applicants transition to net-zero operations.

Benefits of the Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP) program:

• Applicants can request up to 40% of the total budget (Eligible Project Costs) up to $100,000.
• Non-repayable contributions must be matched 40:60 by the Applicant. Applicants must
• Demonstrate available sources of capital to deliver on all project activities.
• Maximum funding contribution from SGAP is limited to $100,000 on projects with Eligible Project Costs of $250,000 or greater.
• Minimum funding contribution from SGAP is $40,000 on projects with minimum Eligible Project Costs of $100,000.

Eligibility criteria of the Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP) program:

• To qualify for SGAP funding, applicants and their project partners must meet several criteria:
• Applicant Requirements:
• Be a for-profit enterprise or a not-for-profit corporation.
• Operate within the food or agri-food technology sectors.
• Have a minimum of $200,000 in annual revenue (for-profits only).
• Be incorporated in Canada and physically located in southern Ontario.
• Be ready to adopt proven clean technologies or engage in sustainability enhancement projects.
• Provide 60% matching funds toward the total project cost.
• Sustainability Project Partner Requirements:
• Must be a for-profit or not-for-profit organization offering a proven clean technology or sustainability consulting service.
• Must provide a Statement of Work (SOW) outlining the proposed sustainability solutions.
• Must demonstrate the ability to reduce the applicants carbon footprint and support progress toward net-zero emissions.