Ontario to invest $41 Million in agriculture research infrastructure

ELORA  – The provincial government has announced it will invest over $41 million over the next four years to build and revitalize Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO) infrastructure.

“Today, our government is doubling down on our support for research and innovation,” said Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Joseph Racinsky during an Oct. 7 press conference.

This funding will be divided among the following:

– $10.5 million will go towards the new Ontario Poultry Research Centre at the Elora Research Station. This is in addition to the $13.5 million previously committed by the province;

– $15.5 million will go towards the new Ontario Feed Innovation Centre at the Elora Research Station; and

– the remaining balance will go towards repairs and upgrades to other ARIO properties across the province, including the Dairy Education Centre at the University of Guelph Ridgetown campus.

ARIO owns the province’s network of strategic agri-food research infrastructure including 14 research station properties, accumulating over 5,600 acres and over 200 buildings.

The University of Guelph  is responsible for the operation of 13 of the research stations across the province.

While a concrete timeline has not been established, Jones says he hopes to see “shovels in the ground as soon as practicable.”