Protein Industries Canada — Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain Program
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Grants covering up to 75% of eligible costs for Canadian food processors reformulating products using domestically grown feedstocks (wheat, oats, peas, soy, fava, hemp). Projects strengthen food supply chain resilience against trade disruptions. Unlike PIC's main Technology Leadership stream, no consortium required — solo SME applications accepted.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian-owned business (SMEs prioritized: <500 employees, <$50M revenue)
- Minimum $100,000 in sales in prior fiscal year
- Must use Canadian feedstocks/ingredients from Canadian field crops
- Single project per company per cohort
- Project costs $50K-$200K, completed within 12 months
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $37,500-$150,000 (75% of eligible $50K-$200K project costs)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 75% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- April 30, 2026
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipEmail projects@proteinsupercluster. ca first — PIC staff are unusually hands-on. No consortium or membership fee needed (unlike main PIC program). Frame around supply chain resilience and Canadian sourcing.
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Success Profile
Canadian food processor or ingredient manufacturer with $100K+ sales, reformulating products with Canadian-grown peas, soy, barley, etc. Prairie-based companies have natural feedstock alignment.
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Evaluation Criteria
Reviewed by PIC's Project Selection Committee. Assessment focuses on: alignment with program mandate (Canadian ingredient sourcing, supply chain resilience), feasibility of reformulation or scale-up within 12 months, business viability and track record (minimum $100K revenue), use of Canadian-grown feedstocks, potential for market impact and domestic supply chain strengthening, and project management capability. No published scoring weights.
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 5
Eligible Expenses 6
- Costs for reformulating products using Canadian-grown ingredients
- Expenses for scaling up and commercializing domestically produced food products
- Procurement of Canadian feedstocks or ingredients from Canadian field crops
- Equipment and supplies for reformulation trials
- Lab testing and quality assurance for new formulations
- Packaging redesign for reformulated products
Ineligible Expenses 4
- Costs incurred before project approval
- Activities not related to Canadian ingredient sourcing or reformulation
- Projects using imported feedstocks as primary ingredients
- General operating expenses not tied to the specific project
Intake Periods
Cohort-based. Cohort 3 intake: January 29 - April 30, 2026 (closing at 11:59 PM Mountain Time). Approximately 2 cohorts per year.
Deadline Notes
Current intake: January 29 - April 30, 2026 (third cohort). Second cohort funded 9 companies. Email [email protected].
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Non-Canadian-owned businesses
- Businesses that do not use Canadian crop feedstocks
- Companies with less than $100,000 in prior year sales
- Companies with projects already in progress before approval
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskSee which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get. Unlock with Premium →
How Protein Industries Canada —... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein Industries Canada — Strengthe... | $37,500-$150,000 | Easy | Reimbursement | April 30, 2026 |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Up to $50 million | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Annual intake window.... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
| Quebec R&D Tax Credit (CRIC — Researc... | 20-30% tax credit (CRIC) | Hard | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
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