2022–2023 Accomplishments

In the final year of Protein Industries Canada’s initial mandate, the focus was the successful management of projects to completion while also increasing the profile of Canada’s plant-based sector, to ensure continued growth of the ecosystem. This was achieved with the federal government’s initial investment of $173 million being fully leveraged through 55 technology and capacity building projects. In addition, both the initial job and GDP goals set out at the start of the program were surpassed. In September 2022, Protein Industries Canada launched our inaugural call for projects under the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy program stream. This program was established to help technology, ingredient and food companies use AI to improve the effectiveness of ingredient and food formulations.

In addition to meeting and surpassing every metric of the program, significant gains were made in building the Canadian ecosystem and establishing Canada as a pivotal player in the global marketplace. In November 2022, Protein Industries Canada, along with Pulse Canada and Plant-Based Foods of Canada, hosted the first-ever, Canadian-led international event, Plant Forward, with more than 200 delegates from 11 countries attending and engaging with key Canadian players. Protein Industries Canada also attended key international events including Future Food-Tech in New York and the UK, COP27 and Food Ingredients Europe in France. Closer to home, connections were made with the capital community with two capital-focused round tables being held—one in Calgary, Alberta and one in Toronto, Ontario. Throughout the year, Protein Industries Canada hosted 23 in-person and virtual events with more than 1,800 attendees.

ACTION: Improve the understanding and appreciation of the plant-based sector as a driver of our economy and a solution to climate change by Canadians.

Results

• Participated in six national media campaigns targeted at Canadians that utilized both traditional and social media to tell the story of the sustainability benefits of the sector,
• Attended COP27, leveraged via social media and articles. Read Bill's experience at COP27.
• Protein Industries Canada appeared in more than 6,000 media articles in 2022–23, with a potential reach of more than 200 million (size of estimated audience).

ACTION: Engage national and international thought leaders to gain additional perspective on the growth of Canada’s agrifood and plant-based foods sector.

Results

• Through participation on domestic and international panels, attendance at events and participation on committees, Protein Industries Canada reputation and position as a national leader has been established.
  
• With participation at events hosted by RBC, Farm Credit Canada and the Public Policy Forum, Protein Industries Canada has had the opportunity to engage with thought leaders from coast-to-coast.
• Successful visits to the Netherlands and meetings with Upfield, Unilever and other larger multi-nationals provided valuable international insight.
• Contribute to the agenda of the bi-lateral meeting between Canada and the Netherlands.

Objective

Prioritize and begin to drive implementation of the recommended actions in The Road to $25 Billion.

ACTION: Engage and work across the sector to determine leads for specific actions and outcomes.

Results

• Continued work with the Roadmap Advisory Committee to guide priorities and measure progress, including implementing a logic model to identify dependencies and prioritize actions.
• Implemented the Regulatory Centre to lead regulatory modernization, collaborate with the sector (including Pulse Canada and Loblaws) and prioritize investments.
• Established a partnership with BC Food & Beverage and the Government of British Columbia to better understand current innovation infrastructure capacity
  and better inform future investments.
• Made progress on the implementation of the Access to Capital Strategy—including, hosting two round tables with members of the capital community to better
  understand barriers to investment and to increase awareness of the sector.

ACTION: Implement and measure progress for the recommended actions in The Road to $25 Billion.

Results

• Focused work on priority areas of innovation infrastructure, access to capital and sustainability and global brand.

Objective

Thought leaders and decision-makers from coast-to-coast-to-coast have an increased understanding of the potential of Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredient sector.

ACTION: Develop and execute an awareness and communications strategy targeted at thought leaders and decision-makers.

Results

• Implemented a multi-prong communications and awareness campaign that included paid and organic social campaigns, targeted one-on-one meetings, paid advertising, direct email and the distribution of a magazine two times a year.
• Generated member support via letters to support Protein Industries Canada’s submission.
• Undertook a paid social media campaign targeted at leaders and decision-makers that generated 185,000 impressions and resulted in 1.5 per cent engagement rate.

ACTION: Increase engagement with federal departments and agencies whose programs and policies affect the agrifood sector (Environment and Climate Change Canada [ECCC], Department of Finance Canada, Health Canada).

Results

• Undertook extensive engagement with priority departments via letters and one-on-one meetings.
• Established relationships with contacts throughout government.
  
• Over the course of the fiscal, meetings were held on a regular basis with: ECCC, PMO, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Finance, National Research Council of Canada (NRC), PrairiesCan and more.

ACTION: Work across the governments to align investments into Canada’s agrifood sector.

Results

• Inform members about opportunities, such as value-added agriculture tax incentives implemented in both Alberta and Saskatchewan.
• The Government of Manitoba continues to advance their Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy.

ACTION: Attract private investment—including foreign and capital funds—into Canada’s plant-based sector.

Results

• Since 2020, Protein Industries Canada has tracked an additional $294 million of private investment into the ecosystem, including $30 million raised this past fiscal.

Objective

Attract and scale domestic and international firms into Canada’s plant-based ecosystem.

ACTION: Increase the number of firms engaged in Canada’splant-based foods sector and Protein Industries Canada’s membership base.

Results

• As of April 1, 2023, Protein Industries Canada had 219 members and 456 organizations collaborating in projects.

ACTION: Supporting creation of new firms.

Results

• The creation of new firms in the food and ingredient sector is not as common as in some other sectors. This is a learning over the past year, and is largely due to the nature of the businesses in these sectors. For the most part these are organizations with significant capital overhead.

ACTION: Help domestic firms scale-up and grow in Canada.

Results

• Created and offered in partnership with Ivey Business School at Western University the Accelerate: Leadership Program to support entrepreneurs and SMEs in Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredients sector. The program ensures Canadian entrepreneurs have the skills and talent development they need to succeed.
• In 2023–24, two cohorts went through the class with upwards of 20 participants in each cohort.

Objective

Support the commercialization of new plant-based products.

ACTION: Ensure timely completion of all technology projects and commercialization of associated products and IP.

Results

• As 2022–23 marked the last year of Protein Industries Canada’s first mandate, priority was given to ensuring projects were completed by March 31, 2023.
• As of March 31, 2023, 47 of 52 projects were complete, with five being extended into 2023–2024—three of those being technology projects.
• As of March 31, 2023, there were 303 reported IP assets as a result of Protein Industries Canada co-investments.

ACTION: Support the creation of globally relevant brands for high-value ingredients and consumer-packaged goods.

Results

ACTION: Communicate GHG/carbon-reduction benefits of plant-based food, increase awareness and understanding of plant-based foods as a solution.

Results

• Throughout 2022–23 numerous articles and social posts were published by both Protein Industries Canada and our members to bring attention to the environmental benefits of plant-based foods— such as: How a plant-based seafood alternative is helping Canada reduce its carbon footprint and Increased plant-protein processing provides opportunity for net-zero economy.
• In November 2022, Protein Industries Canada’s CEO, Bill Greuel attended COP27 as part of a Canadian delegation to talk about Canada’s leadership position as a leader in sustainable agriculture and the benefits of plant-based foods as part of the global climate change movement.

ACTION: Work across Canada’s agrifood sector to create an aligned position on sustainable protein production.

Results

• Work continues across Canada’s agriculture and food sector to create alignment and a path forward on sustainable protein production, examples include the Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy and the NRC’s Sustainable Protein Production program.

Objective

Grow the talent pool to support the growth of Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredient sector.

ACTION: Implement and offer, in collaboration with leading organizations, training and skills programs to attract under-represented groups into the sector.

Results

• In 2022–23, Protein Industries Canada continued work with organizations like Actua and Agriculture in the Classroom Canada to introduce more than 90,000 youth to careers in agriculture—including more than 11,000 Indigenous youth.
• In 2022, Palette Skills launched their first program, designing and delivering a re-skilling program for Canada’s agrifood sector to increase employment opportunities among under-represented populations to help solve the labour shortage that the industry faces. The first cohort of the Automation and Digital Agriculture Specialist program had 35 per cent of participants working after the first month. The second cohort achieved a higher employment rate with a more thorough screening process and increased engagement from the sector.
• In 2022–23, Protein Industries Canada worked with Assiniboine Community College to develop two new diploma programs: Food Science Technology and Chemical Engineering Technology. The new programs are expected to come on stream in 2024.

ACTION: Engagement of under-represented groups and creation of specific programming to support Indigenous-led businesses.

Results

• Protein Industries Canada worked with Whitecap Dakota First Nation and SIIT to create a new micro-credential for Indigenous youth in Western Canada to create more opportunities for Indigenous youth in the agrifood sector. The first cohort graduated in early 2023, with 33 per cent of graduates finding work immediately within the sector. The second cohort is currently underway in the Spring of 2023.
• A project between two Indigenous organizations, Myera Inc. and the Southeast Resource Development Centre (SERDC) will strengthen Canada’s wild rice supply chain to better incorporate it into the overall plant-based food and ingredients sector and bring economic growth to Indigenous communities across the Prairies.

ACTION: Support scale-up of SMEs through training and skill development.

Results

• In 2022–23, Protein Industries Canada continued to work with the Ivey Business School at Western University to offer training in leadership skills and business acumen to members of Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredients ecosystem, with the intent of strengthening capacity within the sector. A key component of this program is increasing the business acumen and sophistication of Canadian companies to make them more competitive in accessing private investment. The first cohort launched in March 2022 with 15 attendees. In fiscal 2022–23, another cohort graduated with 23 attendees. Graduates of the program have given it rave reviews and have said it was key to their organization’s progress. A third cohort will be offered in 2023–24.

ACTION: Support other national organizations to address the chronic labour shortage in food production; advocate behalf on Protein Industries Canada members.

Results

• Relationships with organizations such as Actua and Palette Skills has drawn attention to the labour and skills shortage of the plant-based sector, but more work needs to be done and more partnerships, such as with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, are being explored.
• Protein Industries Canada continues to meet regularly with universities, colleges and other post-secondary institutions to discuss future training needs and to develop programs to support the next generation of workers.

Objective

A membership that has increased awareness of cyber security.

ACTION: Increase awareness regarding cyber security within our membership by sharing relevant information.

Results

• Protein Industries Canada published articles via our newsletters, such as: Protect your research and data from cyber-related threats.

ACTION: Include cyber security mitigation efforts as an eligible project expense.

Results

• Cyber security mitigation efforts were allowed as an eligible project expense, however, limited members took advantage of the opportunity.
• In Fund II, project guidance will be created to allow for cyber security costs to be claimed which should help increase uptake.

Objective

A business environment that supports sustainable innovation and commercialization.

ACTION: Continue to drive regulatory modernization for protein labelling, novel food approvals, advanced breeding tools, fortification and labelling requirements for plant-based milks and meats through collaboration with key industry associations and federal government departments (ISED and AAFC).

Results

• Launched four key studies to investigate effects of regulation and policy on nutritional attributes and consumer choices of plant protein foods.
• Participated in research projects that led the development of data sets that address regulatory and policy-related knowledge gaps related to the incorporation of plant protein ingredients into human and animal diets.
• Engaged with national and international agencies regarding regulatory modernization and food standardization.
• Collaborated with Canada’s plant-protein sector to identify regulatory roadmaps for use of Canadian produced ingredients in new markets and food platforms.
• Provided stakeholders on guidance on the interpretation and application of new and existing food regulations and policies.

ACTION: Create awareness of Canada’s competitiveness in comparison to key jurisdictions.

Results

• In 2020, Protein Industries Canada engaged Ady Advantage to complete a competitiveness study of Canadian provinces in comparison to the Midwestern US.
• In 2022–23, provincial overviews were created to begin the conversation with provincial and municipal governments to further define Canada’s value proposition and begin conversations on how Canada can attract new investments and support the growth of Canadian companies.

Objective

A strong international reputation for Protein Industries Canada and the Canadian plant-based food sector.

ACTION: Create and foster relationships with key international markets with the support of ISED, AAFC, GAC, Canada’s Regional Development Agencies and provincial trade departments and agencies to position Canada as the supplier of choice for plant-based foods and ingredients.

Results

• Protein Industries Canada is increasingly seen as an active and valuable participant in the global marketplace. Through regular engagement with global thought leaders in markets, such as Singapore, the Netherlands, Japan, the USA, UK and EU, Canada is emerging as the country of choice to do business with. Engagement was supported as needed by in market trade commissioners from GAC and AAFC.

ACTION: Work with Invest in Canada and other organizations to improve Canada’s reputation and brand as a market for foreign direct investment (FDI) for ingredient manufacturing and plant-based foods

Results

• Protein Industries Canada is a member of Invest in Canada’s plant-based protein FDI working group. Through this working group, targeted multi-nationals are introduced to the Canadian ecosystem. Protein Industries Canada’s technology leadership program has proven to be an effective tool to introduce international companies to Canada and build collaborative relationships.

ACTION: Define Canada’s plant-based food brand including the determination of product attributes valued by end use customers.

Results

• Canada’s plant-based food brand is built off of our leadership in sustainable agriculture production and a reliable supply of high-quality, high-protein crops. This combined with a positive values alignment, an innovative and emerging ecosystem and a stable geo-political climate and energy security are all part of Canada’s brand to in the global ecosystem.

ACTION: Collaboration with all levels of government to increase investment and collaborate on priorities to secure Canada’s position as a global leader in plant-based ingredients and food.

RESULT

• In 2022–23, Protein Industries Canada continued to engage with all levels of government from across Canada to ensure awareness and support of the plant-based industry.
• This included attending the FPT meeting in July 2022, along with one-on-one meetings with the Provincial Ministers of Agriculture of BC, AB, SK and MB.
• Additionally meetings with key Federal Ministers and departments were held—including ISED, AAFC, ECCC, TCS and more.
• In October 2022, Protein Industries Canada’s CEO, Bill Greuel, testified to the Standing Committee of Agriculture and Agri-Food on the importance of growing a strong value-added sector for Canada to support food security.

ACTION: Create opportunities for Protein Industries Canada’s members to create new partnerships to support growth and scale-up.

RESULT

• In 2022–23, Protein Industries Canada hosted 23 in-person events, virtual consultations and webinars with more than 1,800 participants.
• Events such as Plant Forward and AI-networking events supported the introduction of Protein Industries Canada’s members with new clients, partners and potential funders from Canada and around the world.