2025–26 Objectives & Actions
Protein Industries Canada continues to work toward the long-term objectives of our strategic plan. The fiscal year 2025-26 represents the third year of our current five-year strategy. The objectives of the five-year strategic plan are aligned with the outcomes and recommendations of The Road to $25 Billion. Our overarching goal is to secure Canada’s position as a global leader in ingredient manufacturing, food processing and bio-products to generate new economic growth for Canada, while also providing new opportunities for farmers and helping to secure Canada’s food supply chain.
The 2025–26 focus of work will be securing new sources of capital for investment into the sector and diversifying market opportunities for Canadian ingredients, mainly targeting Singapore and Europe, while continuing to increase awareness of the opportunity the sector presents to Canada. The current realities of the market, combined with threats of tariffs from the United States and Canada’s ongoing productivity challenges, have created additional pressure on the Canadian ecosystem. While value-added agriculture offers a solution to help improve Canada’s productivity through new economic growth, immediate work must be taken to support Canadian companies in scaling up and commercializing.
Protein Industries Canada will contribute to building a better Canada through:
- Economic growth: we will support the prosperity of every Canadian by creating a reliable, sustainable and long-term industry for Canada’s economy that will be worth $25 billion by 2035 and will employ upwards of 17,000 Canadians from coast to coast;
- Verify and report: we will support innovation that measures and verifies the environmental benefits of Canadian agriculture and food processing and better defines the Canadian agriculture value proposition;
- Scaling Canadian companies: we will support Canadian companies to grow and be successful, through the commercialization of Canadian innovation and intellectual property (IP);
- Global impact: we will anchor Canada as a global force in the plant-based revolution—increasing recognition, investment, sales and leadership;
- Food security: we will contribute to domestic and international food security by building out an integrated and resilient value chain that allows Canada to make our own ingredients and food and export high-value, nutritious products to countries around the world; and
- Economic reconciliation: we will support the prosperity of Indigenous peoples through meaningful partnerships and mutually beneficial opportunities that lead to shared prosperity.
Global Leadership
Canada is the partner of choice for high-protein, plant-based ingredients
Innovation Ecosystem
Canada has a competitive business environment for ingredient manufacturing and food processing
Member Prosperity
Our members are profitable and are investing for the future
One Team
We have a shared vision and passion to strengthen Canada and create benefit for every Canadian
Global Leadership
Canada is the partner of choice for high-protein, plant-based ingredients
OBJECTIVE
Canada’s value proposition for ingredient manufacturing is competitive and drives foreign investment
ACTIONS:
- Protein Industries Canada will gather knowledge on Canada’s competitiveness in ingredient manufacturing and food processing, and will make recommendations to all levels of government on policy initiatives and incentives that will improve Canada’s competitiveness in attracting new investment.
- Advocate for the expansion and alignment of refundable tax credits at both the federal and provincial levels.
- Protein Industries Canada will work to increase awareness and understanding of Canada’s value proposition for ingredient manufacturing by targeting outreach to high-priority foreign direct investment targets.
- Plan and execute high-profile events, in collaboration with relevant agencies, to advance Canada’s brand as a supplier of choice of high-value ingredients and food products.
- Protein Industries Canada gathers deep market knowledge on priority markets of Southeast Asia and Northern Europe to support the creation of new markets for Canadian ingredients and products.
- Support incoming trade and innovation missions.
OBJECTIVE
Members commercialize and export Canadian ingredients, products and services
ACTIONS:
- Protein Industries Canada will gather deep knowledge of market needs (e.g. ingredients, functionality, health benefits, consumer preferences, etc.) and share with Canadian companies, supporting Canadian companies to enter global value chains with in-demand products.
- Leverage whitespace opportunities identified in the IP landscape report to identify new opportunities for Canadian ingredient manufacturers, aligned with market trends.
- Formalize international R&D partnerships to enable investment into Canadian companies and secure substantial offtake agreements for Canadian ingredient processors.
- Work with federal government partners to develop a market access program that supports Canadian ingredients to enter global value chains.
- Facilitate meaningful collaboration between Canadian ingredient manufacturers and international food processors.
OBJECTIVE
Protein Industries Canada creates opportunities for international relationships in ingredients and food
ACTIONS:
- Protein Industries Canada provides information, advice and pathfinding services to support our members in capturing new opportunities in key international markets.
- Protein Industries Canada leverages our deep knowledge and connections to extend influence within the international ecosystem.
- Create opportunities to showcase Canada and our members to priority international markets.
- Collaborate with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), Invest in Canada, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to create demand for Canadian products in key international markets.
- Collaborate with international organizations on the development of policies and initiatives aimed at driving growth in the plant-based food sector.
OBJECTIVE
Canada’s ingredient manufacturing and food processing environmental sustainability position is recognized and leveraged as an asset
ACTIONS:
- Leverage existing research and data to further quantify the environmental sustainability of Canadian ingredients from production through to finished product.
- Support Technology Leadership projects and members in measuring the environmental sustainability of products.
Innovation Ecosystem
Canada has a competitive business environment for ingredient manufacturing and food processing
OBJECTIVE
Value-added agriculture, ingredient manufacturing, food processing and bioproducts is a priority sector for Canada
ACTIONS:
- De-risk the achievement of The Road to $25 Billion (Roadmap) by increasing awareness and support of Canada’s value-added agriculture sector, with a focus on full-seed utilization.
- Further engage with the federal government to action the four priority areas necessary to advance Canada’s value-added agriculture and food production sector.
- Further conversations with provincial and municipal leaders to create a unified approach to attract investment and support the development of new ingredient manufacturing plants across the Prairies.
- Work with provincial and municipal governments, and federal organizations such as PrairiesCan, to identify potential development areas/”opportunity zones”.
- Engage with commodity organizations and industry associations to increase support for the recommendations in the Roadmap.
OBJECTIVE
Canada’s regulatory system is responsive and supports innovation and commercialization of novel ingredients, food, feed and bioproducts
ACTIONS:
- Continue the work of the Centre for Regulatory Research and Innovation (CRRI) to advance work on regulatory priority areas.
- Engage with Technology Leadership project participants to proactively address regulatory and policy hurdles.
- Protein Industries Canada is recognized as a thought leader and expert to support policy and regulatory changes that support sector growth.
- Work in collaboration with the regulators to create data sets to support regulatory and policy changes.
OBJECTIVE
Canada has the capital and invests to retain, grow and scale domestic companies
ACTIONS:
- Recommend incentives to the federal and provincial governments that will de-risk private investment and support the construction of commercial-scale facilities in Canada.
- Further advocate for value-added agriculture and food production to be included as a priority investment area in federal government programs and lending programs.
- Work to establish a pool of capital for large-scale infrastructure investment.
- Provide the capital community with relevant knowledge of Canada’s value-added agriculture sector.
- Collaborate with the capital community on solutions for ingredient manufacturers.
- Create meaningful connections between members and the capital community.
OBJECTIVE
Canadian companies are improving productivity and addressing the labour and skill gaps through training and innovation
ACTIONS:
- Invest into credential programs that address knowledge and training gaps in the ecosystem.
- On an annual basis, undertake skill gap analysis on behalf of the sector and identify areas of greatest need.
OBJECTIVE
Members have access to research, innovation and scale-up infrastructure
ACTIONS:
- Support companies in navigating domestic and international research and scale-up infrastructure
- Develop the business case and recommendation to establish a toll-processing facility in Canada.
- Work with the federal and provincial governments and private industry to develop a sustainable financial model to build and operate a toll-processing facility.
OBJECTIVE
Underrepresented groups benefit from the economic growth of the sector
ACTIONS:
- Ensure all Protein Industries Canada funded projects include Economic Reconciliation activities.
- Use the Capacity Building Fund to support the development of projects that bring benefit to Indigenous peoples and new Canadians.
- Support the creation of an entity that facilitates Indigenous investment into value-added agriculture and food production.
OBJECTIVE
Protein Industries Canada is positioned to continue to support the growth of the sector
ACTIONS:
- Continue to make the case for Protein Industries Canada as a catalyst and leader in Canada’s agriculture and food production sector.
- Protein Industries Canada is a sustained partner to deliver innovation and capital funding.
- Use our expertise in ingredient manufacturing and food processing to advance the growth of the ecosystem.
- Protein Industries Canada is the collective voice of the ecosystem and our members.
- Explore the evolution of Protein Industries Canada’s business model to generate additional funding sources.
Member Prosperity
Our members are profitable and are investing for the future
OBJECTIVE
Members commercialize profitable products and services
ACTIONS:
- Support full utilization of seed (protein, oil, fibre & starch) to maximize profitability of value-added products, including food, feed and bioproducts.
- Identify synergies and further partnerships to bring additional investment into member companies.
- Manage project portfolio to ensure alignment with our strategic plan.
- Manage outcomes of Technology Leadership projects to support commercialization of innovative Canadian IP.
OBJECTIVE
Members have meaningful partnerships and collaboration opportunities
ACTIONS:
- Work to increase collaboration between large and small companies to advance commercialization of new products and processes.
- Ensure project concepts that are viable but not supported by Protein Industries Canada are channelled to alternative funding sources.
- Organize member events, workshops and webinars to support member collaboration and learning.
- Increase awareness and usage of the Member Portal and IP Hub.
OBJECTIVE
Protein Industries Canada’s Technology Leadership Program supports the development of new technologies that are scalable with commercalization potential
ACTIONS:
- Protein Industries Canada works proactively with industry to develop projects that are aligned with market needs.
- Through the Technology Leadership Program, Protein Industries Canada will support innovations from proof of concept through to near commercalization, ensuring a continuous pipeline of projects.
One Team
We have a shared vision and passion to strengthen Canada and create benefit for every Canadian
OBJECTIVE
A Board of Directors that establishes the strategic direction and provides strong governance oversight
ACTIONS:
- Ensure the board has the tools and information needed to provide strategic direction, manage risk and provide financial oversight, including Contribution Agreement compliance.
- Support the board to be champions for the organization and advocate for the future of Protein Industries Canada and Canada’s agriculture and food production ecosystem.
- Ensure the board is equipped to assess, monitor and implement governance best practices.
OBJECTIVE
Protein Industries Canada's decision-making framework operates in an effective control environment
ACTIONS:
- Ensure a secure IT environment that will respect the integrity and confidentiality of member information.
- Ensure we are operating in accordance with our approved authority documents.
- Continue with internal project audits.
- Complete an annual review of all projects.
OBJECTIVE
Protein Industries Canada provides a high level of service standards to our stakeholders (Board, ISED and Members)
ACTIONS:
- Ensure timely, transparent and effective communication of our activities to all stakeholders.
- Conduct our business in a timely manner that aligns with our strategic plan and the needs of our members.
- Conduct all interactions in a professional manner.
- Improve usage of CRM system, data collection and standardization to better serve members.
OBJECTIVE
Protein Industries Canada is a values-based, diverse and inclusive organization where differences are acknowledged and celebrated
ACTIONS:
- Ensure all staff have the opportunity to participate in professional development activities.
- Maintain work planning process and performance management framework.
- Protein Industries Canada has a competitive compensation program that supports the long-term sustainability of the organization.
- Approach our work with a cross-functional, one-team approach.
- Be intentional in fostering an inclusive workplace environment.
- Build on the corporate-wide training to further understanding among staff about Indigenous reconciliation, building on previous reconciliation training.
- Ensure job postings are more accessible to potential Indigenous candidates.
