What this program offers
Intake period: The project Summary forms intake period is now closed. Additional application dates may be announced in the future.
The program ends March 31, 2033, and all projects must be completed prior to that date.
The Dairy Innovation and Investment Fund (DIIF) aims to help dairy processors in making investments to increase competitiveness over the long term and adapt to the new market realities.
The Fund provides non-repayable contributions to Canadian dairy processors to invest in innovative solutions to better manage the structural surplus of solids non-fat in Canada. The Fund will help the sector modernize, replace and increase solids non-fat processing capacity and minimize non-marketed skim milk.
The overall budget from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2033, is up to $333 million, including $5 million in program administration and up to $33 million in unclaimed Dairy Direct Payment Program funds.
Funding for projects under the DIIF is distributed among the regions as follows:
| Region | Approximate funding |
|---|---|
| West (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) | $74 million |
| Ontario | $127 million |
| Québec | $109 million |
| Atlantic (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador) | $18 million |
How much funding you can receive
The maximum funding available is calculated based on the increase in skim milk processing capacity generated by the project as well as other factors. Refer to Section 1.4: Funding and cost-sharing of the Applicant Guide to see how maximum funding per project is calculated. In all cases, the maximum funding per project is $75 million or the total funds available in the region of the project, whichever is lower.
Did you know?
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has expertise and research facilities open for public in the dairy transformation sector? You can have access to the profiles of the department 20 research and development centers as well as their scientists on the websites Facilities | Directory of scientists and professionals (science.gc.ca) and Profiles | Directory of scientists and professionals (science.gc.ca) respectively.
If you are seeking for a specific expertise in dairy transformation or in valorization of solids-not-fat from the dairy industry transformation, communicate with the science partnerships division at the address: AAFC.SciencePartnershipsDivisiondespartenariatsdessciences.AAC@agr.gc.ca.