Federal government announces investment of up to $376K for Canadian Produce Marketing Association to improve packaging

MONTREAL — On Apr. 6, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $376,200 for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), under the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP), to support the transition towards more sustainable food and produce packaging.

Packaging serves many useful and essential functions in the food system, such as protecting food from contamination, preserving food and facilitating transportation. With the funds received under CASPP, the CPMA is undertaking a national pilot project that explores effective ways for industry to migrate to using sustainable packaging design and material options that enhance recyclability or compostability. The funds are being used to develop a strategy and enable steps towards the migration.

The project will help industry better understand and characterize the food and produce packaging system in Canada, assess the impacts of various packaging options and create a deployment plan. Key stakeholders including manufacturers, packaging producers, retailers and recycling facilities will be engaged in the development of viable sustainable packaging options.

“Climate change is a great threat to our economy, our communities and our future. For this reason, our government is investing in research and innovation to help the industry transition to more eco-friendly food packaging for products such as fruits and vegetables. Consumers in Canada and around the world want more sustainable options, and we are committed to providing them.” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.