The Ontario government has announced funding to build a $13.5 million poultry-research centre at the University of Guelph in Elora.
Construction is expected to start in 2024 and be completed by 2026.
The province, the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO) and the province’s four poultry industry boards announced on April 24 that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to invest in the new Ontario Poultry Research Centre to advance research and drive innovation for the poultry sector.
“As part of the Grow Ontario Strategy, our government is focused on enhancing our research and innovation capabilities across the agri-food sector,” said Lisa Thompson, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. “This research centre will equip our poultry industry with the tools, and the knowledge to stay competitive, while creating jobs, growing the economy and ensuring supply chain security.”
Ontario-led agri-food research will support animal welfare, reproduction, and nutrition, as well as meat quality and safety. Results will be shared with poultry farmers and the broader poultry business sector to encourage the adoption of innovative, safer, healthier, and more efficient animal and on-farm production practices.
Ontario’s poultry industry includes more than 1,200 chicken and turkey producers and 432 egg farmers across the province who will benefit from the cutting-edge research and innovative technologies that will be housed onsite. The new centre is expected to begin construction in 2024 and be completed by 2026.
Ontario has more than 2,060 poultry and egg farms that produce and sell the most poultry across Canada. In 2021, Ontario accounted for 457.3 million kilograms of the chicken (including stewing hens), 68.3 million kilograms of turkey and 316.4 million dozen eggs produced in Ontario.
In 2021, Ontario’s poultry contributed roughly with $1.8 billion to the province’s economy.
The Ontario agri-food sector supports more than 750,000 jobs in Ontario and contributes more than $47.6 billion each year to the province’s economy.
“OBHECC’S farmer and hatchery members are keen and excited to collaborate with our feather industry counterparts and other stakeholders in advancing this important project that will enhance Ontario’s leadership in poultry research and innovation,” said William Bearss, chair, Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission.