OMAFRA AAC Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative
Sponsor
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
The Agricultural Adaptation Council
Program
The Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative (GCII)
For More Information
Please visit the AAC website:
(https://adaptcouncil.org/uploads/program_uploads/XBX9-gcii-phase-ii-program-guide-version-two.pdf [1])
All inquiries about the GCII should be directed to AAC staff at:
Agricultural Adaptation Council,
381 Elmira Road North, Unit 1,
Guelph, ON N1K 1H3
Phone: 519-822-7554
Email: gcii@adaptcouncil.org [2]
Website: www.adaptcouncil.org/gcii [3]
Description
The objective of GCII is to increase sector competitiveness, by providing broad-based support that fosters innovation and investment in the sector as well as supporting sector response to key COVID-19 impacts and positioning the sector for long-term recovery and resiliency.
Through this merit-based initiative, financial support may be provided to interested organizations and partnerships with projects that advance the sector as a whole. The types of projects that could be supported include: research, strategy development, assessments, pilots, demonstrations, education and training. Projects are expected to provide broad sector benefits through the creation of partnerships, linkages across commodities, knowledge transfer, and industry support.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include any organization or partnership actively involved in a project providing broad benefit to the Ontario commercial greenhouse sector.
Projects must align with the following categories and objectives:
- Production & Market Development: Improve production efficiencies, diversify sector markets, and accelerate market access.
- Biosecurity: Improve the sector’s biosecurity, resistance management and emergency preparedness.
- Environment: Improve the sector’s environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Given the challenges associated with COVID-19, GCII is also encouraging projects within these three categories that directly respond to key sector impacts of COVID-19. Project results must provide benefit to the Ontario commercial greenhouse sector that grows or propagates ornamental and edible greenhouse crops. Projects involving cannabis or floriculture that falls outside of Flowers Canada (Ontario) regulations are not eligible.
Maximum Project Value
Funding requests between $25,000 to $1,000,000 for projects are encouraged. Lower or higher funding amounts may be considered depending on the benefit of the project to the Ontario greenhouse sector.
Indirect Costs
40%
Project Duration
A project cannot start prior to the AAC approval date. Eligible costs can only be incurred, invoiced and paid for on or after the start date. Projects must be implemented and completed no later than November 30, 2022.
Special Notes
Please note that research activities carried out in the context of COVID-19 need to adhere to the University of Guelph COVID-19 research principles, policies, guidelines and processes as they may be updated from time to time and communicated on the Office of Research web-page [4].
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Internal Deadline | Please submit a PDF copy of your application, along with an OR-5 Form to the Office of Research Services (research.services@uoguelph.ca [5]) a minimum of one week prior to the external deadline. | |
External Deadline | Complete submissions will include:
All applications submitted by the submission deadline will be reviewed by the AAC for eligibility. Applications will not be considered if they do not meet all eligibility criteria or if they are not complete. |
How to Apply
Please refer to the GCII Program Guide (https://adaptcouncil.org/uploads/program_uploads/XBX9-gcii-phase-ii-program-guide-version-two.pdf [1])