The Government of Yukon believes that the agriculture sector is vital to the territory. Today, the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker launched the Yukon’s new agricultural funding program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). The program follows the signing of the Canada-Yukon Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership bilateral agreement on April 4, 2023 with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
This new five-year agreement will provide $9.25 million in funds to support the Yukon’s growing agriculture sector. This is a 25 per cent increase in funding for cost-shared programming from the previous Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding program.
Sustainable CAP seeks to advance five priorities that will increase the competitiveness, innovation and resilience of the agriculture sector:
- Tackling climate change and protecting the environment;
- Continued and targeted investments in science, research and innovation;
- Supporting market development and trade;
- Building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness; and
- Enhancing resiliency and public trust.
Sustainable CAP will further work to encourage greater diversity and inclusion in the sector and strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is an ambitious path forward that will position our sector for continued success as a world leader in sustainable agriculture. This partnership with the Government of Yukon will enable producers and processors to seize opportunities to grow and expand their businesses, while strengthening the resiliency of the local food system.
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership aligns with our commitments to sustainable economic development, environmental stewardship and increasing the territory’s self-sufficiency in food production. As we address the challenges of climate change and food security, Sustainable CAP allows us to build a resilient and prosperous agriculture sector that puts healthy, nutritious, and high-quality local foods on the tables of Yukoners.
Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker
The Sustainable CAP’s funding agreement provides support to commercial small businesses and new entrants in the agriculture and agri-food sector along with non-profit and First Nation organizations, First Nations governments, municipal governments, educational institutions and research bodies.
Under Sustainable CAP, Yukon producers can access two key Business Risk Management programs, AgriStability and AgriInvest, designed to provide protection against income and production losses and help manage risks that threaten the viability of their operations.
Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories. Sustainable CAP is the fifth consecutive federal-provincial-territorial agricultural funding program to be implemented in the Yukon and replaces the previous Canadian Agricultural Partnership program that ended on March 31, 2023.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Brigitte Parker
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-667-3183
brigitte.parker@yukon.ca