Alberta launches $10M program to expand greenhouse, vertical farm production
Alberta’s government and Ottawa are launching a new three-year, $10-million program aimed at expanding greenhouse and vertical farm production and increasing the supply of locally grown produce year-round.
The Growing Greenhouses program, funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, will support new construction and expansions at commercial-scale greenhouses and vertical farms, with a focus on boosting output and improving energy efficiency.
Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson said the program is intended to strengthen food security while creating opportunities for producers and processors.
“Everything our ministry does is about ensuring Albertans have secure access to safe, high-quality food,” Sigurdson said in a statement. He said the funding will support technologies that increase production and improve energy efficiency.
Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald said the investment will help growers supply Canadian consumers with locally produced fruits and vegetables throughout the year.
“This program strengthens local communities, drives innovation, and creates new opportunities for agricultural entrepreneurs,” MacDonald said.
The initiative targets the controlled environment agriculture sector and aligns with Alberta’s Buy Local campaign launched earlier this year. The province said the program was designed in response to industry needs, with the aim of reducing reliance on imported produce during the fall and winter months, when prices typically rise.
Michiel Verheul, president of the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association, said the funding will help the sector expand capacity and reduce dependence on imports.
“By investing in expansion and innovation, we can grow more fresh produce year-round and strengthen food security for Albertans,” Verheul said.
Alberta’s greenhouse sector ranks fourth in Canada, with 195 greenhouses producing about $145 million worth of produce annually. About 60 per cent of those operations run year-round, and greenhouse food production in the province is growing at an annual rate of 6.2 per cent. Alberta currently imports about $349 million in fresh produce each year.
The program will support investments in renewable and efficient energy systems, advanced lighting, energy-saving construction, and automation and robotics.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion federal, provincial and territorial investment to improve competitiveness, innovation and resiliency in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector. Of that total, $1 billion is funded federally, while $2.5 billion is cost-shared, with Ottawa covering 60 per cent and provinces and territories 40 per cent.