Whitehorse – The Government of Yukon believes that the agriculture sector is vital to the territory. 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 5-year agreement will provide $9.25 million in funds to support the Yukon’s growing agriculture sector. This is a 25% 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
- 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.” – 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