The province is helping to support innovation in the greenhouse industry with over $3.6 million in funding.
In all, a dozen projects have been selected through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative.
Allegro Acres Inc. is receiving $999,345 to test, on a commercial scale, the impact of up to 24 hours continuous light of low intensity lighting on a commercial scale, which will reduce electricity consumption during peak hours and improve energy efficiency in greenhouse vegetable production.
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers is receiving $149,634 to develop a cost-effective anti-viral coating technology to treat tools and surfaces to reduce the spread of plant and human viruses in greenhouses, including COVID-19. This technology will help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and enhance biosecurity.
Great Lakes Greenhouses Inc is receiving $547,720 to use artificial intelligence to develop an autonomous grower technology that will enhance environmental sustainability, accelerate transition to year-round production, support crop diversification and improve long-term resiliency and competitiveness of the sector. The technology will allow greenhouse operators to remotely grow cucumbers and eggplant crops, reducing in-person contact and allowing them to manage more sites remotely.
Flowers Canada is receiving $89,013 to help the greenhouse sector optimize dehumidification systems to achieve energy recovery savings and improve successful plant production at greenhouse floriculture operations.
Trevor Jones with the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers says their funding includes helping to improve housing for migrant workers.
“There’s actually money going directly to study the design of worker housing,” Jones says. “The proximity, the size dimensions, it’s a very thoughtful and intuitive process, and right now with COVID, it’s refocused our efforts on those design and spacing elements.”
As for how the money is being divvied up, Jones says that while most of the money is aimed towards projects in the Leamington area, it benefits everyone in the industry.
“We have a growing concentration of high-tech greenhouses in Chatham-Kent, and board representation on the OGVG from a very established, long-term grower in the Chatham-Kent area, so their voice is represented. The projects, they go to the collective benefit. When it comes to pest mitigation, disease reduction, and all those technology, that’s for all greenhouse operators.”
This morning’s announcement was made by Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls, who says the money will help spur greater innovation and economic growth in the greenhouse industry.