You might have heard that a new cost-share program, GreenON Agriculture was announced last week. This program is designed to help Ontario farm businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and greenhouses are eligible!
This program will be of interest to greenhouse operators who are concerned about rising energy costs, and want to make their operations more energy-efficient.
The program is being delivered in two streams, only one of which is currently active. The retrofit stream is designed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency in greenhouses. You could be eligible for 35% cost-share, up to a maximum of $500,000 over the life of the program. There is no cap on the number of projects that can be undertaken under this cap, so you could complete one large project or several smaller projects depending on your business needs. The innovation stream (to be delivered at a later date), will be looking to support innovative new solutions for greenhouse gas reduction in greenhouses. So if you’ve got big ideas, now might be a good time to start thinking them through!
Eligible projects for GreenON Agriculture retrofit funding include:
- Installation of new or upgraded energy curtains
- Upgrading greenhouse cover materials, including the addition of layers OR the installation of more energy efficient options
- Upgrades to boiler or heating systems
- Engineering costs related to these activities
For all the details, check out the program guide.
The first window for applications to be submitted to the program is March 6-26th. There will be further intakes into the program, but they have not yet been announced.
To apply, you’ll need to head over to the OSCIA’s website. Along with a standard application form, you’ll also need to complete the “GO-CALC” (Greenhouse Gas Ontario Covered AgricuLture Calculator) tool as part of your application package to determine the merit of your project. I’ve talked about this tool on the blog before, and we’ve even made a helpful video to walk you through the process, which I’ve attached here.
Any questions about program eligibility can be directed to the OSCIA, or the Ag Info Contact Centre. Happy retrofitting!