The Government of Canada has allocated CAD 1 million in funding through Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) to support the Cellular Agriculture Prairies Ecosystem (CAPE) Project, an initiative led by New Harvest Canada. The funding will be matched by contributions from regional partners, bringing the total investment to approximately CAD 2.4 million over three years.
“CAPE is a step towards ensuring cellular agriculture happens in Canada, not to Canada”
The CAPE Project is designed to establish a cellular agriculture research and innovation network across the Prairie provinces, with a focus on utilizing local agricultural resources for biomanufacturing. The initiative will involve collaboration between industry and academic institutions, including the University of Alberta, University of Manitoba, and Lethbridge Polytechnic, among others.
Terry Duguid, Minister for PrairiesCan, states, “Alberta’s farmers and producers work hard to feed our communities and drive our economy. This investment in New Harvest Canada is about supporting innovation that builds on that strength—creating new opportunities for producers, making our food system more resilient, and ensuring a strong, sustainable future for Alberta’s agriculture sector.”
As part of the initiative, New Harvest’s fellowship program will expand to Canada, supporting PhD and postdoctoral researchers working on industry-driven projects in cellular agriculture. These projects will address challenges such as developing crop-based media alternatives for cell cultivation and exploring new uses for underutilized Canadian crops, including sugar beets and canola byproducts.
Collaboration with industry partners
Participants will work alongside industry partners to conduct lifecycle, environmental, economic, and safety assessments relevant to agricultural producers and cellular agriculture startups. The project is expected to contribute to the commercialization of new biomanufactured food products while advancing sustainability in the food supply chain.
The initiative builds on New Harvest’s 2022 partnership with the University of Alberta to establish an Institute of Cellular Agriculture. With the formal launch of CAPE, twelve organizations, including companies such as BioBoost Synbio, Ferma Farms, and Opalia, will collaborate on research and commercialization efforts.
Supporting value-added ag sector
This investment is part of a broader set of federal initiatives supporting Alberta’s value-added agriculture sector. In addition to the CAPE Project, PrairiesCan has announced funding for organizations such as the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and the Mackenzie Applied Research Association to enhance agricultural technologies, expand market opportunities, and support research into climate-resilient farming practices.
New Harvest Executive Director Isha Datar stated that CAPE represents a step toward ensuring that cellular agriculture developments occur within Canada rather than being imported. She notes, “CAPE is a step towards ensuring cellular agriculture happens in Canada, not to Canada.”
