Sow the seeds for a
better tomorrow in Ontario
The pillar of all life, agriculture, has rapidly evolved into a state-of-the-art tech-forward industry. Owing to digitalization, AgriTech has flourished into a larger, more advanced era of ag biotechnology, agribusiness marketplaces, bioenergy and biomaterials, farm management software, and farm robotics.
Based on application, production and maintenance tech used in agriculture is expected to drive the industry in the next few years, which means a rise in monitoring systems, using AI for production forecasting, and using data technologies to record weather conditions, crop efficiency, and soil structure.
The global market by revenue is projected to reach almost US $41.2 million by 2027, growing at a 12.1% CAGR signalling an exciting chapter in agriculture’s tech transformation.
A resource-rich landscape propelled by robust R&D
Agriculture is more than just a business in Canada; it is a way of life. 1 in 9 jobs belong to the agriculture sector. Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative and generates CA $143.8 billion for our economy. Canadian food producers and manufacturers enjoy low costs, accessible export markets, and very advanced AgriTech research resources.
The Information and Communications Technology Council reported 10 common themes emerging in the Canadian AgriTech sector (including Canadian and non-Canadian-owned companies).
Themes
Canada’s AgriTech sector thrives on an extensive R&D ecosystem, fuelling advancements in agriculture and food. There are already massive projects underway in robotics, sensor and agriculture data, and AI deep learning, making Canada ripe for innovation. It’s no wonder that Canada has the world’s 2nd biggest AgriTech investor base in the world.
Canada, as the top exporter of pulse crops (lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas), already holds a very prominent position in the plant-based protein market. International giants have noticed Canada’s allure and have invested heavily to make the most of the Canadian advantage. French company Roquette, has invested CA $17 million to accelerate R&D for new plant-based proteins, and German The Cultivated B invested CA $50 million for their manufacturing facility. American firm Raven Industries Inc also opened its new headquarters and innovation centre here.
Ontario stands out among other provinces with the highest proportions of Canada’s farms; it accounts for over 25.5% of total farms in Canada and 7.7% of the total farm area. The leading types of farms Ontario has are poultry and egg production (38.9%), sheep and goat (36.6%), other animal production (28.7%), vegetable and melon (30.8%), and greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture (31.8%).
Additionally, over 54% of Ontario’s farms already use technology to improve farming efficiency, making it the perfect playground for AgriTech innovation and commercialization.
A 2021 study by Pitchbook reports that Ontario is also home to a majority (33%) of the AgriTech companies in Canada. 79 out of 261 AgriTech companies in the dataset were headquartered in Ontario, making it the largest ecosystem within Canada. The top five most prevalent activities are:
Ontario boasts a top-tier, publicly funded network comprising 23 universities and 24 colleges, leading to 70% of adult workers here holding post-secondary education, the highest rate among OECD countries. Additionally, Ontario is also recognized as North America’s second-largest tech cluster.
Canada’s trade agreements cover markets valued at over US $50 trillion with 1.7 billion consumers. Canada has free trade agreements with the largest manufacturing markets in the world: the United States (USMCA), the European Union (CETA) and Asia-Pacific (CPTPP).
Your business can have access to 187 million consumers within a day’s drive of the Greater Toronto Area. Ontario has 4 international and 300 regional airports, 250,000 km of roads and highways, a dozen border crossings and the 6th most internationally connected airport in the world.
See all of our programs and find out how TBDC can maximize the potential in your AgriTech business.
of farms use farm
efficiency tech
kilolitres of milk
produced annually
in market size for
fertilizer manufacturing
dozen eggs produced by Ontario farmers
farms call Ontario home
kg of honey
produced annually
Funding, Resources and Organizations
Using the Business Benefit Finder, you can find many more government grants and incentives relevant to your tech startup.
is an annual event that brings together global AgriTech leaders, industry giants, investors, accelerators, and innovators. Visit Site
is a non-profit company supported through funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED)‘s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). Visit Site
is a membership-based organization open to food manufacturers, processors, distributors, retailers, funders, and innovators. Visit Site
hosted by the University of Guelph in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, creates a platform for AgriTech companies to pitch their ideas and earn funding. Visit Site
is a farmer led organization that offers community support for farmers. They advocate on behalf of members on issues, legislation and regulations that affect those involved. Visit Site
is the top global Venture Capital firm based on AgriTech portfolio count. Visit Site
