News Release
New funding opportunity will provide up to $750,000 in matching funds to Canadian-based enterprises seeking to commercialization agriculture and Agri-food innovations
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – February 23, 2026: Genome Prairie, in partnership with Ontario Genomics and Genome Alberta, today announced the launch of HARVEST, a new genomics funding initiative. HARVEST is a Canada-wide opportunity designed to support life sciences and biotechnology innovations at Canadian for-profit enterprises to bring to market technologies that advance agriculture and Agri-food value chains. HARVEST (Harnessing Agriculture for Research, Value-add Environmental Solutions and Technology) will fund projects that advance technologies that measurably reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that do not impact productivity.
HARVEST will support an extensive a range of technologies, including genomics, metabolomics, precision fermentation and best production practices, will be eligible for HARVEST funding.
HARVEST will consist of two funding streams; PACT (Primary Agriculture Clean Technologies), and wasteCANcreate. The PACT stream will support bio-based tools or practices that reduce environmental impacts and improve on-farm efficiencies. The wasteCANcreate stream will support innovations that reuse agricultural or food-processing byproducts that create new or improved bio-based products.
HARVEST will provide up to $750,000 of matching project supports to Canadian-based for-profit enterprises. All project work must be completed no later than March 31, 2028. No-cost project extensions will not be allowed.
A virtual information session (Zoom platform) about the HARVEST initiative will be held on Monday, March 2, 2026. Sesson participants must register in advance via the HARVEST website, harvestaccelerator.ca.
Intakes for preliminary applications will be accepted until March 18, 2026, and full funding applications for selected preliminary applications due by April 13, 2026. Final funding notices will be sent to applicants in May.
QUOTES
Genome Prairie, in partnership with Ontario Genomics and Genome Alberta, are delighted to announce this first-of-its-kind initiative. HARVEST marks a bold new era of cooperation and collaboration that will boost Canadian commercial enterprises seeking to bring their biotechnology innovations to market. Now is the time for Canada to reap the benefits from its numerous investments in research. Genome Prairie is proud to play a key role in this journey towards greater national prosperity.
– Mike Cey, President & CEO, Genome Prairie
We are proud to bring Alberta’s strong track record in agricultural innovation to this new national collaboration with Genome Prairie and Ontario Genomics. HARVEST will help primary agriculture companies across Canada accelerate market-ready genomics and biotechnology solutions to reduce emissions while maintaining productivity. By translating research into real-world technologies, we’re strengthening competitiveness, supporting producers, and advancing sustainable economic growth.
– Dr. David Bailey, President & CEO, Genome Alberta
HARVEST is an amazing Agri-tech accelerator that will bring farmers, start-up companies, food processors and other manufacturers together to solve industry problems. In today’s world, Canada needs to come together to protect our most important industries and innovate to make them more competitive in the future.
– John Rafferty, President & CEO, Ontario Genomics
Canada’s bioeconomy is built on innovation, collaboration and purpose. Genome Canada is thrilled to see HARVEST bringing regional strengths together to accelerate growth for Canadian agri-food companies and drive environmental sustainability in our food systems.
– Rob Annan, President and CEO of Genome Canada
QUICK FACTS
- HARVEST is a collaboration between Genome Prairie, Genome Alberta and Ontario Genomics.
- HARVEST is only available to Canadian-based for-profit organizations seeking to bring their biotechnology innovations to market. HARVEST will provide a minimum of $350,000 and a maximum of $750,000 of funding to individual projects, with an expectation of matching supports.
- Funding applications follow a two-stage process. The first is an initial intake, requiring the completion of an intake form. Companies whose applications pass the intake stage will be invited to complete a full application form. Full applications will be reviewed by an external assessment committee who will make final award recommendation.
- The PACT stream will support Canadian commercial enterprises bring their innovations to market. Projects may improve crop and livestock production, and provide better abiotic or biotic stress resistance. Innovations can also include precision agriculture, soil and nutrient management technologies and systems that cut greenhouse gases, water use, and waste at the source of food production.
- The wasteCANcreate stream will focus on upcycling or reusing common agricultural and/or food and beverage processing side streams to improve existing processes and commercialize new bio-based products. Projects within wasteCANcreate will scale biological solutions, such as microbes (e.g., bacteria, yeasts, microalgae) and/or enzymes, to upcycle side streams into valuable products.
- For each stream, a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 projects will be funded.
- Applicants are encouraged to submit their intake applications to regional centres (Genome Prairie, Ontario Genomics, Genome Alberta). Applicants outside of these regions are encouraged to contact any of these three regional centres, or go to the initiative website harvestaccelerator.ca.
- For general information about HARVEST, or to start the application process, go to harvestaccelerator.ca.
- Genome Prairie is a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, Manitoba-based non-profit. Established in 2000, Genome Prairie has supported over $400 million in genomics-based research activities related to agriculture, the environment, and human and animal health.
- Genome Prairie represents one of six independent regional Genome Centres in Canada. This federated model optimizes investments in genomics research and innovation by aligning regional strengths and needs with national priorities—and by mobilizing industry-academic partnerships.
- Genome Prairie has a strong record of success in bringing investment dollars to its region. In recent years, Genome Prairie was awarded lead and co-lead for five of nine large-scale genomics projects totaling over $27 million via the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems (CSAFS) initiative.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RELEASE PLEASE CONTACT
Tony Bassett
Director of Communications
Genome Prairie
text/voice: 306.881.0255
email: tbassett@genomeprairie.ca
