The provincial and federal government are providing funding to a number of B.C. ‘agritech’ companies in an effort to support the industry, and to facilitate the exploration of innovative ways for the province to maintain food security. The four companies are the first to receive funding through the newly launched B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI), a triple helix model collaboration that was announced mid 2022. 

‘Agritech’ is commonly defined as the use of technological advancements to improve the efficiency and yield of agricultural operations, or creating more with less. All four companies receiving funding have this common goal in mind as they receive a total investment of $540,000, including $122,500 from BCCAI, which is funded by the Province of British Columbia and Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). The recipients are as follows:

  • Aeroroot Systems (Surrey);
  • Agrotek Industries (Burnaby);
  • Bakerview EcoDairy (Abbotsford); and
  • Lucent BioSciences (West Vancouver).

“We need to be continuously innovating and working together to improve local food production and access to food for people here in B.C.,” said Pam Alexis, the province’s Minister of Agriculture and Food. 

“Agritech is the future and the work these four companies are doing in partnership with the B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation is helping ensure B.C.’s food systems are secure, resilient and sustainable.”

All four projects were unveiled at the Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford, but are expected to have province wide impacts on food security for communities. B.C. is home to more than 150 agritech companies that are working to improve areas such as food processing and growing technologies, soil and crop technology, and food safety. The province said in a press release that by 2025, B.C. could see as many as 30 new agritech industry projects developed, as well as up to 200 people employed and 750 people trained in the industry.

One recipient, Burnaby-based Agrotek Industries, is an Indigenous-owned fertilizer and biostimulant manufacturing company working to test an innovative organic soil amendment on blueberry plants and grapevines grown in the Okanagan region. The company uses naturally sourced ingredients extracted from Canadian mines to enrich soil and stimulate plant growth, and hopes to test their products in B.C. greenhouses soon.

“Agrotek’s vision is to manufacture top-quality organic fertilizers and biostimulants from naturally sourced ingredients extracted from Canadian mines,” said Jonathan Mathias, CEO of Agrotek Industries.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Simon Fraser University (SFU) scientists and for the funding provided by BCCAI. This will help Agrotek to create innovative and sustainable agriculture products to expand business and will contribute to strengthening First Nations agriculture and food security.”

PacifiCan is providing $10 million in funding over five years to BCCAI, with the province investing an additional $6.5 million over three years. The government is hopeful that additional funding will yield additional agritech innovations to benefit both agricultural producers and the general public, as food security and affordability remains an issue of concern across the world.

For more information on BCCAI funding recipients, and the centre as a whole, visit their website at www.sfu.ca/agritech-innovation.