On Thursday, the federal government announced that Protein Industries Canada was selected as one of the five supercluster hubs to share in $950 million dollars to foster innovation and job growth.

Protein Industries Canada is an industry-led alliance of over 120 private-sector companies, academic institutions and other stakeholders across western Canada aimed at fully developing the potential of plant-based proteins from crops such as canola, pulses, grains, hemp and flax.

“We are very excited for canola’s involvement in this pan-Prairie initiative to drive innovation in plant-based protein to help feed a growing world,” said Jim Everson, President of the Canola Council of Canada.  “Innovation in canola protein will secure Canada’s place in the growing global plant-based protein market and create significant economic activity.”
 
The group will focus on improvements and opportunities in four areas: crop breeding, crop production, value-added processing and export development.

The federal funding supplements roughly $400 million of cash, in-kind commitments and venture capital support that PIC has already secured from its members.