Protein Industries Canada (PIC) is now accepting proposals under the federal government's new Protein Supercluster.

Forty million dollars will be allocated during this first round of proposals and will match up to 50 per cent of industry investments. Projects will be accepted in all four priority areas: Create, Grow, Make and Sell.

“This is an exciting day for Protein Industries Canada,” said CEO Bill Greuel. “We are eager to collaborate with businesses, big and small, to co-invest in projects that have the potential to transform the agriculture and food processing industries in Canada. We already grow the crops, but we need to add more value to our primary production here at home. This is our opportunity to leverage our strengths from across the value-chain to produce new ingredients and products.”

The deadline to submit an Expression of Interest is June 28th. A second call for proposals will open in September.

Protein Industries Canada also released its five-year Supercluster strategy, launched its membership drive and announced a series of events across the Prairies, including one being held Wednesday in Winnipeg.

“We know that the opportunity for plant protein is massive, and we know that Canada is one of the only jurisdictions in the world that can meet the growing demand for plant protein-based food and livestock feed," added Greuel. "To capture this opportunity, we must work collaboratively to share risk, leverage our strengths and accelerate innovation. The Supercluster initiative is more than just investing money – it is about doing business differently –to overcome barriers and explore new opportunities."

PIC will invest $153 million dollars from the federal government across the value chain over the next four years.