CITY OF TORONTO

Creating an Infrastructure to Enhance Ethnic Food Processing

and New Crop Production

Presentation by:

Michael Wolfson, Food and Beverage Sector Specialist City of Toronto Economic Development

Three Major Points to Focus On

1. Raise the Profile of the Agri-food Industry in the Province of Ontario.

2. Change the focus of the Agri-food Industry in Canada from one of Field to Fork to one of Fork to Field.

3. Support the Agri-food Industry with practical solutions starting with building the Infrastructure to improve and innovate the sector.

The combined total of job cuts at the three operations is in excess of 2,800 out of a total of 46,500 vehicle assembly jobs

in Canada as of the end of June. 16% of the workforce

•There are 6 major Automotive manufacturers in Ontario.•450 auto parts manufacturers.•There are 135,000 workers in Automotive manufacturing in Ontario.

There are more than 3000 food processing establishments in Ontario. The majority being SME.There are 114,000 jobs in just the food processing sector in Ontario.The spillover affect of this industry in retailing and foodservice adds another 500,000 jobs.

Farmers

Consumers

Food Processers

Traditional Model

Food Processors

Farmers

Consumers

A New Way of Thinking!!!!

Soybean Production and Growth

Demand for Soya Beans

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Acres Harvested

Chinese and South Asians were the largest visibly minority groups in Canada according to the 2001 census, and the projection doesn't see that changing. Roughly one-half of all visible minorities would belong to those groups by 2017

Asian Population Influx into Canada

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1961 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's

Series1

What does all this mean?????

1. Farmers must respond to the demand of the marketplace in the Urban areas.

2. Nine out of every Ten new immigrants coming to Canada settle in an Urban area.

3. There must be closer linkages formed between the rural farming community and the urban based food processing and food service community.

4. Financial resources must be re-allocated to the food processing sector in order to drive innovation in the farming community. 75% of what’s grown in Ontario is further processed in Ontario.

5. The food processing industry must become a higher profile manufacturing sector in the Ontario and Canadian economy.

Infrastructure

More emphasis has to be made on supporting both the farmers and the processors with infrastructure in order to produce new,

innovative and convenient food products.

Farmers need temperature and atmospheric controlled storage and packaging facilities in

order to compete with foreign produce.

Food processors need similar facilities to support their growth at all stages of their

development.

Toronto Food Business Incubator

Access to a 24-hour fully equipped, commercially certified kitchen.Priority scheduling for use of kitchen facilities.Business plan analysis and feedback.Access to consultant(s) on a limited basis.

The Toronto Food Business Incubator (TFBI) fosters growth in food industry micro-enterprises. As a member of TFBI you will have access to business resources and industry-standard equipment that will shift your

start-up micro-enterprise into a commercialized food business.

International Food Processing and Innovation Centre

The IFPIC is a Canadian solution offering energy efficient, secure and affordable food grade industrial space to agri-food processors. The project is a joint venture between the City of Toronto and other public and private sector partners.

Linking local primary agri-food producers to the specialty and ethnic food processors in the Toronto region will create the innovative and functional food products of the future.

. The average IFPIC tenant with sales of $6 million, occupying 20,000 sq. ft. could save $250,000 to $350,000 in leasehold improvements and $180,000 in annual servicing costs.

THANK YOU

Michael WolfsonCity of Toronto Economic Development

Food & Beverage Sector Specialist5100 Yonge St. Main Floor

Toronto, OntarioM2N 5V7

Phone: 416-392-3830Email: mwolfso@toronto.ca

www.toronto.ca/invest-in-toronto/food.htm