The Government of Canada is committed to requiring five per cent average renewable fuel content in transportation fuels by 2010 and intends to regulate a two per cent requirement for renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2012. Environment Canada is leading the development of the strategy to reach this goal, with support from Natural Resources Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). AAFC wants to ensure that these targets are implemented in ways that result in the greatest possible benefit to the agriculture sector, including ownership of biofuels production facilities by agricultural producers.

To help meet the fiver per cent target, AAFC made available funding of $20 million dollars in fiscal years 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 through the Biofuels Opportunities for Producers Initiative (BOPI). Greater involvement in biofuel production facilities will allow agricultural producers to become participants in the value chain and increase their share of the benefits from renewable fuel production, beyond delivering feedstock.

BOPI funds were provided nationally through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Fund (ACAAF).The Agricultural Adaptation Council received $1.3 million to administer BOPI.

There were two waves of BOPI funding, the first one was in September 2006 and the second one in May 2007. The program was launched in September 2006 and closed in June 2007. During this time, 12 projects were approved.

The goal of BOPI was to ensure farmers and rural communities have greater opportunities to participate in and share the benefits of the increased Canadian biofuels production. The initiative helps agricultural producers develop sound business proposals, as well as undertake feasibility or other studies to support the creation and expansion of biofuel production capacity.

This program is now closed.

Detailed information about projects is available by contacting the AAC office at 519-822-7554.