Objectives, Principles and Criteria

CAAP Objective

To facilitate the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sector's ability to seize opportunities, to respond to new and emerging issues, and to pathfind and pilot solutions to new and ongoing issues in order to help it adapt and remain competitive.

Program Principles

Funding is conditional on projects meeting the Program's objective and the following program principles. Projects must:

• Be consistent with Government of Canada policy directions, including innovation, competitiveness, accountability and sustainable development.
• Fit within the mandate of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as defined under the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Act.
• Demonstrate clearly the benefits to Canada's agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector and to Canadians.
• Be consistent with Canada's international trade commitments and minimize the exposure to countervail.
• Respect the need for equity among regions and stakeholders.
• Exclude those areas that are solely within provincial and territorial jurisdictions.
• Not replace funding from other federal, provincial, or territorial programs or other sources.
• Maximize an appropriate cash contribution from industry.

Program Criteria

Funding is conditional on projects adhering to the Program's principles and the following program criteria:

• Projects must seize opportunities, respond to new and emerging issues, or pathfind or pilot solutions to new and ongoing issues to help the sector adapt and remain competitive.
• Project proposals must clearly demonstrate the potential for economic viability and longer-term self-sufficiency, where the nature of the project warrants.
• Funding is project-based and will be provided for a limited period.
• Funding will not be provided for activities intended to directly influence / lobby any level of government.
• Funding will not be provided for advertisement, promotion and/or awareness activities that brand one region, commodity, and/or product over another.
• Funding will not be used as direct income support.
• Funding will not be provided for ongoing activities, normal operations of organizations / businesses, nor normal commercial expansion.
• Funding will not be provided for basic research. *
• Funding is conditional on applicants/recipients meeting all program requirements, performance management and audit requirements.

* Basic research means experimental or theoretical work which is undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge without a commercial or other specific application in view.