Capital Financiere agricole, the investment branch of Quebec’s provincial ag lending agency, plans to invest $300,000 in a new organic meat plant.
Viandes biologiques de Charlevoix, which raises and markets hogs and chicken and produces organic meat at Baie-St-Paul, about 90 km northeast of Quebec City, plans to build a 6,300-square foot plant to Eco-Cert Canada certification and organic standards.
To that end, it will use both the provincial funding and a new $150,000 investment from the local development centre (CLD) for the Charlevoix municipality. Both investments were officially announced Monday.
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The investors said the company’s new facility will allow it to broaden its base of organic meat offerings, and to prepare processed products and canned meats.
Provincial Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard said the region will benefit from having a processor sourcing meat from local farms, developing regional specialty products and creating a tourist attraction for the area.
The Charlevoix operation, run by Damien Girard and Natasha McNicoll, currently produces organic pork and chicken for a number of shops, restaurants and hotels in the province, including 11 IGA stores. The farm also markets its products online.
Capital Financiere agricole (CFAI) has operated as a branch of La Financiere agricole du Quebec since 2002. Fonds de solidarite FTQ has held a 10 per cent stake in CFAI since 2006.
