Resources for abattoirs
Last updated on April 4, 2025On this page, where can I find:
- An industry group that represents my abattoir
- Funding to build a new abattoir
- Permits to process, cut and wrap, or sell meat to the public
- Training related to meat cutting and abattoirs
- Support for an Indigenous or woman-owned businesses
- Workers
Where can I find funding to build a new abattoir?
While there are no specific grants available for building new abattoirs, there are business resources and financial supports available through organizations including:
The province's programs applicable to abattoirs:
Agri-business planning
Provides funding to producers and processors to acquire business consultants, disaster recovery planning services, and coaching.
Toll Free: 1-888-221-7141
Email: agribusiness@gov.bc.ca Website
B.C. Lean for Food Processors
Provides funding to food and beverage processors for hiring business consultants to improve decision making, optimize operating procedures, and improve production capacity and labour productivity.
Toll Free: 1-888-221-7141
Email: Agribusiness@gov.bc.ca Website
Livestock tag reader rebate
Offers a rebate to livestock operators including abattoirs who purchase and install approved tag readers.
Phone: 604-484-3490
Email bctraceability@ca.pwc.com Website
Post-farm food safety
Provides funding to food and beverage manufacturing facilities including abattoirs to implement and improve food safety practices.
Food Processing Skills Canada
Toll Free: 1-877-963-7472
Email DPoulin@fpsc-ctac.com
Traceability adoption
Provides funding to agriculture, food and seafood businesses (including abattoirs) to implement facility-based traceability systems, practices, technologies and infrastructure.​
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Phone: 604-484-3490
Email bctraceability@ca.pwc.com​
Traceability value chain
Provides funding to agriculture, food and seafood sector organizations and value-chains to implement sector-wide or value chain traceability systems, practices, technologies and infrastructure.
Value chains are groups of three or more eligible businesses connected along a supply chain, for example, a business partnership among a producer, processor and distributor.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Phone: 604-484-3490
Email bctraceability@ca.pwc.com
Premises ID
Premises Identification (ID) links livestock and poultry to specific geographic locations. In the event of an emergency, premises ID information improves the ability of governments and industry to rapidly notify animal owners, contain animal disease outbreaks and more effectively respond to natural disasters like floods or fires. There is no cost to participate in the program.
Phone: 1-888-221-7141
Email bcpid@gov.bc.ca Website
Agriculture and Agrifood Canada
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Funding Opportunities Booklet
Provides an overview of the funding opportunities available to B.C. agricultural producers, processors (including abattoirs), innovators and associations. The programs listed are funded through a variety of sources, including the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (a $3 billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector). Note that information about government programs is available free of charge.
Download Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's funding opportunities booklet (PDF, 4MB)
Regional economic development agencies that help start/grow abattoir businesses:
Community Futures
Each of the 34 Community Futures offices provides flexible and affordable small business loans, business coaching/training services and business management tools for people wanting to start, expand, franchise or sell a rural business.
Economic Trust of the Southern Interior
Provides grants, loans and matching contributions for economic development priorities in the southern interior of B.C., including agriculture.
Economic Trust of the Southern Interior
Phone: 236.420.3680 ext. 0
Email info@etsi-bc.ca
Island Coastal Economic Trust
Provides grants and services for economic development on Vancouver Island and in the Sunshine Coast region including agriculture. Programs include support for economic infrastructure and innovation, economic readiness support, bursaries towards select economic development courses and networking events, and sponsorship for regionally significant development or sectoral events.
Island Coastal Economic Trust
Phone: 250-871-7797
Email: info@islandcoastaltrust.ca
Northern Development Initiative Trust
Provides non-repayable funding for businesses and associations that pursue agriculture projects in line with economic development priorities in central and northern B.C. Various programs are available including innovation funding, consulting service rebates and infrastructure support.
Northern Development Initiative Trust
Phone: 250-561-2525
Email: info@northerndevelopment.bc.ca
Financial supports for abattoir businesses are available at:
Business Development Bank of Canada
Provides access to financing, advisory services, and investment capital for entrepreneurs in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
Business Development of Canada
Toll Free: 1-888-463-623
Farm Credit Canada
Provides financing, insurance, software, learning programs and other business services to producers and agribusinesses operations. Farm Credit Canada is a financially self-sustaining federal commercial Crown corporation.
Contact
Farm Credit Canada
Abbotsford: 604-870-2417
bcabbots@fcc-fac.ca
Dawson Creek:
250-782-1346
bcdawsoncreek@fcc-fac.ca
Duncan: 250-715-2304
bcduncan@fcc-fac.ca
Kelowna: 250-470-5050
bckelowna@fcc-fac.ca
Surrey: 604-576-3577
www.fcc-fac.ca
Your financial institution may have an agriculture department. Contact them to find out if they have supports for abattoir businesses.
Where do I get permit to process, cut and wrap, or sell meat to the public?
All meat processing, cut and wrap, and sales activities require a Food Premises Permit obtained from a regional health authority. Contact your local health authority for more details:
Where can I get training related to meat cutting and abattoirs?
Training is a requirement for certain types of provincially licensed abattoirs:
- SlaughterRight Training is a licensing requirement for Farmgate and Farmgate Plus licences and does not provide meat cutting training. SlaughterRight is a training resource developed by the province to support producers in safely and humanely slaughtering their animals on-farm.
- Retail meat cutting training is available at Thompson River University Meatcutter Program, an Industry Training Authority subsidized program
- Slaughterhouse skill training is available at Olds College Alberta Meat Processing Program
Where can I find workers?
Whether you are looking for staff or needing support, there are resources available for you:
Express to Success: Agri-Food and Beverage Processing Training Program
Provides paid training to individuals who would like to get jobs in the agri-food and beverage processing manufacturing fields. Provides a means for employers to obtain well-trained employees while reducing the usual start-up costs associated with new hires.
Mission Community Skills Centre (Langley Office)
Phone: 604-427-1991
Email: ets-langley@missioncsc.org
Grant for training workers: B.C. Employer Training Grant Program
Provides matching grants for employers to support skills training for current and new employees. This includes developing new skills and obtaining certification, and upgrading skills because of automation or to enhance productivity.
WorkBC
Phone: 250-952-6914
Toll Free: 1-877-952-6914
Where can I find an industry group that represents my abattoir?
It is beneficial to join an industry organization to access practical industry specific resources and supports for your abattoir operation. Many abattoir organizations in B.C. choose to work with the associations below:
- BC Meats (previously B.C. Association of Abattoirs)
- Small Scale Meat Producers Association
- B.C. Food and Beverage
- Small Scale Food Processor Association
Where can I find support for Indigenous or woman-owned businesses?
B.C. Indigenous Pathfinder Service
The B.C. Indigenous Pathfinder Service is a single source for support and referral to help navigate the relevant information, tools and funding available to start or expand activities in the following areas:
- Indigenous food systems
- Food sovereignty
- Food security
- Agriculture and food sector
Staff provide provincial wayfinding services and program referrals as required to connect people to current supports and other available opportunities
Email: indigenousfoodsystems@gov.bc.ca
Phone: 236-426-5024
Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Interior First Nations
Promotes and provides community economic development support services to Indigenous groups within the Central Interior of B.C. Programs include pre-employment, entrepreneurial, financial and business management courses. The Corporation also provides small business loans including for agricultural initiatives.
Contact
Phone: 250-828-9833
Email: info@cfdcofcifn.com
Women’s Enterprise Centre
Helps BC women start, lead and grow their own businesses, with a full range of services includes business loans, additional financing through a partnership with Business Development Canada, business skills training, personalized business advice, mentoring, practical resources and a supportive community.
Contact
Women's Enterprise Centre
Toll Free: 1.800.643.7014
E-mail: inquiry@womensenterprise.ca
FCC Women Entrepreneur Program
Provides supports and resources to women entrepreneurs in agriculture, agribusiness and food.
Contact
FCC Women Entrepreneur Program
Toll Free: 1-888-332-3301
Food safety resources
Resources
Contact information
Phone:
1 888 221-7141
Email:
AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.ca