We want to help you make sure your idea for a project is eligible to be assessed before you spend your valuable time preparing an application. This FAQ should help you decide if this is the case.
The Buy BC Program is designed to assist the agriculture, agrifood and seafood sectors with implementing eligible projects in British Columbia only. All applicants must have a head office, or be registered in BC.
Processed Food and Beverages (including seafood, baked goods, chocolate and confectionery, sauces, seasonings, cereal preparations, soups, condiments, snack foods, dairy products, eggs, meat products, fruit and vegetable products, natural health products, pet food, fruit juice, wine, beer, cider, spirits, bottled water, etc.)
Primary Agriculture Products (including fruits, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, floriculture, nursery, sod, honey, ginseng, animal feed, hay, cattle, hogs, poultry and other livestock, etc.)
Note: Statistics Canada defines “Other Livestock” as sheep, horses, ponies, goats, llamas, alpacas, rabbits, bison, elk, farmed deer, wild boars, mink breeding stock, fox, donkeys, mules, chinchillas, wool, and embryos, other poultry (e.g., geese, ducks, roosters, ostriches, game birds, emus, pheasants, quail and pigeons), beeswax, bee pollen, queen bees and nucleus bee colonies.
Yes, on the condition these activities meet the program’s objectives of:
In-kind contributions can be included as part of the budget, but they are not eligible for matching funding.
In order to be approved for cost-shared funding, the applicant’s project activities must meet specific criteria and purposes, which include but may not be limited to the following:
Eligible Activities | Description |
Labelling Products/Packaging with a Buy BC Logo | Designing/redesigning and printing of product labels/packaging which incorporates the new Buy BC logo (on eligible products certified for Buy BC logo use) to promote specific agriculture/seafood/beverage products within B.C. |
Marketing Collateral and Promotional Tools | Designing, developing, translating, printing/producing Buy BC-branded marketing collateral and promotional tools (e.g. retail flyers, posters, marketing brochures/rack cards, stickers, banners, signage, sell sheets, shelf-talkers, point of sale materials, shopping bags, aprons, placemats/coasters, pens, pins, etc.) to promote specific agriculture/seafood/beverage products within B.C. |
B.C.-Focused Market Development Activities | Undertaking domestic-focused market development activities (to promote specific agriculture/seafood/beverage products within B.C.) such as tradeshows, food fairs and sales exhibitions that target consumers and/or food-service/institutional/retail buyers; in-store product demonstrations; in-store retail/restaurant/food-service promotions; etc. |
Media Advertising | Developing and producing Buy BC-branded media advertising to promote specific agriculture/seafood/beverage products within B.C., including print, broadcast and online advertising campaigns. |
The scope of the Buy BC program is to support projects that increase local consumer demand and sales of BC agrifoods. The following types of project activities are NOT eligible for funding under this program:
Projects where the intended target audience is non-English speaking may qualify for cost-sharing on certified translation services for approved promotional materials. An estimate from a certified translation service should be included with your application. The maximum cost-share for translation services is $5,000.
Note: A copy of the English and translated materials may be requested and must be available upon request.
Measures of activities such as dollar value of increased sales, volume of increased sales, number of new sales agreements signed, number of marketing materials and advertising and promotional activities completed, number of new product listings and new partnerships, new jobs, number of website visits, new economic activity, number of website visits and social media traffic, number of participants at a special event and media coverage. It’s best to develop a plan upfront and track these results for final reporting purposes. A complete list is outlined on the Buy BC Part B application form.
All projects must be completed and the final report submitted within 12 months of the date of project approval or before the close of the Buy BC Partnership Program, whichever comes first.
Applicants will be required to contribute 50% in cash of the total cost of the project budget.
To apply to the Buy BC cost-shared program you will first have to complete an Eligibility confirmation form (Part A of your application). Once completed the Ministry of Agriculture will determine your eligibility for the program and you will be notified. Based on your eligibility you will be supplied with a Project Application form (Part B) which will need to be completed and submitted to IAF. Please note in order to participate in the cost shared program you will also need to complete a Buy BC licensing application to be certified to use the Buy BC logo. More information and application form: Buy BC logo licensing.
The amount that you can apply for will be determined based on you eligibility determination (Part A application).
No letter of intent is required. Feel free to contact the IAF to determine the eligibility of your application.
No, a requirement of the Buy BC cost-shared program is that applicants must have a Buy BC logo licensing agreement in place.
No, once you are eligibility has been confirmed (Part A) you will not have to reapply. The only time you may be asked to reapply would be if your business changes ownership or your organization goes thought significant personnel changes. Similarly, once you are certified to use the Buy BC logos that certification does not expire during the life of the Buy BC program.
Yes, please refer to the program page.
Clients can usually anticipate a decision within 20 business days for complete applications, from the application deadline date.
In order to be eligible for cost-share, all funding acknowledgement guidelines must be adhered to. The onus is on the applicant/client to ensure they have met the guidelines and have their communication products and media reviewed and approved by the IAF prior to publishing. Communication products that are not approved will not qualify for cost-share funding. For more information on funding acknowledgement: Funding Recognition Requirements
The BC government will work with each successful applicant to announce their project as they are approved.
Recipients will not make a public announcement concerning the project funding without the prior consent of the BC Ministry of Agriculture. For more information: Funding Recognition Requirements
It is expected that applicants prepare and submit their own applications. Applicants are responsible for delivery of their project.
An application submitted by a consultant on behalf of a client will result in the application being rejected. Consultant costs for the preparation of an application are not a program eligible component.
IAF encourages all potential clients for the Buy BC Program to contact the Foundation directly at funding@iafbc.ca or phone 250-356-1662.
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