Buy BC Partnership Program
The Buy BC Partnership Program is a fundamental component of Buy BC programming that provides up to $2 million in cost-shared funding annually to local producers, processors, and associations to support their ability to undertake local marketing activities that increase consumer awareness and sales of local agriculture, food and beverage products.
Offered by Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Amount
Producers, processors and cooperatives: from a minimum of $5,000 per year up to a maximum of $15,000 per year (annual gross revenue less than $250,000) or $30,000 per year (over $250,000), at 50% Ministry / 50% Applicant for first-time recipients and 35% Ministry / 65% Applicant for returning recipients; industry associations, boards and councils: from a minimum of $5,000 per year up to a maximum of $75,000 per year, at 70% Ministry / 30% Applicant
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
To be considered eligible for cost-shared funding through the Buy BC Partnership Program, organizations must meet the following criteria:
Be a primary agriculture and/or seafood producer or cooperative; or
An agriculture, food and beverage and/or seafood processor; or
An agriculture, food and/or beverage industry association, board or council
Be able to carry the cost of their total project until completion before applying for a reimbursement through the program
Be able to self-fund a minimum percentage of the total project budget as follows:
- For producers, processors and cooperatives, the cost-share ratio is:
- 50% Ministry / 50% Applicant for first time recipients and all applicants applying under the initial funding call of the program.
- 35% Ministry / 65% Applicant for all returning recipients (starting in 2024).
- For industry associations, boards, or councils, the cost share ratio is 70% Ministry / 30% Applicant.
Have a head office in B.C. or be authorized (including being registered, licensed or certified, as appropriate) to do business in B.C.
Have been approved for and hold a valid Buy BC logo licence by February 13, 2026
Have a minimum of $30,000 in annual revenue for the past two years (applicable only for producers, processors, and cooperatives)
Cannabis producers should use cannabis 100% grown in B C , and must demonstrate that at least 51% of the direct costs associated with producing the final product (e.g. dried flower, pre-roll, extracts, edible products) originates in B.C. )
Cannabis applicants must hold a Health Canada licence that allows commercial activities (e g Standard or Microcultivation and/or processing licence), ensuring compliance and good standing with all relevant regulatory bodies in Canada
Note: Cannabis producers, processors, and associations are now eligible for funding. Please see Section 2.3.1 of the Program Guide for more information on eligible products, markets, activities and expenses.
ā Submit only one application per intake.
About the funding
Be able to self-fund a minimum percentage of the total project budget as follows:
- For producers, processors and cooperatives, the cost-share ratio is:
- 50% Ministry / 50% Applicant for first time recipients and all applicants applying under the initial funding call of the program.
- 35% Ministry / 65% Applicant for all returning recipients (starting in 2024).
Show all funding details
- For industry associations, boards, or councils, the cost share ratio is 70% Ministry / 30% Applicant.
This Program offers two funding streams:
Producers and Processors
For producers, processors and cooperatives, funding is available from a minimum of $5,000 per year up to:
A maximum of $15,000 per year for applicants with an annual gross revenue less than $250,000, and;
A maximum of $30,000 per year for applicants with an annual gross revenue over $250,000.
Industry Associations
For industry associations, boards and councils, funding is available from a minimum of $5,000 per year up to a maximum of $75,000 per year.
In addition, funding maximums are in place for the following activities:
- Social media campaigns that include influencer marketing and/or brand ambassadors will be capped at $5,000
per applicant per year.
- Labelling or packaging products with a Buy BC logo: will be capped at $10,000 per Applicant, per year.
- Marketing collateral and promotional materials: will be capped at $5,000 per Applicant, per year, with no more
than $500 per Applicant per year for staff branded apparel.
- Staff wages: will be capped at $2,000 per year for eligible producers, processors and cooperatives; and at
$10,000 per year for eligible industry associations.
Please be advised, that these maximums represent the Ministry portion of cost-shared funding and not the total cost of the Activity.
Expenses are paid for upfront by the funding recipient and reimbursed by Program Administration following the submission of a final project report at the conclusion of the project.
Due to the duration of their projects, producers, processors and cooperatives will have one opportunity to submit for reimbursement at the end of their project. The exact date for report submission and reimbursement will be outlined in all Funding Agreements.
For a project to be funded through the Buy BC Partnership Program, an application must include one or more of the six eligible activities below:
Paid Advertising
Developing and producing Buy BC-branded digital, radio, print, transit, and/or TV advertisements, as well as purchasing ad space on digital and offline platforms.
Labelling Or Packaging Products With A Buy BC Logo
Designing and printing labels and/or packaging with the Buy BC logo. Only Buy BC logo licensed products can be labelled and packaged with a Buy BC logo. Please visit https://BuyBC.gov.bc.ca/contact/ for information on how to confirm, add or update a product licence.
Marketing Collateral and Promotional Materials
Designing, developing, and printing Buy BC-branded marketing collateral and promotional materials for general use such as videos, brochures, rack cards, posters, banners, recipe cards, signs, truck wraps, social media posts, etc.
BC Focused Market Development and Sales Expositions
The organizationās first time participating in virtual or in-person, and/or sales expositions in B.C. that target consumers and/or food service/ institutional/retail buyers to promote specific agriculture, food or beverage products within B.C., including registration fees, booth rentals/upgrades, equipment rentals, translation services, chef services, on-site storage, shipping costs for product samples and/or general booth service fees such as garbage collection and electricity costs.
BC Focused In-store Demonstrations and Promotions
Conducting in-store product demonstrations and promotions within B.C., including hiring brand ambassadors to promote Buy BC licensed products within grocery retailers and/or food service establishments, offering product sampling within B.C. grocery retailers and/or food services establishments, and/or developing and promoting products within grocery retailers and/or food service establishments through the production and use of signage and promotional materials with the Buy BC logo.
Staff Wages
All staff wages directly related to implementation of project activities.
Please see Section 2.3.1 of the Program Guide for more information on eligible cannabis-specific activities.
Translation and interpretation fees to target the above activities to non-English speaking audiences in B.C. are considered eligible expenses.
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