A call for proposals is sent out to Canadian agricultural researchers annually by Ontario Pork.  Proposals are reviewed and selected by the Research Committee which is composed of producers and swine industry consultants.  The Research Committee makes recommendations to the Ontario Pork board of directors on expenditures from the research budget. The recommendations support priorities and outcomes that are responsive and receptive to the needs of pig producers in Ontario.

Ontario Pork and seven other Canadian provinces support Swine Innovation Porc (SIP), a non-profit corporation committed to facilitating research in the Canadian swine sector.  Provincial pork contributions are used to leverage federal government funding allowing large multi-year, multi-facility projects in swine research to be completed.  One quarter of the Ontario Pork Research Fund goes to SIP while the remaining funds are granted through the internal research process.

Research Priority Setting Report

OP Research Objective

Ontario Pork recently completed a review of their research priorities and shifted focus from a priorities list to the overarching research objective: “Test potential improvements to swine industry practices”. 

All research projects that align with this overarching objective will be considered, including, but not limited to, swine health, swine welfare, swine nutrition, swine husbandry, swine reproduction, barn design and management, employee health and safety, meat quality and safety, marketing and consumer trends and environmental and economic sustainability. Highest priority is given to projects that demonstrate scientific merit as well as strong identification of the benefit of project results to Ontario pork producers and indication of input or support of a project from swine industry members outside of academia. Specific details on what is expected can be found in the Outline for completion of the Ontario Pork LOI. 

Ontario Pork now holds only one call for research proposals each year. Notices regarding the call will be sent out in the summer to the office of research for all Canadian Universities, posted on our website and sent out to all previous applicants for Ontario Pork research funding. Letters of Intent (LOI) will be due in the fall of each year, with notice of acceptance to submit a full proposal going out to successful candidates in December or early January.

Timelines for 2022 call for research:

Submission Documents:

Letters of Intent must be completed electronically through the Livestock Research and Innovation Corporation’s LRIC applicationmanagement system. If you have trouble accessing the LRIC application system, please contact Jean Howden at jhowden@livestockresearch.ca.

Guideline for completing LOI

Budget template

Guideline for completing a full proposal 

Ontario Pork Conditions of Research Funding

For further inquiries, please email Jessica Fox at jessica.fox@swinehealthontario.ca

Reporting Templates

• Template: Ontario Pork Research cover page
• Template: Ontario Pork Interim Report outline
• Template: Ontario Pork Final Report outline

• Template: Research Progress Report