The long-anticipated Ontario Poultry Research Centre broke ground Oct. 7.
“Ontario poultry farmers have a long history of embracing innovation, research and continuous improvement,” said Brian Lewis, Chicken Farmers of Ontario District 3 director.
WHY IT MATTERS
The approximately 85,000 square-foot facility, which replaces the aging Arkell Research Station, will modernize and advance Ontario’s poultry research.
“(The new centre) will help Ontario’s poultry farmers manage risk, make informed decisions, improve how we operate and continue producing safe, high-quality, locally grown food for Ontario’s families,” he added.
Lewis said the centre’s research, education and training will create student opportunities, expose future industry leaders to hands-on poultry production, ensure future innovations reflect farming realities and support poultry producers’ long-term success.
Sam Oosterhoff, minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, said investments like these in the face of unprovoked tariffs “help strengthen Ontario’s food security, sovereignty and self-sufficiency while supporting a more competitive and resilient agri-food sector.”
Investment
Ontario committed $24 million for the new facility; the poultry industry is investing $6 million and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership contributed $250,000 to part of the design phase.
The facility will include:
- Modern, replicable welfare-friendly housing systems for broilers, layers and turkeys with replication to ensure research project integrity and validation.
- A state-of-the-art hatchery with the capability of feed and water in the hatcher.
- Advanced control systems for heating, cooling, feeding and lighting for ideal environmental conditions.
- Sensors and data inputs connected via a wireless network, capturing large amounts of data, bridged with the University of Guelph networking infrastructure.
Scott Helps, Egg Farmers of Ontario chair, said the investment will benefit today’s farmers and the next generation by supporting high-quality, fresh and locally produced food and developing food sovereignty and security in Ontario.
William Bearss, chair of the Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission, said he is optimistic the facility will attract high-quality researchers, influence national changes and draw funding that could endow chairs and research programs.
Partnership
The research centre is a partnership among the poultry sector’s four feather boards: Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Egg Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission and Turkey Farmers of Ontario, the University of Guelph and the Government of Ontario, through Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO). ARIO is an arm’s-length provincial organization that owns and manages agricultural research land.
“This new centre is designed to support research that advances poultry health and welfare production practices, sustainability, and adoption of new technologies,” said Evert Veldhuizen, ARIO board member. “(It) will give researchers the flexibility to explore new opportunities, respond to emerging challenges, and changing needs across the sector.”
Farm-tested
University of Guelph president and vice-chancellor, Rene Van Acker, said the research centre will give researchers, students and industry partners a modern, world-leading facility to discover, learn and share.
“Most importantly, it will help deliver farm-tested innovations for Ontario’s chicken, turkey and egg producers, supporting a poultry sector that is secure, sustainable, competitive and growing,” said Van Acker.
The facility is expected to be completed by summer 2028 and will support more than 220 construction jobs.
