Cloverbelt Country Meats Co-operative, based in Oxdrift, Ontario, benefitted from financial support from Patricia Area Community Endeavours (PACE), through the Community Futures Program enabling it to undertake key upgrades to ensure the facility’s continued operation. 

Cloverbelt Country Meats first opened during the 1970s. In 2015, a not-for-profit co-operative of local farmers took over the reins. The co-operative abattoir is an essential part of the agriculture infrastructure in the region, serving local farmers raising beef, poultry, pork and lamb. First Nations and local communities also use it for wild game processing. In need of significant upgrades to stay open, Cloverbelt Country Meats applied for grants to cover the costs, but needed operating funds to keep the facility running in the interim. That’s where PACE played a key role, providing bridge financing in 2018. As a result, the abattoir did not increase its debt load, and continued to serve its clientele.  

The facility now operates with increased efficiency thanks to its new equipment, giving the abattoir the ability to process more products at a faster pace. Cloverbelt Country Meats currently employs 10 full-time team members and 13 part-time/seasonal employees, an increase from 3 full-time and 15 part-time/seasonal employees in 2018.

 Community Futures Ontario Funding Partners:

Rural businesses, organizations and communities are the cornerstone of Canada’s economy. To ensure rural Canadians are positioned for success, the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), has invested in Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) across northern and southern Ontario to provide businesses in their communities with access to the tools and support they need to succeed.

Cloverbelt Country Meats Website: Click Here.

PACE Website: Click Here.