The federal government has committed more than $2.6 million to support halal meat processing facilities across Canada — while allocating nothing to kosher projects, according to a newly released Order Paper response.

The figures come from Question Q-812, submitted by Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman and answered March 23 by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

According to the department, $2,435,811 has been directed specifically toward halal facilities. An additional $192,778 went to a project that supports both halal and kosher production, bringing the combined total to $2,628,589.

Funding explicitly earmarked for kosher-only facilities: $0.00.

Go Ad Free

The spending falls under the federal Kosher and Halal Investment Program, which is intended to expand Canada’s capacity to meet growing domestic and international demand for religiously compliant meat products.

Three projects have received funding so far:

Beretta Farms Ltd. (Alberta) received $179,025 to introduce traditional halal slaughter techniques and increase production capacity.

Atlantic Beef Products Inc. (Prince Edward Island) received the bulk of the funding — $2,256,786 — to improve meat recovery processes and packaging for halal products.

Southwest Meat Packers Inc. (Ontario) received $192,778 for facility upgrades and equipment to expand both halal and kosher beef production.

The Ontario project is the only one tied to kosher production in any capacity.

The government says the program is aimed at boosting efficiency, expanding market access, and meeting rising demand for halal and kosher products at home and abroad.

But the breakdown raises questions about how evenly those funds are being distributed, particularly given that, so far, every dollar has gone either to halal production or shared projects, with none dedicated exclusively to kosher facilities.