Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program

Overview

The Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program (ASIRP) provides annual capital funding to help agricultural societies make major repairs to existing infrastructure to promote one or more of following outcomes:

• extending the useful life of the facility or infrastructure
• addressing health or safety issues
• improving functionality or service delivery
• reducing operating costs

Since 2023, ASIRP has awarded $7.5 million in grants to agricultural societies across the province, supporting 106 facility enhancement projects.

For more details, see the Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program Guidelines. 

Funding

The maximum amount of grant funding that may be awarded for a project is $100,000. The minimum amount is $10,000.

Eligibility

To receive a grant, applicants must:

• be an eligible agricultural society in good standing under the Agricultural Societies Act
• own or operate a facility or other built infrastructure

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses are costs directly attributable to the approved project, including:

• contractors (for example, trades people, labourers)
• project materials, supplies, and fixed equipment (for example, equipment that is permanently installed on the site such as boilers, exhaust fans, ice plants)
• expenses invoiced to and paid by the agricultural society

Projects must have total eligible project costs of at least $12,500 to be eligible for the program. The agricultural society must contribute 20% of the total eligible project costs, to a maximum of $25,000, see the program guidelines for more details.

Examples of funded projects

Examples of projects funded in the past include:

• roof repair
• commercial kitchens
• refrigeration
• washrooms
• accessibility improvements
• lighting
• heating and ventilation
• insulation
• windows and doors

Ineligible expenses

Examples of ineligible expenses include:  

• new construction or regular operating costs
• motorized vehicles and other non-fixed equipment (for example, passenger vehicles, tractors, skid steers, riding mowers, Zambonis)
• tools and small power equipment
• projects that do not result in an actual physical repair being completed (for example, projects that only involve engineering, feasibility studies, design work)
• expenses paid by someone else or reimbursed by someone else other than the agricultural society
• expenses incurred outside the project term (as detailed in the application) or before the application was submitted
• GST, travel expenses, land acquisition
• administrative expenses (for example, legal fees, bookkeeping, bank charges, permits)
• volunteer expenses (for example, honorariums, gifts, food)
• non-arm’s length transactions that may involve a conflict of interest of board members or staff
• costs deemed ineligible by the Minister, see the program guidelines for more details

Contact

To connect with the Rural Programming Program Coordinator:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-968-3517
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]