Alberta beef is known around the world for its premium quality and great taste, produced with the highest standards of food safety, animal care, biosecurity and environmental stewardship. The province is home to farmers and ranchers who uphold this reputation in raising their cows, as well as world-class beef manufacturing facilities. In 2023, Alberta beef production totalled almost one million tonnes, with meat product sales totalling $12.2 billion.
To attract even more large-scale investment in agri-food manufacturing, Alberta’s government introduced the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit program in spring 2023. The program provided incentive for JBS Foods Canada ULC (JBS Canada) to invest about $90 million in a new patty processing line and fulfillment centre at its Brooks plant. With the expansion, JBS Canada will produce almost seven million more kilograms of beef patties every year for restaurants in Western Canada.
“JBS is a cornerstone in Brooks, creating jobs and ensuring Alberta’s world-renowned beef makes it to the millions who love to eat it. This expansion is great news for JBS, Brooks and Alberta as a whole, showing the importance of our Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit. Our local and provincial economies are growing and that’s exciting to see.”
“This tax credit program is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers that supply them. This facility expansion will allow JBS Canada to increase its beef production capacity, which means more Alberta beef patties on the grill in restaurants across the country.”
JBS Canada is also developing a state-of-the-art fulfilment centre to help accommodate its increased production. The processing line and warehouse expansion are already underway and are expected to be complete by fall 2025. The project will create up to 24 permanent jobs and 170 temporary jobs.
To be considered for the tax credit program, corporations must invest at least $10 million in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing facility in Alberta. The program offers a 12 per cent non-refundable tax credit base on eligible capital expenditures. JBS Canada has received conditional approval to have a tax credit estimated at $10.7 million.
“JBS Canada’s facility expansion is an important step towards meeting the demand for Alberta beef products. Agri-food production is a major economic force in our province and this tax credit program is attracting even more growth and development for the industry.”
“We are so pleased to be making this more than $90-million investment at our Brooks beef processing facility. It significantly enhances our value-added processing and fulfilment capabilities and was possible in no small part due to Alberta’s tax credit for agri-processors.”
Quick facts
- Alberta is Canada’s largest cattle-producing province with an estimated 5.26 million head as of July 1, 2023.
- Alberta’s meat product manufacturing industry employed 18,700 people in 2023.
- Beef is Alberta’s largest agri-food export, with $3.9 billion in exports in 2023.
- Alberta cattle and calf market receipts were a record $8.3 billion in 2023, more than half of the national total.
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