Canada is not just a new market. It is a market that thinks, builds and experiments in ways that challenge Norwegian companies to think bigger. After a week of intensive programming in Toronto and Niagara, Nordic Edge returns home with concrete next steps, new partners — and an open door for member companies that did not travel with us.
Photo: Gunnar Crawford
– We were prepared for a lot, but not for the openness and willingness to collaborate we encountered. The quality of the Canadian ecosystem is what makes the difference — and that is where lasting value is created for our members, says Gunnar Edwin Crawford, Head of the Agritech Cluster at Nordic Edge.
For Nordic Edge, this week has been an infrastructure mission as much as a market visit. We did not travel only to introduce member companies to Canadian buyers. We travelled to build the platform that allows the rest of the cluster to land safely in North America over time.
As part of Innovation Norway's Global Growth Agrifoodtech Canada 2026 programme, Nordic Edge this week led a delegation of Norwegian agritech companies through a tight schedule of meetings with research institutions, innovation hubs, farms and industry actors across Ontario.
Two of Nordic Edge's own members — Faunus Hub and Serigstad — were among the participants, alongside Norilia, Intravision, NutriShell, Photosynthetic, SoilMate and Soil Steam. The programme was delivered in collaboration with our sister cluster NCE Heidner Biocluster, as part of our joint cooperation under the AgriFoodTech Norway umbrella.
Photo: Gunnar Crawford
The first thing that strikes you on arrival in Ontario is the scale. Canadian farms span landscapes that make a Norwegian one feel pocket-sized. And yet — and this is the interesting part — Norwegian farmers produce more per dekar. That tells us there is a real efficiency gap that Norwegian technology is built to close.
– Canadian farmers we met said it directly: the solutions from SoilMate and Serigstad would fit well into their operations. That is the strongest validation you can get on a first market visit. It is not us claiming Norwegian technology is relevant — it is Canadian producers saying so themselves, says Crawford.
At the same time, a structural challenge is opening the market further: Canada will face a shortfall of more than 100,000 agricultural jobs by 2030. At Kubota Canada in Pickering — the final stop of the trip — this was confirmed directly from the supplier side.
– The need for labour-replacing technology is not a trend in Canada. It is operational reality already. That is good news for Norwegian companies delivering automation and digital efficiency, says Crawford.
The Niagara region was the week's biggest source of inspiration. Vineland Research & Innovation Centre and Niagara College represent a research and education ecosystem far broader than the programme materials suggested. Niagara College has a deliberate positioning around "cool climate" agriculture — a concept that aligns directly with Nordic expertise.
– "Cool climate" agriculture is not just a term here. It is a competitive advantage. And it is an advantage that translates directly back to Norway: with the climate changes we face and the new crops that may become viable at home in the years ahead, this knowledge is something we can carry both ways, says Crawford.
A pivotal meeting for future collaboration was with Niagara Falls Innovation Hub. The hub represents a concrete soft-landing opportunity for Norwegian companies looking to test or establish themselves in the Niagara region, and is now in dialogue with Nordic Edge on a formal cooperation agreement.
In Toronto, the visit to Toronto Metropolitan University was a revelation. Nutrition Discovery Labs, the Food and Soft Materials Research Group and NExT Lab are not academia at arm's length from industry — this is research built to connect directly to the market. For Norwegian companies in ingredients, functional foods and raw material processing, it is an open door.
Nordic Edge's own meeting with the City of Toronto through TradeTO and Chelsey Davidson confirmed clear interest in serving as a facilitator for Norwegian companies considering the Canadian market. Toronto serves as the gateway to the North American market, with more than 90 innovation hubs and specialised pilot programmes that make the city a real testing ground for scaling. A formal follow-up conversation is already scheduled ahead of the October return visit.
Photo: Gunnar Crawford
One of the most valuable outcomes of the week is knowledge that is hard to come by from the Oslo office. Through a thorough briefing from law firm Aird & McBurney LP and follow-on dialogue with Kubota Canada and Canadian government actors, the delegation now has concrete insight in areas that frequently stop international expansion efforts:
– IP protection, certification requirements, laws and regulations — this is essential information for any Norwegian company before setting foot in the Canadian market. European standards do not automatically apply in Canada. CE marking is not accepted. CSA certification or Field Evaluation must be in place. It is not insurmountable, but it requires planning from day one, says Crawford.
The financing landscape has also been mapped. The SCAP programme (CAD 3.5 billion through 2028), the federal Investment Tax Credit and regional programmes make it realistic for Canadian buyers to invest in new technology. Combined with the EFTA agreement, which provides Norwegian industrial products duty-free access to Canada, the financial entry point is more attractive than many assume.
For Faunus Hub, the week delivered a series of concrete meetings with Canadian poultry producers in the Ontario corridor — both physical and digital — providing real validation and a foundation for follow-up in October. For Serigstad and SoilMate, the dialogue with Kubota Canada opened a path into a structured distribution environment. Kubota's Canadian dealer network consists of 135 primary dealers, 90 of them at the highest tier, with structured training and financing programmes.
– Kubota Canada is not a passive distributor. They test products locally before entering partnerships. That means the entry route is not fast, but if a Norwegian product enters their evaluation programme, it opens a network that covers exactly the regions Serigstad and SoilMate are targeting, says Crawford.
But the most important outcome of the week — for Nordic Edge as a cluster — is something else: access.
– Nordic Edge now has direct access to world-class test facilities and research institutions. From Niagara to Toronto. That is an open door for members who did not travel this time, but who are considering the North American market over time. We have built a platform our members can land on, says Crawford.
Photo: Gunnar Crawford
Nordic Edge returns to Canada in October for the second phase of the Global Growth programme. The agenda includes the Canadian Greenhouse Conference in Niagara Falls (7–8 October), a Leamington visit, and follow-up with Kubota and Spring Creek Quail Farm. Ahead of that, Canada's Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock (15–17 September) — Ontario's largest outdoor agricultural show — is also on the radar, with several Norwegian companies already invited.
– This was not the end of something. This was the beginning. We will return even better prepared, more focused, and with members ready for concrete pilot trials.
Photo: Gunnar Crawford
A sincere thank you to Hamid Shirazi and Jumang Kang at Innovation Norway Canada for a programme that delivered well beyond expectations, and to Gurill Narum Mediaa at NCE Heidner Biocluster for a close and constructive partnership throughout the week. Thanks also to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa for their support, and to all the Canadian organisations, institutions and individuals who opened their doors to us. The reception was warm, genuine and professional from the very first moment.
- Faunus Hub (Nordic Edge)
- Serigstad (Nordic Edge)
- Norilia
- Intravision
- NutriShell
- Photosynthetic
- SoilMate
- Soil Steam
- Nordic Edge Agritech Innovation Cluster
- NCE Heidner Biocluster
- Innovation Norway Canada
- Innovation Norway and Norwegian government
- Innovation Norway Canada
- Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa
- Research and education
- Vineland Research & Innovation Centre
- Niagara College — HESIC / Food & Beverage Innovation Centre
- Toronto Metropolitan University — School of Nutrition, Centre for Urban Innovation, Nutrition Discovery Labs, NExT Lab, Food and Soft Materials Research Group
- Niagara Falls Innovation Hub
- City of Toronto / TradeTO
- Niagara Region
- Niagara Business Region
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- CSA Group
- Aird & McBurney LP