After more than three years of researching and developing Canada's first self-pollinated vertical stacking farm, two professors from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are among just four teams across Canada to successfully advance to the Scaling Phase of the Weston Family Foundation's Homegrown Innovation Challenge.
With an additional $5-million in funding over three years, their innovative berry-growing system aims to revolutionize sustainable farming in Canada and address key challenges in modern agriculture while minimizing environmental impacts.
TMU's team, made up of mechanical engineer Habiba Bourgherara from the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS), and plant scientist Lesley Campbell from the Faculty of Science (FOS), is developing the "MoFarm," a modular, vertical farming system designed for year-round raspberry production. Developed in collaboration with Yves Bélanger and Pascal Gagnon of industrial partner Montel Inc. (Montmagny, Quebec),the system's multi-layered design can pollinate and grow multiple types of crops at various stages, maximizing yield and efficiency.
"Congratulations to professors Bougherara and Campbell on receiving this support from the Weston Family Foundation. As leaders in the agri-food technology sector their innovative work is reshaping the future of food production, making it more sustainable and accessible for Canadians. Their collaboration is an inspiring example of the power of interdisciplinary research," said Steven N. Liss, vice-president, research and innovation at TMU.
Innovative pollination technology
A key feature of this farm is a patented pollination and air circulation system designed to deliver consistent autonomous pollination. This addresses the challenges of incomplete bee pollination under short day lengths in greenhouses and artificial lighting in vertical farms.
"Our innovative pollination system is a unique solution specifically designed for the cross-pollination of berries. Engineered for precision and scalability, it enhances yield while reducing labor and operational costs, redefining how pollination is done in modern vertical farming," said Bourgherara.
This Scaling Phase will push the boundaries of controlled environment agriculture, driving advancements from automated lighting to improved berry varieties for indoor production and microclimate management. Equally important, it will strengthen a growing national network of Canadian producers, researchers, technologists, and entrepreneurs committed to transforming how and where we grow food.
"This new pollination technology was built for growers! It's simple, low-cost, and incredibly effective. As bee populations decline and the need for fresh, local fruit grows, we are delivering practical solutions that are rooted in the land and responsive to the times," said Campbell.
Future of berry production
Funded by the Weston Family Foundation, the Homegrown Innovation Challenge aims to develop a market-ready system that enables the year-round, sustainable, and cost-competitive production of berries at scale in Canada.
"Over the next three years, Scaling Phase teams will need to demonstrate large-scale implementation of their systems and prove market readiness. And most importantly, the berries need to be tasty and nutritious," says Garfield Mitchell, chair of the Weston Family Foundation. "This is an exciting time for academia, industry, and government to come together to accelerate innovative, homegrown solutions to hyper-local food production in Canada."
With homegrown ingenuity at its core, the Challenge is helping shape a more resilient, self-sufficient food system. Follow the journey of the visionary Scaling Phase teams and discover how Canadian innovation is reshaping the future of food at homegrownchallenge.ca.
ABOUT THE HOMEGROWN INNOVATION CHALLENGE
Delivered over six years, the $33 million Homegrown Innovation Challenge supports the development of tools and technologies to enable Canadian producers to grow berries out of season, sustainably and competitively. We believe that by accomplishing out-of-season berry production, we can also unlock solutions for myriad other fruits and vegetables.
ABOUT THE WESTON FAMILY FOUNDATION
At the Weston Family Foundation (formerly The W. Garfield Weston Foundation), more than 60 years of philanthropy has taught us that there is a relationship between healthy landscapes and healthy people. Which is why we champion world-class health research and innovation with the same passion that we support initiatives to protect and restore biodiversity on Canada's unique landscapes. Our spark, shepherd, scale approach to research ensures the best ideas have the best chance of success. We take a collaborative approach to philanthropy, working alongside forward-thinking partners to advance Canada and create lasting impacts. We aspire to do more than provide funding; we want to enable others to find transformational ways to improve the well-being of Canadians.
