CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCE COUNCIL (CAHRC)

What CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCE COUNCIL (CAHRC) does

Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is a national, non-profit organization headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario that develops research, tools, training programs, and advisory services to address workforce and human resource challenges across the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. The organization serves agricultural employers (farm owners, managers, and operators), industry associations and commodity groups, post-secondary students, educational institutions, and federal and provincial government agencies. CAHRC's core product suite is organized around a platform-plus-programs model anchored by the AgriHR Toolkit (a comprehensive HR management resource of policies, templates, and tools), six AGRI research and development programs (LMI, Jobs, Skills, Talent, Workforce Issues, and Diversity), and a portfolio of fee-bearing microcredential programs covering supervisor leadership, agricultural HR management, women in agriculture leadership, and Temporary Foreign Worker Program compliance. Supporting platforms include agriskills.ca (online learning management system), CAHRC Connect (virtual learning environment), interactive Power BI dashboards delivering provincial and commodity-level labour market intelligence across 11 commodity areas and 10 provinces, and the Turnover Calculator and Benchmarking Tool within the HR Toolkit.

CAHRC's business model blends government grant funding with diversified commercial revenue streams. The Government of Canada's Sectoral Initiatives Program is the primary funder, supplemented by ESDC's Student Work Placement Program which underwrites the Growing Opportunities wage subsidy (up to 50% of wages to a $5,000 maximum per student placement). Commercial revenue includes training program fees ($1,750-$2,750 per enrollment for microcredentials), tiered association partnership fees (Essential at $2,500+ value, Strategic at $12,500+, Premier at $25,000+), and AgriHR Toolkit licensing with bundled complimentary licenses for higher partnership tiers. Go-to-market is delivered through a partnership-channel model with national agricultural associations, direct consulting services, self-serve digital enrollment via Stripe payment processing, and event-based convening anchored by the annual NWSP Workforce Summit.

The organization operates with a lean team of approximately 10 staff under Executive Director Jennifer Wright and is governed by a Board of Directors representing member organizations including the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and provincial agricultural federations. CAHRC co-leads the National Workforce Strategic Plan with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Food and Beverage Canada, and its executive committee rotates on two-year terms (most recently 2025-2027, chaired by Cyr Couturier).

Name

CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCE COUNCIL (CAHRC)

Legal name

Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council

Website

https://cahrc-ccrha.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CAHRC is a Canadian national non-profit that develops HR research, training programs, and workforce tools for agricultural employers, industry associations, and government, anchored by the AgriHR Toolkit and six AGRI programs covering 11 commodity areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CAHRC is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Sectoral Initiatives Program. As a national non-profit, government funding is a primary revenue source supporting operations and program delivery.
2. Training Program Fees: Revenue from microcredential programs including Supervisor Leadership Skills Development ($1,750), Ag HR Management Program ($2,750), Women in Agriculture Leadership ($1,950), and TFWP School ($2,500). Group discounts available for CAHRC partner organizations.
3. Partnership Fees: Tiered partnership program with three levels: Essential Partner (unlocks $2,500+ value), Strategic Partner ($12,500+ value), and Premier Partner ($25,000+ value). Includes corporate and educational partnership options.
4. AgriHR Toolkit Licensing: Licenses for the comprehensive HR toolkit providing templates, policies and HR management tools for agriculture employers. Complimentary licenses provided to Strategic and Premier partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CAHRC is a national non-profit that develops research, HR tools, training programs, and consulting services to address workforce challenges in Canadian agriculture. Its core offerings include the AgriHR Toolkit (HR policies, templates, and best practices for agriculture employers), six AGRI programs (LMI, Jobs, Skills, Talent, Workforce Issues, and Diversity), multiple microcredential training courses, and the National Workforce Strategic Plan developed with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Food and Beverage Canada. The organization is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Sectoral Initiatives Program and serves agricultural employers across all 10 provinces and 11 commodity areas.

Product overview

CAHRC is a national non-profit organization offering a portfolio of research programs, training programs, and HR tools for Canada's agricultural sector. The core offerings include the AgriHR Toolkit (comprehensive HR management resources), six AGRI programs (LMI, Jobs, Skills, Talent, Workforce Issues, and Diversity), and multiple microcredential training programs (Supervisor Leadership, Ag HR Management, Women in Agriculture Leadership, and TFWP Hiring). These are complemented by the AgriSkills online learning platform, provincial/industry LMI dashboards, consulting services, and the National Workforce Strategic Plan. The portfolio operates as a platform-plus-programs model where the AgriHR Toolkit and AGRI programs serve as foundational resources, while training programs and tools provide specialized workforce development capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of Women in Agriculture program participants would recommend the training to others
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lead partner in the National Workforce Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Food and Beverage Manufacturing. Works with CAHRC on workforce development initiatives and industry collaboration.
• Food and Beverage Canada (FBC-ABC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lead partner in the National Workforce Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Food and Beverage Manufacturing, representing food and beverage manufacturing sector interests.
• Government of Canada - Student Work Placement ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers the Growing Opportunities wage subsidy program through ESDC's Student Work Placement Program, providing up to 50% wage subsidies for agriculture employers hiring post-secondary students.
• 4-H CanadasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner supporting youth development in agriculture and workforce preparation for young people entering the sector.
• Canadian Aquaculture Industry AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresenting aquaculture sector through CAHRC Board of Directors. Cyr Couturier serves as CAHRC Chair. Works on labour challenges unique to aquaculture operations.
• Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresenting Saskatchewan agricultural producers on CAHRC Board. Jeremy Welter serves as CAHRC Vice-Chair.
• Farm Credit Canada (FCC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial partner supporting agricultural workforce development initiatives. Contributes to partnership network and industry collaboration.
• Keystone Agricultural ProducerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerManitoba's general farm policy organization, represented on CAHRC Board. Contributes to provincial workforce planning and policy development.
• Canadian Association of Diploma in Agriculture Programs (CADAP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresents agricultural diploma programs at colleges and institutions. Supports work-integrated learning and educational alignment with industry needs.
• Perennial TalentsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-founded by Dr. Andrea Butler and Dan van der Werf with PhDs in industrial-organizational psychology. Designs and delivers supervisor training for agricultural businesses and develops National Occupational Standards.
• Agri-Business HR SolutionssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFounded by Shawn McGowan, specializing in agriculture HR needs including hiring, permits, onboarding, employee relations, and LMIA process. Provides TFWP School training.
• University of GuelphsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting educational partnership for agricultural workforce development and research collaboration.
• Colleges and Institutes CanadasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing colleges and institutes, supporting work-integrated learning and educational partnerships for agriculture sector.
• Canadian Hatching Egg ProducerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommodity organization contributing to CAHRC partnership network and supporting workforce initiatives for hatching egg producers.
• AgriCarrièressupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec-based agricultural career organization supporting workforce development and career pathways in Quebec agriculture.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• AgCareers: Commercial agricultural job board and recruitment platform serving employers and job seekers across North America. Adjacent to CAHRC's workforce development mandate, providing paid employment-matching services and HR resources that partially overlap with CAHRC's toolkit and AgriTalent offerings.

Direct peers

• BioTalent Canada: Canada's national HR council for the bio-economy, delivering labour market research, wage subsidies, and skills development. Functions as a direct sector-council analog to CAHRC, with similar product taxonomy (LMI, skills programs, partnership tiers, training programs).
• Tourism HR Canada: Canadian national HR non-profit for the tourism sector, offering workforce research, training, and employer resources. Mirrors CAHRC's sector-council model, government funding, and employer-facing toolkit/microcredential offerings.
• Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC): Canadian national non-profit ICT sector council providing research, policy advisory, and talent development. Operates an analogous model to CAHRC, with strong LMI publications, partnership tiers, and employer-focused digital tools.
• Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC): Canadian national sector council providing HR research, training, and workforce development tools for the cultural sector. Closely mirrors CAHRC's structure: national non-profit, government-supported, partners with industry associations, and produces competency frameworks and HR resources.
• BuildForce Canada: National non-profit delivering labour market intelligence and workforce development for Canada's construction industry. Closely comparable to CAHRC's LMI dashboards, occupational standards, and partnership-based service delivery.
• Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR): Canadian national non-profit sector council dedicated to workforce development, HR research, and labour market intelligence for the mining industry. Operates an analogous model to CAHRC's agricultural focus, funded through government and partnership programs while delivering tools, training, and occupational standards.
• Trucking HR Canada: National non-profit HR organization for the trucking and logistics sector. Provides labour market intelligence, training programs, and HR tools to employers — closely aligned with CAHRC's mix of research, toolkit, and partnership programming.
• Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC): Canadian national non-profit focused on HR, workforce planning, and labour market intelligence for the electricity sector. Comparable to CAHRC in mandate, funding model, and delivery of research, training, and tools for a defined industry.

Regional players

• AgriFutures Australia: Australian government-backed research and development corporation funding innovation and workforce development for Australian agriculture. Functions as a regional analog to CAHRC's mandate, with similar research, skills, and people-development programs but operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CdnAgHRCouncil
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CAHRC/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/CdnAgHRCouncil/?ref=hl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-agricultural-human-resource-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdnaghrcouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCE COUNCIL (CAHRC)