Quebec Supports Innovation in Agriculture
Manseau, November 4, 2025 — Harnois Greenhouses/Industries Harnois is proud to announce the development of an automated greenhouse robot in partnership with Alliance Solutions & Maintenance, supported by a grant of $185,169 CAD from the Government of Quebec, under the Innovation Program – Stream 1: Support for Innovation Projects, administered by Investissement Québec.
This funding is part of a broader provincial investment of more than $3 million CAD supporting nine agritechnology projects across Quebec — a clear signal that the government recognizes the critical role of technological innovation in the future of the agricultural sector.
Developing an Automated Greenhouse Robot for Crop Training
The joint project between Industries Harnois and Alliance Solutions & Maintenance focuses on prototyping an automated greenhouse robot designed to lower the training hooks used in the commercial production of tomatoes and cucumbers.
Crop training is a key operation in professional greenhouse vegetable production: it involves guiding plant growth along vertical wires by regularly lowering the hooks that support them. When performed manually, this task is repetitive, physically demanding, and requires a significant amount of labour — a major challenge for commercial growers.
By automating this process with a dedicated greenhouse robot, the project aims to deliver concrete, measurable benefits:
- Increase productivity by reducing time spent on manual operations
- Reduce reliance on manual labour in a context of growing agricultural workforce shortages
- Improve the precision and consistency of crop training for healthier plants and better yields
- Lower the risk of repetitive strain injuries for greenhouse workers
- Accelerate the transition toward a smart, connected greenhouse operation
This automated greenhouse robot is a significant step forward for commercial greenhouse operations looking to optimize their workflow while maintaining the highest standards of crop quality. It marks a first milestone toward a fully autonomous greenhouse, where the most demanding tasks are handled by robotic systems — freeing workers to focus on higher-value activities such as agronomic monitoring and quality management.
Recognized Leadership in Agricultural Robotics and Agritech
By awarding this grant, the Government of Quebec officially acknowledges Industries Harnois as a leader in the technological and sustainable transformation of the agricultural sector.
For over 60 years, Harnois Greenhouses has continuously invested in research and development to bring increasingly efficient and reliable structures and technologies to North American growers. This automated greenhouse robot builds on that legacy: it completes a comprehensive ecosystem of integrated greenhouse equipment — irrigation, climate control, LED lighting, ventilation systems — all designed to work seamlessly together within a modern commercial greenhouse.
This project proves that world-class agritech can be designed, prototyped, and deployed in Quebec, for Quebec and North American growers. That ambition is at the heart of everything Harnois does: building the agriculture of tomorrow, today.
About Harnois Greenhouses
A leader in greenhouse structure design and manufacturing for over 60 years, Harnois Greenhouses, a division of Industries Harnois, supports growers and agricultural businesses across North America. Built on a foundation of innovation, sustainability, and performance, Harnois helps growers succeed — season after season.
About Alliance Solutions & Maintenance
Specializing in industrial automation and robotics, Alliance Solutions & Maintenance designs custom technologies that optimize production processes and improve the competitiveness of agricultural and manufacturing businesses. Their robotics expertise is a key driver in bringing this greenhouse crop training automation project to life.
Official source: Quebec supports agricultural innovation – Government of Quebec
