Minister of Industry Announces $2.4 Million to Support Community Innovation Initiatives

“Canada’s colleges are emerging as important players in the country’s innovation system,” Minister Emerson said. “This new pilot program will increase their capacity to work with local industry and businesses and to advance innovation at the community and regional level.”

This funding is the first to be made available through the College and Community Innovation Pilot Program, a new initiative of Science and Engineering Research Canada (also known by its acronym NSERC).

“When technical expertise is made available to local industry, and particularly to small business, the local capacity for innovation is enhanced,” said NSERC President Tom Brzustowski.

Each institution will receive up to $600,000. The final amount will depend on how much can be matched by outside sources.

The NSERC selection committee recommended six awards out of 31 applications. The first four successful institutions are:

• British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Burnaby, British Columbia – BCIT’s Centre for Advancement of Green Roof Technology (CAGRT)
• Olds College, Olds, Alberta – Agri-Health Innovation Centre
• Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon, Lévis, Quebec – Développement de l’expertise et d’une stratégie afin de concevoir des outils d’identification de marqueurs moléculaires-terrain
• Nova Scotia Community College, Annapolis Valley Campus, Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia – Integrating environmental and geomatics technologies for landscape monitoring, assessment and restoration

Two more awards are pending and will be announced shortly.

The community innovation initiative was jointly developed by NSERC and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) will help promote the program to companies across Canada and work with the successful applicants to assist them in interacting with local industry.

“Colleges and institutes offer a tremendous opportunity towards advancing Canada's innovation and competitiveness given their partnership with business and industry in their local communities,” said Gerry Brown, President of ACCC. “We are pleased with our close collaboration with NSERC in designing this program which will have a long-term impact on recognizing and contributing to the innovative capacity of the college system.”

Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of CME added, “Colleges have expertise that can benefit local industry. This pilot program is helping local businesses to innovate, which will provide economic benefit to the community in the longer term.”

Colleges can use the funds to assist local businesses and companies in bringing innovations to market. The program also supports the development of the new expertise necessary to assess and exploit new technology. Eligible activities include release time for faculty to participate in projects with companies, student participation in these hands-on initiatives, and demonstrations of the feasibility of new technologies and processes.

Details of the College and Community Innovation Pilot Program can be found at http://www.nserc.gc.ca/about/initiatives/college_desc_e.htm.

Science and Engineering Research Canada (also known by its legal name “Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada” as well as the acronym NSERC) is a key federal agency investing in people, discovery and innovation. It supports both basic university research through research grants, and project research through partnerships among postsecondary institutions, government and the private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.

For more information, contact:

Anne Alper
Manager, RPP Planning and Budget
NSERC Research Partnerships Programs
Tel.: (613) 996-6521
E-mail: anne.alper@nserc.ca

Suzanne Godbout
Media Monitoring Officer and Communications Assistant
NSERC Communications
Tel.: (613) 943-0310
E-mail: suzanne.godbout@nserc.ca

Stéphanie Leblanc
Office of the Honourable David L. Emerson
Minister of Industry
Tel.: (613) 995-9001