Government Boosts Atlantic Canada’s R&D Growth With $62.4M Investment
Research and development across Atlantic Canada is benefiting from an important federal investment of $62.4 million under Round VII of the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF).
In Newfoundland and Labrador, a total of seven R&D projects, representing both private and public sector research, will benefit from $13.8 million in AIF support in this round. The announcement was made today in St. John’s by the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway.
“Productivity and innovation are key factors in Canada’s economic success,” said Minister MacKay. “The Atlantic Innovation Fund is an important catalyst for building research and development capacity in our region. This latest round of funding ensures that more research will continue to be undertaken, and more innovative ideas commercialized, so that Atlantic businesses continue to grow, adapt, diversify and become more competitive.”
Today’s announcement is part of a series of announcements highlighting 30 innovative R&D projects selected from across Atlantic Canada that will benefit from AIF support available under Round VII of the program. In addition, as the project proponents lever more funding for their research work from a variety of other private and public sector sources, the total value of the R&D investment generated in this round is expected to rise to nearly $112 million. The Fund has generated a measurable increase in investments in research and development in Atlantic Canada. Since 2006, every AIF dollar invested has leveraged an additional $1.26 in funding from other sources.
The projects selected in Newfoundland and Labrador include bottom trawl fishing technology, autonomous underwater vehicles, high frequency radar applications, and genetics.
“We are investing in realistic and achievable projects,” said Minister MacKay. “Projects that will advance our innovation and knowledge capacity, generate a range of alternative technologies, and develop leading-edge products and processes.”
Since 2006, more than $343 million has been invested through the AIF in 145 R&D projects throughout Atlantic Canada. During that time, 34 highly innovative Newfoundland and Labrador projects have benefited from that investment. Several of these projects have already resulted in new products, technologies and services that are now being marketed to the world. Among them are the Philadephus Starbright, a hardy ornamental plant exported from Memorial University’s Botanical Gardens to commercial horticulture operations across Canada, and software by Verafin that helps clients throughout North America detect fraud and money laundering.
ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund encourages the commercialization of research in Atlantic Canada and has been a key driver for many Atlantic Canadian businesses, universities and research institutions. It has enhanced Atlantic Canada’s reputation for innovation and, through the success of the projects it has funded, the AIF contributes significantly to the region’s research and development capacity and its economic performance.
The seven projects selected for AIF funding in Newfoundland and Labrador include:
PanGeo Subsea (St. John’s) Project: Acoustic Zoom® – A Transformative Deep Imaging Method for High-Resolution Reservoir Characterization PanGeo Subsea will develop the Acoustic Zoom® Method – an innovative seismic exploration tool. The Acoustic Zoom® Method will be used on oil and gas wells in production to provide real-time information to operators on the location and size of the reservoir reserves in 3D. A better, more accurate picture of the reservoir and small pockets can result in more accurate drilling and well completion with a substantial economic benefit. This project, with total estimated costs of $6 million, will receive approximately $3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three- year period.
C-CORE (St. John’s) Project: Integrity and Security of Critical Infrastructure C-CORE, in partnership with national and international partners, will conduct R&D in next generation satellite imaging, ground radar technology, and geoscience methods capable of predicting subsurface ground movement. C-CORE will seek to combine the three existing technologies to create a unique space-ground-subsurface method of monitoring critical infrastructure, for structural stability and security purposes. This project, with total estimated costs of $5.3 million, will receive approximately $2.2 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four- year period.
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (St. John’s) Project: Responsive Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Localization and Mapping (REALM) Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science will integrate sonar and advanced navigation and adaptive mission control systems for its Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The new technology will enable the AUV to perform high quality seabed surveys to focus on areas of interest, thereby reducing time, energy, cost, and risk of vehicle loss. This project, with estimated total costs of $4 million, will receive approximately $2.1 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year period.
Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland (St. John’s) Project: Reducing Seabed Impacts of Bottom Trawls The Marine Institute’s Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources (C-SAR) will work with its commercial partner Vónin Canada Ltd. in developing and commercializing new bottom trawl fishing technology capable of catching commercial quantities of finfish and shellfish with reduced seabed contact, thereby reducing environmental impact on the seabed. This project, with total estimated costs of $4.2 million, will receive approximately $1.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a five-year period.
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Faculty of Medicine, Population Therapeutics Research Group (St. John’s) Project: The Newfoundland Genealogical Toolkit In this project, Memorial’s Population Therapeutics Research Group (PTRG) will develop the Newfoundland Genealogical Toolkit – a state-of-the-art information technology platform able to generate large sample groups (family trees) to conduct studies on the identification of genes implicated in common diseases and research on undesirable drug reactions. The research will help make drugs more effective, optimize drug dosage decisions, and enhance drug therapy. This project, with total estimated costs of $3.1 million, will receive approximately $1.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (St. John’s) Project: High Frequency Radar Ocean Surface Applications (HF-ROSA) Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and industry partner Northern Radar Inc. will develop software to exploit High Frequency (HF) radar signals to monitor ocean activities, such as identifying the path and speed of ships and icebergs; tracking the drift of oil spills, sediment or other pollution in the upper ocean; assisting search and rescue planning; and supporting oceanographic and climate change research. This project, with total estimated costs of $2.9 million, will receive approximately $1.7 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year period.
AMEC Americas Limited (St. John’s) Project: Net Available Wind Power Forecasting AMEC will develop a unique Net Available Power (NAP) forecasting service that will provide real-time forecasts of the actual power supplied by a wind farm to the local energy grid. With this project, AMEC will set out to address the wind energy industry challenge of accurate forecasting. This project, with total estimated costs of $2.4 million, will receive approximately $1.3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
Topics: 2010, AIF, Atlantic Canada, Atlantic Innovation Fund, Canada, Canadian, computer technology, funding, future technology, Governance, government, Government of Canada, information technology, innovation, investment, moniter, monitor, new technology, news, province, R&D, science & technology, technology
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