Government of Canada invests in Saskatchewan innovation, training and economic development initiatives

REGINA, April 27, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is making investments to help Canadians get the skills they need for good jobs, that contribute to a growing economy and to create innovative technologies that support sustainability and promote inclusiveness.

Today, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced more than $10.6 million for 14 projects in Saskatchewan through Western Economic Diversification Canada's (WD) Western Diversification Program and Economic Development Initiative. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada.

The investments will support a range of projects throughout the province in the areas of clean energy; advanced manufacturing of vaccines, medical isotopes and innovative materials; technology commercialization; job training; and economic development for Saskatchewan's Francophone community.

Quotes

"These investments will help drive innovation by supporting the development of new technologies and products, and better prepare Canadians for high-demand skilled occupations. They will help strengthen the middle class and grow our economy."
- The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"This Western Economic Diversification Canada funding supports two exciting projects that will help the University of Regina to further work that improves the health of our citizens and grows our economy. Through La Cité, students in the new bilingual option of our existing nursing program will be equipped with the very best resources, helping to ensure patients receive the highest quality of health care in both French and English. The funds will also allow our physicists to develop a next-generation, state-of-the-art plant Positron Emission Tomography system, paving the road for transformative research into more resilient and fertile crops, ultimately contributing to global food security."
- Thomas Chase, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), University of Regina

"These major federal investments in three critically important areas—new vaccines, medical isotopes for diagnosing heart disease, and environmentally friendly 'green' roof designs—will benefit Canada and the world, while furthering our university's legacy of transformative innovations in infectious disease, nuclear medicine, and water security research."
- Karen Chad, Vice-President (Research), University of Saskatchewan

Backgrounder: Government of Canada invests in Saskatchewan innovation, training and economic development initiatives

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced over $10.6 million in funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) for 14 projects.

These investments are part of the Western Diversification Program (WDP) and the Economic Development Initiative (EDI). The WDP is the main program through which WD makes strategic investments in initiatives that enhance and strengthen the economy of Western Canada. The EDI supports business and economic development that encourages sustainable growth in Western Canada's francophone communities.

The projects announced today include:

Organization	Project Description	Funding
Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise	Funding under EDI to develop and start six social economy businesses in partnership with six Fransaskois community-based associations.	$155,000
Canadian Association of Research Parks	Funding under WDP to implement clean technology clusters in Western Canadian research and technology parks.	$132,875
Canadian Light Source	Funding under WDP to develop an innovative prototype generator to produce medical isotopes from a linear particle accelerator.	$1,004,800
Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC)	Funding under WDP to purchase and install a computed tomography (CT) scanner to develop clean enhanced oil recovery technologies.	$800,000
POS Pilot Plant	Funding under WDP to expand services to better assist food, feed, cosmetic and nutraceutical companies to add value to agricultural products using capabilities not available elsewhere in Canada.	$800,000
Regina Exhibition Association	Funding under WDP to support Canada's Farm Progress Show, the country's largest trade show for agricultural equipment.	$20,000
Saskatchewan Collaborates Inc. (Co.Labs)	Funding under WDP to support the first technology incubator in Saskatchewan, located in Saskatoon.	$1,165,150
Saskatchewan Environmental Society	Funding under WDP to develop a smart grid platform to optimize solar power and electric vehicle integration in Saskatoon.	$238,940
Saskatchewan Polytechnic	Funding under WDP to purchase equipment for two projects: creating a certified testing and prototyping bio-material training facility at its Innovative Manufacturing Centre in Regina, and creating a 3D printing and additive manufacturing facility at its Innovative Manufacturing Centre in Saskatoon.	$1,560,000
University of Regina	Funding under WDP to build an innovative plant positron emission topography (BioPET) scanner at the Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. The device will provide first of its kind plant imaging capability using radioisotopes.	$348,831
University of Regina	Funding under EDI for La Cité universitaire francophone to purchase French educational resources and audio-visual equipment, as well as transform an outdated language lab into a multifunctional space for a new bilingual option in the university's nursing program.	$135,785
University of Saskatchewan Global Institute for Water Security	Funding under WDP to establish a fee-for-service Green Roof Environment and EngiNeering (GREEN) facility that will develop, improve and test innovative cold region green roof technologies.	$643,702
University of Saskatchewan VIDO-InterVac	Funding under WDP to establish a vaccine manufacturing facility in Saskatoon. The facility will produce animal vaccines for commercial markets and materials for early-stage clinical trial vaccines for humans.	$3,609,771
Total WD Funding		$10,614,854

Additional Links

• Western Diversification Program (WDP)
• Economic Development Initiative (EDI)
• University of Regina
• University of Saskatchewan
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic
• VIDO-Intervac
• Global Institute for Water Security
• Canadian Light Source
• Fedoruk Centre
• Petroleum Technology Research Centre
• Co.Labs
• Saskatchewan Environmental Society
• POS Bio-Sciences POS Pilot Plant
• Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise
• Canada's Farm Progress Show

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Follow us on Twitter: @WD_Canada, @ISED_CA, @UofRegina, @LaCiteSK, @SaskPolytech, @Usask, @VIDOIntervac, @colabsyxe, @CanLightSource, @PTRC_SK, @ACF1, @canadafarmshow, @POSBioSciences
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SOURCE Western Economic Diversification Canada

Rhonda Laing, Director, Policy, Planning and External Relations, Western Economic Diversification Canada, Telephone: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Katherine Cormack, Manager, Strategic Communications, University of Regina, Telephone: [phone], Cellular: 306-536-4312, Email: [email protected]