VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - March 15, 2017) - Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)
The Government of Canada is committed to creating innovative opportunities for Canadians.
A $14.8 million investment will help twelve British Columbia companies move their new and exciting products to market faster and more efficiently, while creating over 240 quality jobs in the region.
Through this investment, Canadian consumers and businesses will benefit from a range of new products and services. These include enhanced pharmaceutical discovery processes to combat major diseases; clean energy technologies to increase ecological sustainability; advanced IT systems to boost workplace efficiency; modernized communications systems to increase public transit safety; and eco-friendly consumer products to reduce environmental impacts. The funded projects will also create jobs for Canada's middle class by helping these companies move their new and innovative technologies from the later stages of research and development to the marketplace.
The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada, made the announcement today during his keynote speech at the #BCTECH Summit in Vancouver, B.C.
Today's announcement supports western-based companies that develop cutting-edge technology, create jobs, and spur the economy. Funding for these B.C. companies is part of several successful projects announced under the Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative. The program provides $100 million in repayable contributions to small- and medium-sized enterprises in Western Canada. Since 2014, WD has invested nearly $97 million through WINN and expects to create over 1,600 jobs across the West.
The Government's Innovation Agenda aims to make Canada a global centre for innovation - one that drives economic growth by creating better jobs, opportunities, and living standards for all Canadians. This investment is an example of that vision in action.
Quotes
"Canadian companies are working hard to bring their innovative products and services to market. The Government of Canada is proud to support these twelve B.C.-based companies in developing new technologies in fields like life sciences, clean tech, and sustainable consumer products. Organizations like these are promoting economic growth, creating high-quality jobs for Canadians, and furthering Canada's innovation landscape."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada
"The Government of Canada has been instrumental in supporting AbCellera's mission to build an enduring biotechnology company in British Columbia. Having the financial resources to enhance our capacity is enabling us to meet the demands of our partners, grow rapidly, and remain at the cutting-edge of solutions for the advancement of therapeutic programs."
- Carl Hansen, President & CEO, AbCellera
"This investment from the Government of Canada will enable Axine Water Technologies to lead the transformation of industrial wastewater treatment from a dirty, high cost past to a cleaner, lower cost future, changing the way industry worldwide manages its water resources."
- Jonathan Rhone, CEO, Axine Water Technologies
"We are pleased to secure support from the Government of Canada to bring our patented, compostable, Keurig-compatible, single serve coffee pods to market. This funding allows us to revolutionize food and beverage packaging and achieve our goal of helping eliminate the landfill waste of more than 60 billion single-use coffee pods. With this assistance, we have the ability to become the standard for convenience packaging across the industry."
- Darren Footz, CEO, G-PAK Technology
"HTEC is pleased to receive support from the Government of Canada to help develop the first retail hydrogen fueling station in Canada. The funding will support world-leading Canadian technologies that are enabling the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Canada and abroad."
- Colin Armstrong, President & CEO, HTEC
"Jostle is helping companies all over the world transform with our new kind of employee intranet platform. This Government of Canada funding will help us extend our people-centric approach to the content part of our platform - making it easy for employees of all types to find the documents and videos they want, no matter which content repository they're on."
- Brad Palmer, CEO and Cofounder, Jostle Corporation
"As governments worldwide enact emission reduction strategies to reduce pollution, Loop Energy is proud to receive Government of Canada support to help address the demand for economically viable zero emission transportation solutions. This funding will contribute to our efforts to commercialize and scale our fuel cell range extender for heavy-duty Class 8 trucks and buses beginning in 2018."
- Ben Nyland, President & CEO, Loop Energy
"The Government of Canada's repayable contribution has greatly assisted Nanozen in accelerating the worldwide launch of our unique DustCount 8899 product. The Industrial Hygiene market is telling us that our compact, real-time, and accurate wearable particle monitor is exactly what they have been looking for to protect workers and the community from hazardous Silica dust, as well as inhaling other high risk particulates across a wide range of industries."
- Peter Briscoe, CEO, Nanozen Industries
"Quadrogen is very thankful to the Government of Canada for helping us bring our clean energy technologies to market. The contribution will greatly support our demonstration of upgrading raw landfill gas into renewable natural gas using advanced clean-up and upgrading systems."
- Alakh Prasad, President & CEO, Quadrogen Power Systems
"Innovation is a key building block for Quester Tangent. This repayable funding from the Government of Canada will be immensely helpful in allowing us to achieve our goal of building the most advanced passenger rail information technology systems in North America."
- Bill Collins, Board Chair, Quester Tangent
"Support from the Government of Canada will help Saltworks pilot and install our first commercial demonstration plants to reclaim freshwater from power, mining, oil production, and sewage treatment industries. As we bring our invented-in-Canada, low energy, industrial desalination technology to a worldwide export market, Saltworks will help protect Canadian and foreign waters while creating new, local, clean tech jobs."
- Ben Sparrow, CEO, Saltworks Technologies
"We are excited to work with the Government of Canada on delivering improved precision farming solutions for British Columbia's cherry growers. The cherry export market is important to the B.C. economy and Semios will empower farmers with pest, disease, and frost risk management tools for improved sustainability and profitability."
- Michael Gilbert, CEO, SemiosBio Technologies
"Terramera is grateful for the contribution from the Government of Canada to help bring our revolutionary technology to market that will aid millions of individuals by replacing chemical pesticides and fertilizers with clean and effective natural solutions. This assistance will help accelerate our ability to develop simple, safe products to protect people from public health pests."
- Karn Manhas, Founder & President, Terramera
Stay Connected
Follow us on Twitter: @WD_Canada, @MinisterISED
WD Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)
TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388
IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL.
Backgrounder
Government of Canada Announces $14.8 Million for Innovative British Columbia Businesses
The Western Innovation Initiative (WINN) is a $100 million five-year federal initiative that offers repayable contributions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with operations in Western Canada, in order to help move their new and innovative technologies from the later stages of research and development to the marketplace.
The intent of WINN is to promote the development and diversification of the western Canadian economy by providing financial support to qualified SMEs to help them bring innovative products, processes, and services to market in Western Canada and by stimulating greater private sector investment in western Canadian commercialization activities.
By helping to seize opportunities for innovation, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) will support the creation of jobs and growth while ensuring that new opportunities for success are realized and new products, processes, and services are brought from the test bench to the marketplace.
| Project Proponent | Project Description | Western Innovation Initiative Funding |
| AbCellera Biologics Inc. | Commercialize a process for accelerating the validation of antibodies | $1,750,000 |
| Axine Water Technologies Inc. | Commercialize an electrochemical system for treating ammonia contaminated wastewater | $1,000,000 |
| G-PAK Technology Inc. | Commercialize high-speed production of bio-based fully compostable single-serve coffee pod | $2,500,000 |
| HTEC Hydrogen Technology & Energy Corporation | Build and deploy Canada's first retail hydrogen fueling station in British Columbia | $600,000 |
| Jostle Corporation | Integrate intranet platform and publishing functionality with leading cloud fileshares | $486,413 |
| Loop Energy Inc. | Develop pilot production process for eFlow fuel stack technology and power modules | $760,000 |
| Nanozen Industries Inc. | Commercialize a new particulate matter sensor to measure airborne particles to 1 micron | $300,000 |
| Quadrogen Power Systems | Demonstrate landfill biogas clean up and upgrading system for commercialization | $1,100,000 |
| Quester Tangent Corporation | Commercialize innovative Ethernet vehicle switch specifically for passenger rail vehicles | $647,500 |
| Saltworks Technologies | Commercialize the ElectroChem Advanced Desalination System | $3,500,000 |
| SemiosBIO Technologies Inc. | Expand the Semios Automated Precision Farming System to cherry orchards | $500,000 |
| Terramera Inc. | Commercialize a biopesticide technology for insect control | $1,695,000 |
| TOTAL PROJECT FUNDING | $14,838,913 | |
Additional Links
- Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative
- Axine Water Technologies Inc.
Contact Information:
Director of Communications
Innovation, Science and Economic Development
343-291-2511
pauline.tam@canada.ca
Ben Stanford
Regional Communications Manager
Western Economic Diversification Canada
604-666-7038
ben.stanford@canada.ca