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Funding partnership enhances research-industry innovation

Access to expertise and tools found on college campuses helps local businesses succeed

OTTAWA, ONTARIO — Three colleges received more than $3.5 million in funding for state-of-the-art research infrastructure from Stream 2 of the CFI’s College-Industry Innovation Fund today in Winnipeg, Man. Cégep de la Gaspésie et des îles, Cégep Édouard-Montpetit and Collège d'Alma will use the new equipment to work with industry partners to develop the use of renewable energy in remote locations, offer enhanced aeronautic technologies testing and improve storage methods for potatoes.

The CFI funding is in partnership with the Innovation Enhancement Grants component of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s College and Community Innovation Program. This joint initiative equips colleges with infrastructure for innovative applied research and technology development projects to foster partnerships between colleges and the private sector.

The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced this new money at Red River College where she also announced funding from Stream 1 of the CFI’s college fund. The college is getting $1 million from that fund to build the MotiveLab, a local heavy vehicle testing facility.

READ: Government of Canada invests in college researcher-industry partnerships to boost innovation and push the frontiers of knowledge

Projects Funded

Institution	Project Title	Maximum CFI Contribution
Cégep de la Gaspésie et des îles	Intégration intelligente des énergies renouvelables et des technologies de stockage dans les micro-réseaux	1 000 000 $
Cégep Édouard-Montpetit	Centre d'essai en opérations aériennes	849 147 $
Collège d'Alma	Développement de la capacité de recherche pour améliorer l'entreposage, la conservation et la qualité de pommes de terre	900 000 $
TOTAL	3 projects / projets	$2,749,143

Funding for research infrastructure associated with a NSERC Five-Year College and Community Innovation program – Innovation Enhancements grant award.

NOTE:
As part of this announcement, an additional $824,744 was awarded under the Infrastructure Operating Fund, a mechanism that assists institutions with the incremental operating and maintenance costs associated with the new infrastructure.