UVic is the latest university in Canada to cut fossil fuels from its investment portfolio, Nova Scotia’s fish and seafood sector gets a boost, a promising snapshot of Ontario’s developing AI ecosystem, and more.
Organization: Government of Canada
NGen joins $10-million effort to bolster manufacturing capacity for a COVID-19 vaccine
The NGen supercluster has awarded $27 million in funding for 12 advanced manufacturing projects that can supply critical health care products to combat COVID-19. The funding includes $5 million for Providence Therapeutics and partner Northern RNA to establish manufacturing capacity in Calgary for Providence’s made-in-Canada vaccine.
Opinion: Leveraging Canada’s agri-food system to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050
Canada’s agri-food system can help the nation achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 by providing either a source of renewable energy or “negative” emissions, Adekunbi Adetona and Dr. (PhD) David Layzell say in an opinion leader column. Innovative approaches, incentives and supportive government policy will be needed to use residual agricultural biomass to help reduce emissions, they say.
The Short Report – Feb. 3, 2021: Corporations partner on rapid COVID testing for employees, Conestoga launches national institute for senior care, Lakeland offers Canada’s first AgriTech degree, and more
A consortium of some of Canada’s biggest corporations launch a pilot project offering workers rapid COVID-19 testing; Conestoga College prepares to launch a national institute dedicated to senior care; Lakeland College offers Canada’s first two-year Agricultural Technology program this fall, and more.
Opinion: Stop putting “lipstick” on Canada’s innovation mess and solve early-stage funding gap
Canada needs to stop putting “lipstick” on Canada’s innovation mess and solve the funding gap for early-stage entrepreneurs and SMEs, Michael Nitefor, president and founder of Air Lab, Inc., says in an editorial.
The Short Report – Jan 27, 2021: Clinical trials for first made-in-Canada vaccine begin; a first-of-its-kind carbon capture cement study launches in Edmonton, and more.
The federal government invests in protecting the endangered North Atlantic right whale; a Canadian-led social media movement aims to stop the spread of misinformation around COVID-19; University Health Network study shows full dose blood thinners decrease need for life support in COVID-19 patients, and a new report says Canada’s PhD students face persistent barriers applying skill sets.
Analysis: Updated mandate for federal innovation minister shows a Prime Minister preoccupied with COVID-19
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is much more focused on his government’s response to COVID-19 than on science and innovation priorities, judging by the PM’s updated mandate letter to the minister of innovation. The letter mentions the world “innovation” once, compared with more than a half-dozen references to COVID-19 and the federal response to the pandemic
Biotechnology and engineering biology roadmap plus investment are key to Canada’s economic recovery
The federal government needs to support an inclusive engineering biology ecosystem that leverages Canadian-grown capacities across industry, academia and government, Bettina Hamelin, president and CEO of Ontario Genomics, says in an editorial. Canada needs a comprehensive and aligned roadmap for a public-private partnership and investment strategy to benefit from the increasing opportunities in this emerging sector, she says.
The Short Report – Jan 20, 2021: Western U’s antibody test in peer review, Tesla renews contract with Dal lab, Biden elevates role of science advisor to cabinet, and more
Researchers at Western U develop a simple, but promising, antibody test; TMV Life Science Innovation invests heavily in tissue imaging innovator Kent Imaging; Dr. Jeffrey Dahn will continue as the NSERC/Tesla Canada Inc. Industrial Research Chair; and Biden announces a White House science team.
Opinion: “Real-world,” publicly accessible 5G testbed needed to support SMEs in Canada’s growing 5G system
A “real-world,” publicly accessible 5G testbed is needed to support SMEs in growing Canada’s 5G system, Gordon Harling and Michael Turner write in an op-ed. The Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks in Kanata (in West Ottawa) is well placed to fill this gap, they say.