Alberta will implement performance-based funding in its post-secondary system next fall, despite decidedly mixed results on whether the strategy improves higher education and research outcomes.
Organization: University of Alberta
Albert budget lowers corporate tax but undermines innovation and higher ed
The Alberta United Conservative Party government’s first budget will reduce the deficit but slashes support for the tech sector, advanced education, innovation funding and university students
The Short Report, October 9, 2019: Digital scholarship, e-commerce, astrophysics
The University of Alberta library has opened its new Digital Scholarship Centre (DSC), featuring Western Canada’s largest touch-screen data visualization wall, podcasting and webinar equipment, 3D printers and scanners, a VR room, and high-performance computers. – Folio University of Calgary alumnus Wayne Foo, the founding CEO of the oil exploration company Parex Resources Inc, has made a $3.24-million…
The Short Report, October 2, 2019: Kin cryptocurrency, robot tax, health tech
In a dramatic post, Kik founder and CEO Ted Livingston announced the Waterloo-based company will shut down its messaging service and focus exclusively on its cryptocurrency Kin. Livingston described a protracted battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over whether Kin should be labeled a security, which he says “would kill the usability of…
The Short Report, July 3, 2019: Geothermal energy, digital task force, biofoam
Razor Energy Corp has received $5 million from Natural Resources Canada and $2 million from Alberta Innovates to co-produce a geothermal electricity project at an active oil and gas operation. The University of Alberta will conduct geothermal research in association with the project. – Newswire Nova Scotia-based company CarbonCure Technologies has partnered with Hawaii’s HC&D…
Alberta government ‘strongly’ committed to innovation, but with reduced funding
Alberta’s United Conservative Party government says innovation is still a priority—it just won’t be funded through a provincial carbon tax.
The Short Report, June 26, 2019: Dementia, Ontario chief scientist, AI for travel
The Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging is receiving $46 million over five years: $31.6 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and $14.4 million from partners, including the Alzheimer Society. Headquartered at Baycrest in Toronto, the second phase of CCNA’s research program will include a large-scale study to evaluate the effectiveness of new…
The Short Report – May 8, 2019: Cannabis R&D, fuel cell demo, accelerator funding
With the goal becoming a mainstream healthcare company, Smiths Falls, ON-based Canopy Growth Corp. has spun off a new division – Spectrum Therapeutics – to oversee the company’s commercial medical and clinical research operations including Spectrum Cannabis, Canopy Health Innovations, and recently acquired Germany-based C3Cannabinoid Compound Company, which develops cannabinoid-based medical therapies. – Canopy Growth…
The Short Report – April 3, 2019: Future skills, Lightspeed POS, cannabis research
Concordia University has launched the Future Skill Innovation Network, or FUSION, linking five other universities — Simon Fraser, Calgary, Saskatchewan, Carleton and Memorial — to promote student skills development for the globalized economy. The project is funded with a $2.5-million investment from the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, which also announced five other pilot projects to…
Canada’s oil and gas industry “waking up” to AI’s benefits
Canadian oil and gas companies are ramping up investment in artificial intelligence and related digital technologies.