Petronas Energy and Itochu Corporation consider exporting blue hydrogen from Alberta, a UWaterloo engineering team gets backing to secure Canada’s critical energy infrastructure, FedNor grows up, and more.
Organization: University of Waterloo
The Short Report – July 14, 2021: Rémi Quirion to lead International Network for Government Science Advice, mining gets a $40 million boost, and more
Québec’s Chief Scientist, Rémi Quirion, heads the INGSA international network, Ottawa moves to accelerate innovation in Canadian mining, and more.
CMC Microsystems pitches Ottawa on $120-million chip manufacturing plan amid global shortage
Two separate groups are hoping to safeguard Canada against future semiconductor chip shortages. CMC Microsystems has applied for $120 million to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for niche applications, while a new semiconductor council has started work on a National Semiconductor Strategy and Action Plan.
New $200-million venture fund launched to close gap in deep tech financing
BDC Capital is behind the launch of a $200-million Deep Tech Venture Fund that will invest in early stage companies in quantum information science, photonics, electronics, foundational artificial intelligence—all sectors that have been underfunded in Canada.
After billions in funding, Strategic Innovation Fund failed to improve Canada’s innovation performance, experts say
Nearly $3.4 billion in federal spending through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) during the last three years has failed to improve Canada’s “disastrous” innovation performance and productivity, say some innovation and policy experts. An analysis by Research Money of SIF data shows that Ontario, Quebec and foreign-based firms have received the lion’s share of SIF funding.
Opinion: Canadian universities and companies must proactively assess risks of collaboration with China
China’s investments in and with Canadian universities and companies pose a serious risk to Canada’s security, personal data, research and technology, says Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a senior fellow at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa, and former executive vice-president of NSERC.
Canada’s emissions-reduction policies and lower costs drive increasing investment in energy storage
Government and business investment in electrical-grid connected battery energy storage is growing, driven by lower costs for the technology and Canada’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Short Report – Feb 10, 2021: Pilot program to recycle COVID-19 face masks, UVIC divests from fossil fuels, MS Society tests type-2 diabetes drug, and more
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.
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.
New NRC research facility brings together public, private and academic partners to work on advanced materials
In November, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) opened a new two-storey, 21,500-square-foot advanced materials research facility in Mississauga that will house collaborations with universities and industry partners.