PureGard
When Lisa Learning’s two sons became sick with Lyme Disease, she took action.
Watching her children in pain and struggling to walk, while trying to get them properly diagnosed, drove her to find a way to protect other families from tick bites.
Raised in Labrador, she drew on her NunatuKavut roots and connection to the land, experimenting with essential oils that could deter ticks from attaching. She eventually brought promising formulations to Acadia University for testing and refinement.
In 2017, she created PureGard (formerly AtlanTick), a DEET-free preventative spray made of all-natural ingredients and safe for children—a first for the Canadian market when the company was formed.
As tick populations grow and tick-borne illnesses become an increasing concern, that early research has evolved into an ongoing commitment to developing new ways to protect people.
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) has supported PureGard along the way, helping the company acquire equipment, expand its manufacturing capacity, strengthen its brand and continue research and development.
“I didn’t want to research one product and be done,” she explained. “We continue to do research and testing to come out with products that work for everyone.”
That work continues. PureGard is now developing a repellent for fabric with potential commercial and public-sector applications, subject to regulatory approval.
“ACOA has been a critical part of our success,” Learning says. “Not only financially, but through the human support we receive. They are cheerleaders, advisors, and always there when you need them. ACOA is a huge help for all businesses who want to take advantage of the opportunities they have.”
PureGard has significantly expanded its presence across Canada with sales increasing 100% between 2025 and 2026. The company maintains its longstanding research relationship with Acadia, and the University’s newly-established Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre, back by ACOA.
It is a partnership that shows what can happen when lived experience, traditional knowledge, research and entrepreneurship come together. By helping Atlantic Canadian companies build capacity, develop new products and bring their ideas to new markets, ACOA is supporting homegrown innovation with the potential to create opportunities here at home and solve challenges far beyond the region.