Government of Canada invests in innovative Canadian solutions to help in the fight against COVID-19
News release
Eight small and medium-sized Canadian companies will receive funding for projects that will support a resilient economy and help finish the fight against COVID-19
May 26, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of all Canadians while ensuring economic resilience and contributing to the international response to COVID-19. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the government has been working closely with industry to ensure Canada is at the forefront of the global fight against COVID-19.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the selection of eight companies that will receive a total of $8 million in funding, under the Innovative Solutions Canada program, for innovative projects to address challenges related to COVID-19.
- Braebon Medical Corporation (Kanata, Ontario) will receive $2 million in response to the Low-Cost Sensor System for COVID-19 Patient Monitoring challenge. It will create a low-cost system to continuously measure COVID-19 patients’ temperature, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, pulse and respiration rate and transmit this information wirelessly to a base station for patient monitoring.
- Nicoya Lifesciences Incorporated (Kitchener, Ontario) and Deep Biologics Incorporated (Guelph, Ontario) will each receive up to $2 million in response to the Point of Care and Home Diagnostic Kit for COVID-19 challenge. They will each create a rapid test kit that uses saliva sampling to diagnose individuals with COVID-19 symptoms in 20 minutes or less.
- Cole Webber Productions Incorporated (Red Deer, Alberta) will receive $1 million in response to the COVID-19: An Intelligent Digital Clearing House challenge. It will create a smart digital exchange platform to connect researchers and health providers with the appropriate expertise, materials, devices and information to respond to COVID-19.
- Roswell Downhole Technologies Incorporated (Calgary, Alberta) will receive up to $200,000 and Precision ADM (Winnipeg, Manitoba) will receive $300,000 in response to the COVID-19: Compostable Disposable Surgical Masks and Compostable Disposable Respirators Used in the Canadian Healthcare System challenge. They will propose solutions to manufacture compostable disposable surgical masks and compostable disposable respirators for healthcare workers.
- GreenMantra Technologies Limited (Brantford, Ontario) and Terragon Environmental Technologies Incorporated (Montréal, Quebec) will each receive $300,000 in response to the COVID-19: Recycling Technologies for Disposable (single-use) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Used in Healthcare Sector challenge. They will propose solutions for efficient and cost‑effective recycling of disposable PPE waste.
Quotes
“Through the Innovative Solutions Canada program, we are supporting innovative Canadian companies and investing in their cutting-edge solutions to the challenges of COVID-19. These investments will improve our healthcare response while helping small and medium-sized enterprises innovate, grow and contribute to the Canadian economy. I thank the Canadian innovators who have stepped up to help us in the fight against COVID-19.”
- The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“Supporting these innovative Canadian solutions through the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program will help respond to COVID-19 challenges. These projects aim to strengthen Canadian capabilities, develop more environmentally sustainable products and help Canada respond to pandemics.”
- Mitch Davies, President, National Research Council Canada
Quick facts
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Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) is a key component of the government’s Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year plan to make Canada a global innovation leader and prepare Canadians to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.
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To date, ISC has launched eight challenges in direct response to COVID-19 as well as an open call, under its testing stream, for prototypes to help combat COVID-19.
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ISC has released 92 challenges seeking new and novel solutions since the program launched in December 2017.
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Innovative Solutions Canada launched the COVID-19 challenges in collaboration with National Research Council Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Health Canada, Natural Resources Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Public Services and Procurement Canada.
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Funding for these challenges is being provided through the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
Contacts
John Power
A/Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
john.power@canada.ca
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca
Stay connected
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