Rimouski, Quebec, March 19, 2009 −The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced the awarding of $3,802,500 in total non-repayable funding to two leading Bas-Saint-Laurent organizations. The Marine Biotechnology Research Centre (MBRC) will thus receive $900,000 funding and the Université du Québec à Rimouski’s Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER) $2,902,500 for the acquisition of specialized equipment. Together, these two projects will necessitate an overall investment of $4,225,000.
“In its Economic Action Plan tabled in January, the Government of Canada put forth a number of measures to support community and regional growth. This is why we are so pleased to support the MBRC and ISMER in their efforts to carry out projects that will strengthen synergy among the various marine science stakeholders in Bas-Saint-Laurent and heighten the region’s reputation as a pole of excellence in this forward-looking sector. It is crucial that these two organizations have the leading-edge equipment they need to fulfill their missions of innovation, technology transfer and international outreach. These acquisition projects will pave the way not only for the creation of new enterprises and sustainable jobs, but also for the development of new knowledge and know-how,”explained Minister of State Lebel.
The MBRC is a key player in the region’s marine science and technology sector. The acquisition of scientific equipment will allow the organization to maintain its high standards of quality and continue offering advanced expertise in the field, while building on its ongoing research to satisfy the increasingly strict demands of clients. The MBRC will also have the potential to expand the range of services it offers and thereby win new contracts. This project will also enable the Centre to increase its research and technology transfer capabilities as well as those of the region’s enterprises, research centres and institutions operating in the sector that will also benefit from access to this equipment.
ISMER also occupies a place of strategic importance in the Bas-Saint-Laurent marine science and technology sector. Acquiring specialized equipment will enable the organization to increase its research capabilities and achieve a higher degree of accuracy while operating more efficiently and rapidly. As the only Quebec institute equipped with some of these devices, ISMER will be in a position to generate the development of a wide range of expertise, strengthen its ties with industrial stakeholders and facilitate the transfer of technology to industry. This project will also allow ISMER to increase its participation in various national and international research programs.
“Carrying out these two initiatives will be a significant asset for the region in that it will help ensure the Bas-Saint-Laurent continues to develop as a competitiveness pole in the marine science and technology sector and is better able to position itself as a key leader in the field,”the Minister of State concluded.
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Sources:
Claudie Lamontagne
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-722-3282 or 1-800-463-9073
E-mail: claudie.lamontagne@dec-ced.gc.ca
Éric Lefebvre
Senior Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Cell.: 613-608-7906
E-mail: eric.lefebvre@dec-ced.gc.ca
