August 11, 2009, Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Blake Richards, Member of Parliament for Wild Rose, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced a contribution to TRIUM Environmental Solutions Inc. from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).
The funding supports an innovative research and development project that will assist TRIUM Environmental Solutions in developing high-tech environmental consulting solutions for global markets.
"Our government is committed to building a competitive advantage for the Canadian private sector and supports these leading-edge technology solutions," said Mr. Richards. "The Government of Canada is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve Canadians’ quality of life."
This $150,000 contribution will support the Cochrane-based company in developing innovative techniques to improve water quality by using the natural filtering power of bentonite to remove salt from groundwater.
"Investing in science and technology is critical for developing highly skilled people and improving the long-term competitiveness of Canadian firms," said NRC President Dr. Pierre Coulombe. "That's why NRC-IRAP is helping innovative Canadian businesses such as TRIUM Environmental Solutions grow stronger, faster and bigger."
TRIUM Environmental Solutions Inc. is a consulting-industry innovator with expertise in environmental forensics, environmental toxicology, environmental risk assessment, analytical chemistry, data quality assurance, litigation support, hydrogeological investigation and monitoring, environmental site assessment, environmental risk management, remediation engineering and project management.
"NRC-IRAP is playing an important role in the success of our company," said Dr. Court Sandau, president of TRIUM Environmental Solutions Inc. "The financial support we are receiving from NRC-IRAP will help us to continue developing innovative environmental remediation solutions for the global marketplace."
About NRC and NRC-IRAP
The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified innovative Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The program is delivered by a field staff of 240 professionals in more than 100 communities across Canada. NRC-IRAP is committed to working with small- and medium-sized enterprises while they realize their full potential, turning knowledge and innovation into strategic opportunities, jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.
The Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan has provided new resources of $200 million over the next two years to bolster NRC-IRAP support for innovative Canadian firms. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
NRC’s main outreach to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is through its Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) which provides support to innovative companies in Canada undertaking research and technology development projects for commercial purposes.
NRC-IRAP provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified innovative Canadian SMEs. The program is delivered by a field staff of 240 business and technology experts in more than 100 communities across Canada. Working directly with SMEs, NRC-IRAP supports innovative research and development (R&D) and helps companies become commercialization-ready with their new products and services.
While the program operates three separate contribution programs — contribution to firms, contribution to organizations and a Youth Employment Program — NRC-IRAP’s main contribution component is in the form of a non-repayable contribution that reimburses the labour costs of a research and development project directly to firms.
Science at work for Canada
NRC-IRAP received an investment in Budget 2009, Canada’s Economic Action Plan, of $200 million over the next two years. This is new money. NRC-IRAP is committed to using this new funding to help the Government build a competitive advantage for Canada based on excellence in science and technology (S&T).
The funding includes $170 million to double NRC-IRAP’s contributions to firms and $30 million to help hire more than 1,000 new post-secondary graduates via its Youth Employment Program.
The budget commitment reinforces NRC-IRAP’s mandate to help SMEs take knowledge from the lab to the marketplace. The budget commitment also broadens NRC-IRAP’s ability to provide S&T expertise to SMEs. NRC-IRAP estimates that this new money will allow it to support approximately 1,400 additional SMEs over the next two years.
TRIUM Environmental Solutions Inc.
TRIUM Environmental Systems Inc. is an environmental consulting firm founded on the diverse experiences and education of its staff. Its expertise includes environmental forensics, environmental toxicology, environmental risk assessment, analytical chemistry, data quality assurance, litigation support, hydrogeological investigation and monitoring, environmental site assessment, environmental risk management, remediation engineering and project management.
This $150,000 contribution will support the Cochrane-based company in developing innovative techniques to improve water quality by using the natural filtering power of bentonite to remove salt from groundwater.
The project involves using a passive barrier system with a series of removable filters — composed of compressed bentonite — which may remove salt from passing groundwater.
The proposed treatment system will be composed of a subsurface treatment corridor through which groundwater will flow. Using gravity, a funnel, and a gate-style system, groundwater will flow through the corridor towards the filters for treatment.
