August 13, 2009, Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Tim Uppal, Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Sherwood Park, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced a contribution to Clear Flow Consulting Inc. from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).
The funding supports a research and development project that focuses on developing innovative wastewater treatment technologies.
"Our government is committed to building a competitive advantage for the Canadian private sector and supports these leading-edge technology solutions," said Mr. Uppal. "The Government of Canada is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve Canadians’ quality of life."
This $124,536 contribution will support the Sherwood Park-based company in researching and developing state-of-the-art solutions to treat wastewater from aquaculture pond operations and rural small-scale wastewater treatment facilities.
"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 Clear Flow Consulting grow stronger, faster and bigger."
Clear Flow Consulting’s products are used to remove soil particles such as clay, sand and silt from water as well as other contaminants that may be attached to particles such as nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, metals, and hydrocarbons.
"NRC-IRAP is playing an important role in the success of the company," said Jerry Hanna, President of Clear Flow Consulting. "The financial support we are receiving from NRC-IRAP will help us continue to innovate high-tech water quality 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.
Clear Flow Consulting Inc.
Clear Flow Consulting Inc. develops technologies that treat storm water and wastewater from heavy industrial sites (e.g. mining, construction and industry). Its technologies help to remove metals, sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia contamination from ponds, streams and rivers. The firm is also developing technologies for treatment of wastewater from fish and shrimp farms before the water is discharged into the ocean. It has patented a water treatment mixing tank and has set up a new subsidiary, Enviro Train Water Systems Inc., to develop water treatment technology for the oil sands tailings ponds.
This $124,536 contribution will support the company in extending its research into the use of proprietary environmentally friendly polyacrylamide polymers to treat wastewater from both aquaculture ponds and rural, small-scale wastewater treatment plants.
