Research and development across Atlantic Canada is benefiting from an important federal investment of $62.4 million under Round VII of the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF). In New Brunswick, a total of nine R&D projects, representing both private and public sector research, will benefit from $19.6 million in AIF support in this round. The announcement was made today in Moncton by the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway.
“Productivity and innovation are key factors in Canada’s economic success,” said Minister Ashfield. “The Atlantic Innovation Fund is an important catalyst for building research and development capacity in our region. This latest round of funding ensures that more research will continue to be undertaken, and more innovative ideas commercialized, so that Atlantic businesses continue to grow, adapt, diversify and become more competitive.”
Today’s announcement is part of a series of announcements highlighting 30 innovative R&D projects selected from across Atlantic Canada that will benefit from AIF support available under Round VII of the program. In addition, as the project proponents lever more funding for their research work from a variety of other private and public sector sources, the total value of the R&D investment generated in this round is expected to rise to nearly $112 million. The Fund has generated a measurable increase in investments in research and development in Atlantic Canada. Since 2006, every AIF dollar invested has leveraged an additional $1.26 in funding from other sources.
The projects selected for AIF funding in New Brunswick include critical research to further the fight against cancer; new ways to enhance and increase the speed and capacity of computer systems; new processes to increase pulp yield and strength, as well as develop new technology that will increase the competitiveness of companies working in the forestry industry. Also included in this round are projects that support renewable energy technologies such as the development of smart instrumentation for the energy sector, and research into new ways of generating solar power at a lower cost.
“We are investing in realistic and achievable projects,” said Minister Ashfield. “Projects that will advance our innovation and knowledge capacity, generate a range of alternative technologies, and develop leading-edge products and processes.”
Since 2006, more than $343 million has been invested through the AIF in 145 R&D projects throughout Atlantic Canada. During that time, 39 highly innovative New Brunswick projects have benefited from that investment. Several of these projects have already resulted in new products, technologies and services that are now being marketed to the world. Among them are companies like Green Imaging Technologies, Inc. that is providing MRI technologies and analytical services of rock core samples for large, global, petroleum exploration companies. ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund encourages the commercialization of research in Atlantic Canada and has been a key driver for many Atlantic Canadian businesses, universities and research institutions. It has enhanced Atlantic Canada’s reputation for innovation and, through the success of the projects it has funded, the AIF contributes significantly to the region’s research and development capacity and its economic performance. The nine projects selected for AIF funding in New Brunswick include:
Umoe Solar New Brunswick Inc. (Miramichi) Project: Advanced Solar Energy Conversion Umoe Solar New Brunswick will focus its efforts on developing new technology to produce more efficient solar energy devices at a lower cost, providing an alternative source of clean, renewable energy. The research will centre around producing solar-grade silicon and, over the longer term, study third generation solar energy conversion devices. This project, with total estimated costs of $5.3 million, will receive approximately $3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year period.
University of New Brunswick (Fredericton) Project: Accelerating Java Using Massive Multi-Core Systems This project is expected to enhance the processing power and speed of computer systems for commercial/research performance benefits. Working with IBM, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) will create a set of software tools and techniques to run IBM's J9 Java Virtual Machine more efficiently on massive multicore systems. IBM will establish a Center for Advanced Study (CAS) at UNB specializing in the areas of Java virtual machines and massive multicore systems. This is IBM’s first CAS in Atlantic Canada. This project, with total estimated costs of $5.1 million, will receive approximately $3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year period.
BioProspecting NB Inc. (Moncton) Project: Soricidin-Derived Peptides for Targeted Cancer Management BioProspecting NB Inc. is a drug development company focused on novel therapeutics for cancer and chronic pain treatments. The project will focus on the development and commercialization of a diagnostic tool for early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer. This project, with total estimated costs of $5.1 million, will receive approximately $2.9 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a two- year period.
Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (Moncton) Project: Next Generation Biomarker Technology for Early Cancer Detection Through this project, the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI) will focus on the development of a new technology to identify markers that classify different stages of cancer and help determine whether a patient should be included or excluded from follow-up treatments such as chemotherapy or surgery. The project includes the advancement of recent discoveries funded through two past AIF projects. This project, with total estimated costs of $5.7 million, will receive approximately $2.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year period.
Atlantic Hydrogen Inc. (Fredericton) Project: Production of Carbons for Energy Storage and Conductive Applications Atlantic Hydrogen Inc. has created CarbonSaver, a new technology that produces hydrogen and carbon from natural gas to make a more efficient fuel while at the same time providing an alternative source of clean energy. Atlantic Hydrogen will use the carbon produced to offset operating costs and will aim to make the CarbonSaver technology highly competitive with other energy-related CO2 (carbon dioxide) reduction strategies. This project, with total estimated costs of $4.2 million, will receive approximately $2 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
University of New Brunswick – Institute of Biomedical Engineering Project: Portable Bio-Tone tool-kit for performance assessment of muscle impairment UNB’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering will work to develop a technically robust, easy to use, inexpensive, and portable tool-kit that can be used to perform routine, clinically accepted, assessments of muscle impairment and function outside the clinic. This project, with total estimated costs of $2.5 million, will receive approximately $1.9 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four- year period.
Spielo Manufacturing ULC (Moncton) Project: SPIELO Responsible Gaming Solution Spielo Manufacturing ULC, in collaboration with the University of New Brunswick and Dalhousie University, will research and develop a Responsible Gaming Player Tracking Module and a new class of entertainment games based on the principles of responsible gaming. The Module will give operators a set of flexible software tools to assist in the creation and management of responsible gaming programs. This project, with total estimated costs of $2.5 million, will receive approximately $1.9 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over an 18-month period.
Centre for Nuclear Energy Research (Fredericton) Project: Smart Instrumentation for the Energy Sector The Centre for Nuclear Energy Research, in collaboration with NB Power Nuclear, CANDU Owners Group Inc., Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., and the New Brunswick Research and Productivity Council will develop and potentially commercialize instrumentation to monitor the condition of steel piping systems, designed to increase efficiency and security in nuclear and non-nuclear facilities. This project, with total estimated costs of $1.8 million, will receive approximately $1.3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
University of New Brunswick (Fredericton) Project: Creating More Value for Hemicelluloses in Pulp & Paper Industry The Limerick Pulp and Paper Centre (LPPC) at UNB, in collaboration with AV Nackawic Inc., NB and KnowCharge Inc., NB will research methods to increase pulp yield and strength as well as develop new technology for the production of conductive packaging materials. The LPPC is the only pulp and paper research centre in Atlantic Canada. This project, with total estimated costs of $1.7 million, will receive approximately $1 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a five-year period.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
National Revenue and ACOA Minister Keith Ashfield today released the details of nine projects in New Brunswick that will receive up to $19.6 million in funding under Round VII of ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund.
The New Brunswick projects are part of a larger contribution that will see 30 innovative R&D projects receive up to $62.4 million in AIF funding throughout Atlantic Canada. Project proponents are expected to leverage an additional $49.4 million in funding from a variety of private and public sector sources, bringing the total value of the projects to nearly $112 million. Among the projects funded is research into the development of smart instrumentation for the renewable energy sector; the exploration of new ways to generate solar power at lower costs; research targeting the forest sector and new technologies to increase its competitiveness; and health research centred on the development of new technology to further the fight against cancer.
The Atlantic Innovation Fund plays an important role in enhancing Atlantic Canada’s ability to carry out leading- edge R&D and bringing new knowledge, new jobs and new business opportunities to Atlantic Canada.
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INFORMATION:
Erin Filliter
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Revenue,
Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency, and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
613-941-7241
Krista Kelly
Director of Communications, Client Services
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Moncton, New Brunswick
506-851-6403
Ann Kenney
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-260-2193
Paul CJ LeBlanc
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-260-2310
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PROJECTS SELECTED FOR AIF FUNDING IN NEW BRUNSWICK:
Umoe Solar New Brunswick
Dr. Harsharn Tathgar
Director of Research and Development
Miramichi, New Brunswick
506-454-7393
Faculty of Computer Science (UNB)
Dr. Kenneth B. Kent
Associate Professor
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-451-6971
BioProspecting NB Inc.
Paul Gunn
President and Chief Financial Officer
Moncton, New Brunswick
506- 872-2181
Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Rodney Ouellette
CEO and Scientific Director
Moncton, New Brunswick
506-862-7512
Atlantic Hydrogen Inc.
David Wagner
President and CEO
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-458-1820
Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Chris A. McGibbon
Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-458-4827
Spielo Manufacturing ULC
Rhonda Whittaker
Communication Specialist
Moncton, New Brunswick
506-878-6471
rhonda.whittaker@gtech.com
Centre for Nuclear Energy Research
Andrew Justason
General Manager, CNER
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-458-7781
Limerick Pulp & Paper Centre
Dr. Yonghao Ni
Professor
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-451-6857
