14 March 2011
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Atlantic Canada will continue to grow as a leader in innovation, thanks to new investments that will help researchers and entrepreneurs move their cutting-edge research and development (R&D) from the lab to the marketplace. The announcement was made by the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, while touring Atlantic Hydrogen Inc.
“Supporting science and technology is key to Canada’s future economic growth,” said Minister Ashfield. “Our Government is committed to helping businesses and universities create and maintain research jobs and attract and retain world-leading research talent, which will lead to discoveries that improve our productivity, competitiveness and overall quality of life.”
In New Brunswick, the Government of Canada is investing almost $16 million in seven new research projects through the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF). These investments are part of more than $61 million being invested in Atlantic Canada in 26 innovative R&D projects.
“Our Government recognizes that innovation is vital to a dynamic modern economy,” added Minister Ashfield. “The AIF helps move the region’s cutting-edge R&D into the marketplace, boosts business productivity and bottom lines, increases exports, and creates good-paying jobs and overall economic growth. It’s about good science, smart business and a great investment in the future of Atlantic Canada. That is why this government under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the Atlantic Innovation Fund permanent with ongoing, fixed annual funding.”
“The Atlantic Innovation Fund has been invaluable in moving research out of the laboratory and into the marketplace,” said Bob Youden, a partner with Savarin Consulting, and First Vice-Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “The AIF is helping our businesses, including small and medium enterprises, to become more competitive and productive. By applying innovative ideas and approaches in developing new products, processes and services, businesses in Canada – and Atlantic Canada – will continue to grow their revenues and create skilled, well paying jobs.”
The AIF plays an important role in enhancing Atlantic Canada’s ability to carry out leading-edge R&D and in bringing new knowledge, jobs and business opportunities to the region. The fund has been an important catalyst for many Atlantic Canadian businesses, universities and research institutions, creating close to 760 partnerships to help commercialize innovative ideas, products and services.
The seven recipients selected for AIF funding in New Brunswick include in Fredericton: Q1 Labs Inc., Inversa System Ltd., Accreon Inc. and the University of New Brunswick. In Moncton, Saint John and St. Andrews, recipients are Université de Moncton, J.D. Irving Ltd. and Huntsman Marine Science Centre. The projects include the Next Generation Simulation of Network Attacks; the One Sided CT Scanner for Critical Industrial Structures; the Intelligent Information Analysis, Interpretation & Dissemination (I-AID) System; the Networked Emergency Management Tools (CONNECT); the “Healthy Driver Toolkit” Reducing Costs Related to Professional Driver Performance; the Commercialization of Somatic Embryogenesis in Multi- Varietal Forestry; and the Broodstock Development Program for Atlantic Salmon.
All projects are approved following a rigorous and independent merit-review process by the AIF Advisory Board, composed of experts from across Atlantic Canada with knowledge of R&D, and business and economic policy.
For a complete list of AIF-funded projects, visit www.acoa- apeca.gc.ca.
The deadline for eligible proponents to submit letters of intent and project proposals for the AIF’s next funding round in 2012 was also announced. Eligible proponents – which include private sector businesses, universities, colleges and other research organizations – are required to submit a mandatory letter of intent by May 4, 2011, followed by a complete project proposal by August 17, 2011. Detailed information is available on ACOA’s website: www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
A $15.9 million investment, through the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF), will support seven New Brunswick-based research and development (R&D) projects. The projects include the Next Generation Simulation of Network Attacks by Q1 Labs Inc. in Fredericton; the One Sided CT Scanner for Critical Industrial Structures by Inversa System Ltd. in Fredericton; the “Healthy Driver Toolkit” Reducing Costs Related to Professional Driver Performance at Université de Moncton; the Networked Emergency Management Tools (CONNECT) at UNB Fredericton; the Commercialization of Somatic Embryogenesis in Multi-Varietal Forestry by J.D. Irving Ltd. in Saint John; the Intelligent Information Analysis, Interpretation & Dissemination (I-AID) System by Accreon Inc. in Fredericton; and the Broodstock Development Program for Atlantic Salmon by Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews.
ACOA Minister Keith Ashfield said investments in innovation and R&D will help fuel Canada’s future economic growth. The minister added that it’s about good science, smart business and a great investment in the future of Atlantic Canada.
In total, 26 R&D projects in Atlantic Canada will receive more than $61 million in AIF funding this year. The AIF is helping Atlantic Canadian researchers and entrepreneurs carry out leading-edge R&D, bringing new knowledge, jobs and business opportunities to the region.
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INFORMATION:
Erin Filliter
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Keith Ashfield
163-995-2960
Ted Parisé
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-452-3917
Ted.Parise@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF)
• The Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) was launched in 2001 and is directed to raise the levels of R&D and innovation in Atlantic Canada.
• In Budget 2010, the Government of Canada provided permanent and on-going funding to the AIF.
• Since 2001, including this current round, the AIF has committed close to $709 million in assistance to 279 highly innovative R&D projects across Atlantic Canada, valued at over $1.5 billion.
• Under the current round of funding, 26 projects throughout Atlantic Canada will receive more than $61 million in AIF funding.
• As a result of AIF and private sector investments, R&D spending in Atlantic Canada rose by an annual average of 7.5 per cent between 2002 and 2007, exceeding the national increase of 4.4 per cent.
• Every AIF dollar invested has leveraged $1.15 in funding from other public and private-sector sources, for a total of more than $813 million.
• Between 2002 and 2011, the AIF supported the creation of close to 760 partnerships and collaborations between businesses, universities and other research organizations for technology development and commercialization.
• The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has stated that the AIF is a proven catalyst for encouraging partnerships among business and the research community.
• Between 2002 and 2007, the AIF enabled the creation of more than 1,250 full-time jobs for highly skilled innovators, researchers and scientists, as well as training opportunities for nearly 1,000 students in research organizations.
• Between 2002 and 2011, more than 250 technologies, products, processes and services developed through the AIF were successfully commercialized, resulting in just under $250 million in incremental sales.
2011 AIF Projects – (New Brunswick)
Huntsman Marine Science Centre (St. Andrews) Project: Broodstock Development Program for Atlantic Salmon Huntsman Marine Science Centre (HMSC), in partnership with Admiral Fish Farms Ltd., Gray Aqua Farms Ltd., and Northern Harvest Sea Farm Ltd., will develop an elite Atlantic salmon broodstock breeding program to produce salmon that have better growth rates, increased fillet yield, decrease in deformities, and are more resistant to sea lice and bacterial kidney disease (BKD). The proposed project will cover five years, and be co-located in facilities in New Brunswick and Newfoundland. This project, with total estimated costs of $7.8 million, will receive approximately $3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a five- year period.
Contact Information: Bill Robertson Executive Director and CEO Huntsman Marine Science Centre St. Andrews, New Brunswick 506-529-1200
Q1 Labs Inc. (Fredericton) Project: Next Generation Simulation of Network Attacks Surveys suggest an estimated annual financial burden of between $13 billion and $1.6 trillion as a result of security violations in various dimensions of infrastructure systems. The proposed work is aimed at extending technology, Q1 Labs’ QRadar Risk Manager, developed at UNB under an AIF Round 2 project. The simulation software tool will substantially improve the survivability of the network and lower the overall risk of an attack on the organization. The resulting technology will be a module installed on the Q1 Labs existing QRadar Security Intelligence Platform and will become part of the company’s QRadar Risk Manager product. This project, with total estimated costs of $7 million, will receive approximately $3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four year period.
Contact Information: Mr. Sandy Bird Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer Q1 Labs Inc. 80 Bishop Drive Fredericton, New Brunswick 506-449-1847
University of New Brunswick (Fredericton) Project: Networked Emergency Management Tools (CONNECT) Under the direction of Dr. Bruce Colpitts and Dr. Brent Petersen, UNB is expected to develop a computer network which will enhance the interoperability of diverse electronic monitoring and emergency communications systems using both land lines and wireless connectivity. In addition, this project will develop training programs allowing users to prepare for potential emergency situations that may be within their domain. This project, with total estimated costs of $4.7 million, will receive approximately $2.5 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
Contact Information: Dr. Bruce Colpitts Professor and Principal Investigator University of New Brunswick Fredericton, New Brunswick 506-447-3139
Accreon Inc. (Fredericton, NB) Project: Intelligent Information Analysis, Interpretation & Dissemination (I-AID) System Accreon, in partnership with UNB, will research and develop software technology (I-AID) that will enable normal correspondence to be used as direct input into a workflow process. The I-AID technology will examine large volumes of electronic data (email, text messages, intranet) both structured (data in tables) and unstructured (spreadsheet, document, presentation), as it passes through the organization, assess it for relevance, provide context to it, and identify and notify relevant recipients of the information in a timely manner. This project, with total estimated costs of $3.5 million, will receive approximately $2.2 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three- year period.
Contact Information: Mr. Trevor Cookson Co-founder and Co-CEO Accreon Inc. 414 York Street Fredericton, New Brunswick 506-452-0971
Inversa System Ltd. (Fredericton) Project: Commercialization of a One-Side CT Scanner for Critical Industrial Structures The recent British Petroleum and Enbridge oil disasters in the U.S.A. have publicly illustrated the significant cost of infrastructure failure and the crucial need for innovative inspection technology for civilian and industrial structures. Inversa System Ltd., a company founded in 2005 and located in Fredericton, seeks to develop and commercialize a new non-destructive inspection technology, with the unique ability to inspect infrastructure of almost any material in detail and with single-side access. This project, with total estimated costs of $2.9 million, will receive approximately $2 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
Contact Information: John Bowles President, Inversa Systems Ltd. Fredericton, New Brunswick 506-455-8845
L’Université de Moncton (Moncton) Project: Reducing Costs Related to Professional Driver Performance Under the direction of Dr. Michel Johnson assistant professor at Université de Moncton, this project will develop a commercial software application called the “Healthy Driver Toolkit” that will provide an evaluation and intervention approach suited to the unique working conditions of the professional driver. The toolkit will include both an Analysis Module and a Remediation Module to analyze driving skills, health, attitude and attention and provide drivers with specific recommendations related to lifestyle. This project, with total estimated costs of $2.6 million, will receive approximately $1.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
Contact Information: D. Michel J. Johnson Assistant Professor, École de Kinésiologie et de Récréologie Université de Moncton Moncton, New Brunswick 506-858-4811
J.D. Irving Ltd. (Saint John) Project: Commercialization of Somatic Embryogenesis in Multi-Varietal Forestry Recognizing the importance of continuous improvement in order to remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry, JDI is actively involved in the next evolution of tree improvement called multi-varietal forestry. In this AIF project, JDI proposes to develop and commercialize a fully mechanized somatic embryo handling, transplanting, and greenhouse-culture system to allow the company to produce elite white spruce and Norway spruce in a cost efficient manner. This project, with total estimated costs of $1.9 million, will receive approximately $1.4 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a 3.5 year period.
Contact Information: Mr. Greg Adams Manager of Research and Development J. D. Irving Limited Sussex East, New Brunswick 506-432-2844
