KITCHENER, Ontario, November 12, 2013 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, joined by Harold Albrecht, Member of Parliament for Kitchener–Conestoga, today announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a contract of over $100,000 to Clearpath Robotics Inc. of Kitchener, Ontario, for its innovation, the Kingfisher M200 Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV). The contract was awarded through the Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP), formerly known as the Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program (CICP).
“The Government of Canada’s top priority is the economy and we understand that helping Canadian businesses expand and succeed directly benefits Canadian workers and families by creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity,
” said Minister Finley. “We are proud to encourage Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit by kick-starting Canadian businesses to get their innovative products and services from the lab to the marketplace.
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Clearpath Robotics Inc.’s innovation, the Kingfisher M200 USV, is a portable robotic vessel, designed to measure and analyze inland waters such as lakes, rivers, ponds and estuaries. The Kingfisher is intended for use by researchers and environmental engineers performing lengthy or difficult surveying of inland waters. It provides a safe and reliable method for collecting high quality data with more accuracy and at lower costs than the existing industry-standard techniques. The Kingfisher has also demonstrated substantial benefits in terms of safety and water accessibility, as it is able to collect data from areas deemed impossible to reach by boat and too dangerous to enter on foot.
“This announcement brings great news for Kitchener, and great news for the Canadian economy,
” said Mr. Albrecht. “With more testing through this program, I hope it will bring great news for the many users who could benefit from this exciting new technology.
”
“We are thrilled that the Government of Canada is recognizing the contribution that small high‑tech businesses such as ours make to our economy. This program will help us kick-start a brand new environmental monitoring innovation and support high-tech jobs in our local economy,
” said Matthew Rendall, Chief Executive Officer, Clearpath Robotics Inc.
The BCIP was launched in 2010 as a pilot program to connect Canadian companies with federal departments and agencies that have a need for innovative products and services. By selling to the federal government, businesses can demonstrate the value of their products and services, and potentially generate future sales to non-government customers in Canada and around the world.
To build on the early success of this program, Economic Action Plan 2012 allocated an additional $95 million over three years, starting in 2013–14, and $40 million per year thereafter to make the BCIP permanent. The program now includes an added military procurement component. A new call for proposals will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information about the program or for the complete list of innovations, please visit the BCIP web page.
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