Backgrounder: Minister Olszewski announces support to help Alberta businesses diversify, scale up and thrive

PrairiesCan is investing $10,901,711 in repayable and non-repayable funding for seven projects in Alberta through the Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program, the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), and the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII).

These targeted investments will help businesses and organizations access diverse funding opportunities to enhance their productivity, scale up, boost production efficiencies, and tackle challenges with new and innovative technologies. They are expected to support approximately 200 jobs and enable Alberta businesses to capitalize on new opportunities.

Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program – $5,189,535

The BSP program supports high-growth businesses that are seeking to improve productivity, scale-up, and commercialize technology. It offers interest-free, repayable funding to incorporated businesses that have been in operation for a minimum of two years.

PrairiesCan announced investments for three projects under BSP:

• 48Hour Discovery ($1,149,504)
  Enhance the organization’s drug discovery platform through AI to gain access to new markets.
• Crust Craft ($2,040,270)
  Expand commercial baking capacity in Edmonton by relocating and installing advanced automated production lines.
• RAM Elevators + Lifts ($1,999,761)
  Expand the manufacturing capacity of its elevators and lifts for home and commercial spaces in North America, including the introduction of the Flex Lift to market.

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) – $3,212,176

The RAII provides $200 million to help businesses bring new AI technologies to market and speed up adoption in critical sectors such as agriculture, clean technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. This repayable and non-repayable interest-free funding is part of the government’s 2024 budget commitment to ensure Canada is a world leader in AI.

PrairiesCan announced investments for three projects under the RAII:

• Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network ($494,000)
  Establish and launch a technology demonstration program to support the commercial adoption of AI-based agriculture technology.
• Phoenix Farms Ltd. ($918,176)
  Adopt an optical sorter with AI detection to grade and sort potatoes to expand on-farm efficiency and quality market offerings.
• samdesk ($1,800,000)
  Commercialize and accelerate the marketplace adoption of an AI-powered platform for crisis and travel risk management.

Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) – $2,500,000

Through the RHII, the Government of Canada is investing $50 million over two years to support innovative housing solutions across the country. The RHII provides repayable interest-free funding to pursue new approaches for building houses, including designing and upscaling modular homes, using 3D printing, leveraging panelized construction, as well as implementing net-zero and climate resilient homebuilding practices.

PrairiesCan announced investment for one project under the RHII:

• Promise Robotics Inc. ($2,500,000)
  Establish a robotics-driven homebuilding factory in Calgary that will support the production of sustainable and affordable homes.

Related products

• News Release: Minister Olszewski announces support to help Alberta businesses diversify, scale up and thrive

Associated links

• Prairies Economic Development Canada
• Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program
• Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII)
• Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII)