Government of Canada supports Alberta firm through Build in Canada Innovation Program

From: Public Services and Procurement Canada

News Release

For immediate release

Fostering Canadian innovations from the lab to the marketplace

February 8, 2018 - Gatineau, Quebec - Public Services and Procurement Canada

Through the Build in Canada Innovation Program, the Government of Canada is connecting Canadian innovators with their vital first customer and helping generate sustainable economic growth in communities across the country.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has awarded a contract valued at $267,467 to FREDsense Technologies, of Calgary, Alberta, for its Field Ready Electrochemical Detector (FRED®), a portable device used to measure contaminants in water. The innovation features an electrochemical biosensor that uses living cells to rapidly identify specific chemicals in water, eliminating the need to ship samples to a laboratory for analysis. This innovation is being tested by PSPC.

Through its flagship Build in Canada Innovation Program, PSPC connects federal departments that have an operational need with innovative businesses that can fill the gap. Purchasing departments test the innovations in real-life settings and provide feedback, while providing the company with that critical first sale.

Since 2010, Build in Canada Innovation Program contracts have helped create 1,684 full-time jobs across the country, generating significant benefits for Canadians. This is just one of the many ways the Government of Canada supports innovators, including small and medium-sized businesses, across Canada.

To find out how the program can help launch your innovation, visit the Build in Canada Innovation Program website.

Quotes

“As the single largest purchaser of Canadian goods, our government is proud to support Canada’s next generation of innovators. By partnering with homegrown companies, the Build in Canada Innovation Program is helping propel Canadian innovations into the marketplace.”
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough
Minister of Public Services and Procurement

“We are excited to be working with the PSPC team to help monitor trace contaminant levels and ensure sustainable reclamation of natural resource sites.”
David Lloyd
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of FREDsense Technologies

Quick Facts

The innovation can be customized for nearly any contaminant of interest to any industry where water is important, such as municipal water districts or mining communities.
The Build in Canada Innovation Program has supported 22 companies in Alberta with contracts valued at more than $8 million.
More than 285 contracts, valued at over $126 million, have been awarded since the Build in Canada Innovation Program began in 2010.
A total of 80% of firms that benefited from the Build in Canada Innovation Program have successfully commercialized their products.
With the support of this program, 50 made-in-Canada innovations have been exported to 44 countries.

Contacts

Ashley Michnowski
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough
819-997-5421

Media Relations
Public Services and Procurement Canada
819-420-5501
media@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

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Date modified:: 2018-02-08