Federal government announces funding for Calgary and southern Alta. businesses
by CM Staff
Minister Vandal made the announcement of over $3.5 million in federal funding in a visit to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
Minister Vandal announces funding for Calgary and southern Alberta businesses to commercialize innovative technologies, creating nearly 200 jobs (CNW Group/Prairies Economic Development Canada)
CALGARY — On Mar. 17, Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, visited the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and announced a federal investment of $3.5 million in three southern Alberta projects supporting small- and medium-sized companies to innovate, grow and compete globally.
The following initiatives are receiving federal support:
- $1.43 million will enable the SAIT in Calgary to help commercialize emerging, high-growth potential clean technologies for Alberta’s energy sector. Funding will support SAIT’s Centre for Energy Research in Clean Unconventional Technology Solutions, Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials (CIRAMM) and Green Building Technologies (GBT) to work with industry and smaller firms to test and demonstrate clean energy applications such as battery, hydrogen, and water technologies. Alberta Innovates is also providing $325,000 for this initiative.
- $860,000 will enable SAIT’s Centre for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems to train small- and medium-sided businesses in demonstrating next generation unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This will help advance the use of UAVs for key applications such as monitoring industrial operations and energy pipelines, and floodplain mapping.
- $1.26 million will help the Village of Foremost to establish the Beyond Visual Line of Sight Innovation Centre at the Foremost UAS Test Range and develop a training program for companies. This new funding brings total PrairiesCan funding for Beyond Visual Line of Sight flight testing at the Foremost UAS Test Range to $1.86 million.
The announced investment is expected to support over 240 innovative Alberta businesses and hopefully create nearly 200 jobs.
