Government of Canada Invests in New Research Partnerships

CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 21, 2013) - The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced the Government of Canada's investment in 20 partnerships among colleges, universities and businesses through the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program. The Minister made the announcement while visiting Conestoga College in Cambridge, Ontario.

"Collaboration between college and university researchers and the private sector is vital to improving the quality of life of all Canadians, while building a strong economy," said Minister of State Goodyear. "The College and Community Innovation Program supports the deployment of the talent and knowledge developed in our post-secondary institutions while providing invaluable industry experience for students. This is win-win for all involved and our Government is proud to support these partnerships."

In total, the Government of Canada will invest over $18 million in these new research partnerships. Conestoga College is receiving $515,000 over three years under a College-University Idea to Innovation grant to develop a portable device to detect the gold grade of mineral samples at mines and mineral exploration sites. It usually takes weeks or even months to ship mineral samples to labs for analysis and retrieve the results. This new gold detector will help speed up the process and increase production efficiencies of mining exploration companies. The college will collaborate with researchers at Laurentian University, as well as industrial partners Barrick Gold Corporation and Kendall Technology.

"These investments provide businesses with access to the people, resources, and tools at Canada's colleges that companies need to be at the forefront of innovation," said Janet Walden, Chief Operating Officer of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). "The ultimate goal is to create sustainable partnerships that will help sharpen our innovative edge and have a positive impact on the bottom lines for industry and our country."

The CCI Program is managed by NSERC, in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports 30,000 post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding approximately 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging about 2,400 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

Since 2006, the Government of Canada has provided more than $9 billion in new funding for initiatives to support science, technology, and the growth of innovative firms. Economic Action Plan 2013 builds on this strong foundation, helping to position Canada for sustainable, long-term economic prosperity and a higher quality of life for Canadians.

For more information and the full list of recipients, please visit the NSERC Web site.