Government of Canada Supports Community Jobs and Growth

THETFORD MINES, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Sept. 16, 2011) - Colleges across the country will be able to purchase tools and equipment for research projects that will improve health care, aid in forest management, provide better water testing and further the use of renewable energy. The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, was at the Cégep de Thetford today to celebrate the recipients of the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program's Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grants.

"Our government is determined to see the economic recovery through, and we will continue our efforts to do so," said Minister Paradis. "This investment will leverage the Cégep de Thetford's expertise and will help local businesses innovate, increase productivity and create jobs."

On May 30, the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced that a total of 35 colleges across Canada would share more than $8 million over one year in ARTI grants, a brand new initiative under the CCI Program. These grants support the purchase of research equipment and installations to foster and enhance the ability of colleges to undertake applied research.

The Cégep de Thetford received more than $698,000 in ARTI grants. This funding will serve to purchase specialized equipment for six research projects focused primarily on developing industrial biolubricants, extracting oil from oilseeds and processing hops.

This announcement follows other CCI Program investment announcements made in 2009 and 2010, bringing the program's total investment to $107 million for 138 projects at 49 colleges. This program is a collaborative initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

"These ARTI grants will result in innovation at the community level and entice companies to collaborate with colleges across the country," said Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC, which administers the CCI Program. "When companies and colleges have access to the very best resources, everyone benefits. New jobs are created, industry expands and the community prospers."

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports some 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

More information about ARTI grants and the CCI Program is available in the backgrounder.

Backgrounder

College and Community Innovation Program

About the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program

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

There are four types of grants available through the CCI Program:

1. Innovation Enhancement Grants
2. Applied Research and Development Grants
3. Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants
4. Technology Access Centre Grants

The Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants and Recipients

Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) Grants support the purchase of research equipment and installations to foster and enhance the ability of colleges to undertake applied research, innovation and training in collaboration with local companies. These grants are one-year awards that assist in buying applied research equipment that costs between $7,000 and $150,000.

The 35 colleges and 79 projects funded through the ARTI Grants met the following eligibility criteria:

• Potential for the proposed equipment to foster, stimulate or enable collaborations with (one or more) local companies.
• Fit of the research equipment request with the college's strategic plan, and the existing infrastructure and equipment.
• Applied research capacity of the college and its expertise to use equipment.
• Merit of the proposed applied research activities that require the proposed equipment.
• Need and urgency for the research equipment, including availability of, and access to, similar research equipment.
• Suitability of the proposed research equipment for the existing and proposed applied research program(s) and collaborations.
• Importance of the research equipment for the training of highly qualified personnel.

Visit NSERC's Web site for more information about the CCI Program and the ARTI Grants.