Government of Canada Supports Innovation at Fleming College

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 28, 2012) - Dean Del Mastro, Member of Parliament for Peterborough, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), today announced that Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology has worked with four businesses in southern Ontario to accelerate innovation and improve productivity and competitiveness.

"Innovation is a driving force in this region's economy and our government is proud to support businesses as they innovate, grow and become more competitive," said MP Del Mastro. "The partnerships between Fleming College and these companies have allowed them to share information, work together and find solutions to business challenges."

In 2010, through FedDev Ontario's Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative, Fleming College was approved for a contribution of up to $161,838 to partner with small- and medium-sized enterprises on activities such as applied research, engineering design, technology development, product testing, and certification. The college partnered with the following businesses on projects related to the environment:

"The support received from our federal government is instrumental in building economic capacity in the region and fostering industry-college research collaboration. As industry and colleges continue to work together to develop innovative solutions to technological problems, faculty, students and industry mutually benefit from the sharing of expertise. It is this type of collaboration that drives the economy and propels local innovation forward," said Tony Tilly, President, Fleming College.

"On behalf of Fleming College, our Research team, staff and students, I would like to thank the Government of Canada for this opportunity."

Since its launch in 2010, the Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative has invested more than $14.5 million in 24 colleges and universities across southern Ontario so they could work with the private sector to bring new products and innovative processes to the marketplace faster. In December 2011, FedDev Ontario announced the extension of the initiative until March 31, 2013 with additional funding to further support innovation efforts in southern Ontario.

Created in 2009, FedDev Ontario supports the southern Ontario economy by building on the region's strengths and creating opportunities for jobs and economic growth. The Agency has launched a number of initiatives to create a Southern Ontario Advantage and place the region in a strong position to compete in the global economy. These initiatives are designed to encourage partnerships and support projects that help the region's businesses and communities become more competitive, innovative and diversified. To learn more, please visit www.feddevontario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505.

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This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.