Government of Canada invests in world-leading clean technology in Alberta, BC

$10 million to MEG Energy of Calgary to improve bitumen recovery in mining while reducing GHG emissions, water consumption

The Government of Canada is contributing $26.34 million towards the development of technologies that lead to less pollution, healthier communities in British Columbia and Calgary, Alberta, according to a Government press release.

Budget 2017 set aside more than $2.3 billion to boost the growth of Canada’s clean tech space. That’s the largest public investment ever committed to this field in Canada.

“Our government’s investments in clean tech reflect our commitment to protecting the planet and growing our economy. They also point to a clear direction for economic development through innovation. That’s because innovations in clean tech have the potential to create thousands of well-paying middle-class jobs for Canadians. That’s how innovation leads to a better Canada,” said Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

This third annual summit brought together 150 clean tech CEOs and thought-leaders from across Canada to discuss opportunities for Canadian clean technology producers to compete and win in the global economy.

The four companies receiving funding today join the more than 300 others that SDTC has invested in since 2001. The investment announced today by Minister Bains includes:

  • 10 million to D-Wave Systems Inc. of Burnaby, British Columbia, which is developing quantum computing systems that are more energy-efficient and help reduce emissions from high-performance computing.
  • $2.3 million to Ionomr Innovations Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, which has developed a more efficient, durable and cost-effective membrane system for water treatment and purification, grid-level energy storage, and clean-tech energy generation.
  • $4 million to MineSense Technologies Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, which is making the mining process cleaner and more efficient using sensor technology and data analytics.
  • $10 million to MEG Energy Corp. of Calgary, Alberta, which is developing a way to improve bitumen recovery in mining while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.

The Government says that these investments demonstrate that the environment and the economy can go hand in hand. Investments in clean tech are part of the  Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy.

“These companies are great examples of how Canadian innovations are poised to improve Canada’s economy while protecting the environment. SDTC’s investments in D-Wave, MEG Energy, MineSense and Ionomr will deliver environmental benefits to multiple industries and demonstrate our government’s commitment to helping businesses scale and compete on the global stage,” concluded CEO Leah Lawrence of Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is a foundation created by the Government of Canada to advance clean technology innovation in Canada by funding and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and demonstrating clean technology solutions.

SDTC has invested almost a billion dollars in close to 350 ideas and more than 300 companies. These companies have created more than 9,400 well-paying jobs, generated approximately $1.9 billion in annual revenues and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 10.1 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually (as of March 31, 2017), according to the press release.

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