Small, medium-sized companies get help in developing environmental solutions

Ottawa, ON – Not-for-profit commercialization developer Precarn, the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA) and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) are partnering to fund the research and development efforts of small- and medium-sized companies in Ontario.

Under the joint program – which will be administered by OCETA – Precarn will provide $300,000 over three years, which will be matched by OCETA and OCE, together. Contributions by participating companies will augment the total investment to approximately $1 million.

The fund will support projects led by Ontario-based small and medium-sized companies that deliver environmental solutions to customers in Canada and around the world. Each project will involve collaborations between the company leading the development of the technology, an end user, and a university or college. To qualify for the funding, applicants must meet criteria established by the funding partners.

“From improving water quality in communities across the country, to keeping the air clean downstream of factories, to remediating contaminated soil, environmental issues are of paramount concern to Canadians and this partnership will make important contributions towards resolving environmental challenges within our country, as well as outside our borders,” says Paul Johnston, president and CEO of Precarn.

“Environmental technologies must meet exacting regulatory and other standards, so Ontario companies face the dual challenge of being on the cutting edge and ensuring their technology works as promised,” says Ed Mallett, president and CEO of OCETA. “Collaborating with leading research centres and customers, and tapping into the expertise and project management experience available through Precarn and OCE, will help meet both challenges. The projects will also establish stronger links between the research phase and the testing phase, enabling companies to accelerate commercialization with more robust, market-leading products.”