Research park unveils strategic plan

Sarnia, ON The University of Western Ontario Research Park (Sarnia-Lambton Campus) has launched a strategic plan to become a centre of innovation excellence by being the preeminent accelerator of industrial innovation and technology-based economic development.

Local industrial expertise in the areas of engineering, chemical manufacturing and power generation will assist the park to pursue growth opportunities in related sectors such as alternative energies, industrial bio-products and the environment. Exploring these new technologies is particularly important, now that the Kyoto Protocol is in effect.

To achieve its goals, a park industry liaison team will be hired to assist industry with access to the park’s resource networks and a Technology Integration Centre is under design which will provide on-site state-of-art facilities and equipment for work and discussion across scientific disciplines and industrial sectors.

A research council will also be formed in the coming months and will consist of private and public sector research leaders.

"This research park will help industry by creatively applying knowledge to produce marketable innovations," said Carolyn Jamieson, president of the park’s board. "We will transfer innovation in ideas, technologies, and processes to products and services that will create competitive advantage for these companies."

The strategic plan was developed with direct input from community leaders and 90% of them agreed that the Park could play an important role with their company. Eighty per cent believed the most important roles for the research park are to coordinate research, talent and capital; to enhance networks and institutional access; and to assist in solving problems to enable technologies to move to market more quickly.

Western’s Research Park Sarnia-Lambton Campus was created in November 2003. Current tenants include the Dow Centre for Automotive Polymer Research and Colt Engineering.