The Short Report: December 11, 2024

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Federal government launches Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) officially launched the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy. The strategy will invest up to $2 billion, as previously announced in Budget 2024, to meet three key objectives:

• Up to $700 million to grow Canadian AI champions by leveraging investments in new or expanded commercial data centres through the AI Compute Challenge, also launched in this same announcement. Funds will be distributed by the Strategic Innovation Fund to companies, consortiums and academic-industry partnerships. Priority will be given to Canadian projects that can demonstrate sustainability (including the use of environmentally sustainable energy sources and Canadian-made AI compute hardware or software) and a high rate of return on public investment.
• Up to $1 billion to build transformational public computing infrastructure.
• Up to $300 million to provide affordable access to compute power for small and medium-sized enterprises through the AI Compute Access Fund. This fund will support the purchase of AI compute resources by Canadian businesses to meet their near-term needs. More details on the AI Compute Access Fund will be shared when it’s launched in spring of 2025.

The $1 billion to build transformational public computing infrastructure includes the establishment of a large supercomputing facility for researchers and companies and a smaller computer facility led by Shared Services Canada, which provides IT to federal departments and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC).

The government will begin seeking partners to build, manage and run the large sovereign supercomputing facility in the spring of 2025, with preference for proposals that leverage private capital to increase its scale and co-locate commercial computing infrastructure.

The smaller computer facility will be designed for government and industry research and development, including for national security purposes.

Since building both of these facilities will take time, $200 million of the $1 billion will be used to augment existing public computing infrastructure managed by NRC, Canada’s three AI research institutes, and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada to address the country’s immediate needs.

Dr. Ryan Grant, PhD, a Queen’s University researcher and international expert on high-performance computing, said the announcement is a welcome one for Canada’s productivity and competitiveness.

“Increased funding in AI infrastructure is necessary if we want to transform our world-class AI talent into world-class businesses and new products,” he said in an email to Research Money.

All of these investments should come back to taxpayers many times over in terms of improved productivity, business innovation and the new breakthroughs in technology that supercomputing enables, Grant said.

“Secure computing and data sovereignty are also critical to our ability to compete internationally and to have Canadians owning Canadian data. The direct investments in these areas mark a big step forward.”

Building a large base of expertise in secure computing will have long-term positive impacts for Canada, Grant said. This includes  research capabilities, supporting industry growth and economic progress, and the development of new products to improve people’s lives, like new drug treatments. ISED

See also: Ottawa should invest part of $2-billion AI infrastructure fund in “made-in-Canada” supercomputer, expert says

Finance Canada announced an investment of up to $240 million in Toronto-based Cohere to build a new, multi-billion-dollar AI data centre in Canada. The new AI data centre will come online in 2025 and enable Cohere and other firms across Canada’s AI ecosystem to access the domestic compute capacity they need to build the next generation of AI solutions here at home. The investment is the first through the federal government’s $2-billion Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy launched on December 5. Cohere is partnering with New Jersey-based cloud computing firm CoreWeave to build the facility, with its location in Canada yet to be determined. Founded in 2019, Cohere is a leading Canadian AI enterprise platform, specializing in generative AI and large language models, and catering exclusively to businesses. Finance Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a $45-million investment in a $660million project led by the Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks, an Ottawa-based not-for-profit. This investment, made through the Strategic Innovation Fund, will support the establishment of a unique 5G wireless testbed and “living lab” program to develop 5G-enabled applications and advanced network technologies, including artificial intelligence solutions. This project aims to increase productivity across key Canadian economic sectors, including smart manufacturing, mobility, university campuses and infrastructure, ISED said. The program also focuses on environmental sustainability by developing technologies to improve environmental outcomes across multiple industries. In partnership with industry leaders, the program will enable Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises to test and develop their advanced network technologies, accelerating the development and adoption of digital solutions in the Canadian economy. ISED

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a federal contribution of $40 million, through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), to support Quebec City-based Aramis Biotechnologies’ $80-million project to advance plant-based vaccines and therapeutics and proceed with the development of a next-generation influenza vaccine. Aramis is seeking to advance plant-based vaccines and therapeutics against influenza and other diseases, leveraging and improving upon Medicago’s world-leading technology platform. Medicago, a former Quebec-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in plant-based vaccine production, was the first and only Canadian-based company to develop and receive Health Canada authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine. Medicago ceased operations in February 2023 after its parent company, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, initiated an orderly wind-down of the company. In December 2023, Aramis secured Medicago’s key assets, including its technology platform, intellectual property and fully equipped pilot biomanufacturing facility. This SIF investment will support Aramis’s process optimization and research and development activities so the company can continue to retain, improve and expand on this made-in-Canada science and technology platform, ISED said. ISED

Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced more than $265 million in federal investments for SaskPower and Saskatchewan for clean electricity projects. The Government of Canada’s Future Electricity Fund is transferring more than $256.7 million to Saskpower for eight local as well as Indigenous-led renewable power projects to grow and modernize the provincial energy grid while getting costs down for ratepayers and driving reliability. Through the fund, Indigenous clean energy projects will receive $42 million. The projects include:

• Nearly $70 million for over 6,000 km of critical rural power line reliability upgrades, including replacement of aging installations and system upgrades.
• Over $55 million for a 60 megawatt/60-megawatt hours battery storage system and associated technologies to help manage peak demand and integrate renewables.
• Nearly $80 million for a new substation and two 240-kilowatt transmission lines connecting the province to the Southwest Power Pool in the U.S., facilitating 500 megawatts of additional transmission service.
• Over $9 million to support consumer and household energy efficiency programs, including SaskPower’s new Energy Efficiency Discount Program that helps pay for ENERGY STAR appliances, home insulation and other cost-saving measures for families.
• Over $20 million to help retrofit northern First Nations’ homes and help new buildings achieve higher cost-saving energy efficiency performance standards.
• Over $5 million to develop power generation in remote and northern communities while replacing aging distribution infrastructure.
• Nearly $14 million to add 400 megawatts of wind power and 300 megawatts of solar generation in south-central Saskatchewan by 2027. So far, a portion of this funding has been allocated to support the implementation of a 200-megawatt wind facility project partnership between Innagreen Investments and Awasis Nehiyawewini Energy Development Limited and a 100-megawatt solar project partnership between Iyuhána Solar LP and Ocean Man First Nation.
• Additional investments to train more Indigenous power line technicians alongside the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies.

The federal government’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program is investing over $12 million in six solar power projects, including:

• Over $2.7 million for the 1.4-megawatt Cosette Solar Project in Estevan, owned in part by White Bear First Nations.
• Nearly $2.7 million for the one-megawatt NM Solar Project in Lomond No. 37, owned in part by White Bear First Nations.
• $2 million for the 100-megawatt Prairie Coast Solar Project in Lajord No. 128.
• Over $1.8 million for the one-megawatt Kiyam Solar Project near Gladmar, partly owned by Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation.
• Over $1.8 million for the one-megawatt Iskotew Solar Project near Alsask, partly owned by Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation.
• Over $1.3 million for the 500-kilowatt (AC) La Plonge Solar Project with English River First Nation.

Once fully completed, these solar projects would provide electricity equivalent to powering nearly 20,000 homes every year – more than Saskatchewan’s third-largest city, Prince Albert. Environment and Climate Change Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced an investment of $27 million for the fishing harbours of Natashquan, Kegaska and Baie-Trinité, on Quebec's North Shore. Among the projects is the construction of a new fishing harbour in Natashquan. Scheduled for completion by 2028, the harbour will improve fish harvesters' working conditions by giving them access to modern and safe facilities and allow them to increase their annual landings of species such as snow crab and lobster. This large-scale project represents a major investment in the revitalization and economic development of the North Shore and the long-term viability of the local commercial fishery.

The funding also goes toward developing the service areas of the Kegaska fishing harbour in 2026 and to revitalize the Baie-Trinité fishing harbour in 2027. These two fishing harbours, combined with the Natashquan harbour, were used by more than 70 fish harvesters for landings estimated at nearly $8 million in 2023. Fisheries and Oceans Canada

The Government of Alberta awarded $5 million through the Wetland Replacement Program to help three municipalities and two non-profits construct or restore more than 165 hectares of wetlands throughout the province. The seven new projects funded are located across the province, from the Municipal District of Opportunity in northern Alberta to Starland County in the south. This includes projects that will restore once-thriving wetlands previously drained for farming, as well as help Alberta researchers test new ways to help restore peatlands that have been damaged or destroyed. The funding will also help construct a new marsh wetland in an area that was once a reservoir. Since 2020, Alberta’s government has invested more than $21 million, including this new funding, in the Alberta Wetland Replacement Program to restore or construct about 609 hectares of wetlands. Govt. of Alberta

The Atlantic Canada-based, federally funded Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) is providing $2.6 million for the third iteration of the Indigenous Career Pivot Program (ICPP). ICPP 3.0 builds on the momentum and engagement achieved through the first two program instalments to facilitate and deliver meaningful work placements for up to 27 mid-career Indigenous people wishing to explore new career options in Canada’s ocean economy. Led by Workforce Warriors, with project partners Clear Seas and the Information and Communications Technology Council, the program represents a total investment of more than $3.6 million. Spanning a three-year period, ICPP 3.0 will offer continuous intake for Indigenous participants to enter ocean sector jobs and will engage with OSC member organizations to identify and support employment opportunities for Indigenous job seekers. This includes opportunities for both participants and employers to take part in career mentoring support, a peer network for Indigenous participants, and cultural awareness training provided to employers. Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced over $2.6 million for seven projects in the Prairies under NRCan’s Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP). These projects aim to help small, rural and Indigenous communities in the Prairies and across Canada adapt to a changing climate by developing training, tools and resources. They will also advance collaboration and meaningful engagement with First Nations partners and support them with the planning and implementation of actions that will help them adapt to a changing climate. The funding comes from a total investment of $39.5 million, announced on November 14, 2024, through the CCAP and the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities Program to reduce climate change risks and build more resilient communities across the country in support of the National Adaptation Strategy. NRCan

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada announced a joint investment of more than $1.4 million from the federal government, ʔaq̓am, Columbia Basin Trust, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and Real Estate Foundation of BC in the community-led ʔaq̓am wetlands project. The investment includes $1 million from the federal government. Since the 1960s, ʔaq̓am lands, in the East Kootenay region of southeastern B.C., have seen substantial changes to water resources and ecosystems. As a result, the wetlands on the ʔaq̓am lands had been identified as a restoration priority due to increasing heat, drought and wildfire risk. This project will restore six wetlands that have either lost surface water or show signs of shrinking, supporting their return to a more natural state. Enhancement and recovery of this critical habitat will benefit wildlife and the community through ʔaq̓am stewardship values, enhancing the water systems, and increasing the biodiversity of plants and animals. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

The Saskatchewan Research Council's (SRC) latest economic impact assessment shows the SRC has contributed more than $15.5 billion in combined economic and employment impacts in Saskatchewan since such assessments began in 2003 – including a combined impact of $887 million in this latest fiscal year, the Government of Saskatchewan announced. SRC's 2023-2024 economic impact assessment shows SRC's impact on the provincial economy in the fiscal year was $785 million. SRC also assisted in creating or maintaining more than 1,682 jobs in Saskatchewan in 2023-2024, a contribution valued at an additional $102 million. These impact numbers were also accompanied by annual revenue of $83 million generated by SRC in 2023-2024. In 2023-2024, SRC had a mandate effectiveness of 38, which means that for every dollar the province invested in SRC, SRC's work contributed at least a 38-times return to the growth of the Saskatchewan economy. SRC, with 77 years of research, development and demonstration experience, is Canada's second largest research and technology organization with 1,400 clients in 22 countries around the world. Govt. of Saskatchewan

RESEARCH, TECH NEWS & COLLABORATION

The Government of Canada spends about $4.5 billion each year to support research at post-secondary institutions around the country. This federal research funding is concentrated in Canada’s largest universities, according to a report by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research. Nearly 80 percent of federal funding goes to 15 universities, which together represent 52 percent of Canadian researchers and 59 percent of graduate students. Meanwhile, colleges receive only 2.9 percent of the total funding awarded by the three federal research granting agencies, the report said. Witnesses before the Committee raised issues that included the capacity of small and medium-sized institutions and colleges to conduct research, the ability of students to study in their home region, the accessibility of higher education for Canadians, and the impact on research done in French. Witnesses discussed a series of challenges and possible solutions to provide balanced funding for research support. The Committee’s report contains 13 recommendations to the Government of Canada, including reviewing the funding criteria used by the granting agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and abandoning criteria based on past grant amounts awarded in order to avoid penalizing small and medium-sized post-secondary institutions. The Committee also recommended that the granting agencies look at the composition of review committees evaluating funding applications and improve unconscious bias training in order to avoid penalizing post-secondary institutions based on their size or region. The report also includes recommendations to better support collegial research and francophone research. Standing Committee on Science and Research

The Government of Canada and the Philippines have agreed to facilitate trade between the two countries in the nuclear energy sector, following a Team Canada trade mission to the Philippines. In addition, the Canada Commercial Corporation, Canada’s government-to-government contracting agency, and the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories nuclear science and technology laboratory agreed to cooperate on nuclear export opportunities and to strengthen Canada’s nuclear partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and other priority markets globally. Export Development Canada also will open a new office in Manilla to help Canadian businesses interested in tapping into the Philippines. Toronto-based Lydia AI, which offers an AI-powered engine to digitize underwriting processes, received a strategic investment from Kickstart Ventures Inc., the largest VC firm in the Philippines, aimed at addressing the gap in life and heath insurance in Southeast Asia. Waterloo, Ont.-based OpenText launched a global innovation centre in the Philippines, the company’s first such centre in the world, which will provide 24/7 threat detection and response across OpenText’s global network. Global Affairs Canada

Toronto-based MaRS Discovery District announced a $3.5-million grant from RBC to support cleantech innovation aimed at advancing climate technology and environmentally sustainable innovation across Canada. It is the largest climate-focused grant in RBC’s history. The collaboration will continue to support the RBC Women in Cleantech Accelerator, which supports early-stage women entrepreneurs in the climate innovation ecosystem, and launch the new UnCarbon Corporate Adoption Accelerator, a climate-focused initiative under the Mission from MaRS program. The UnCarbon Accelerator is designed to support companies addressing the various challenges brought on by climate change. These initiatives are designed to help overcome barriers to scaling climate-tech solutions, empower early-stage ventures to expand their innovations globally and assist corporations in developing decarbonization strategies. MaRS Discovery District

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) launched a data to AI program for small and medium-sized businesses. The program provides tools, advice and solutions to support SMEs in speeding up their growth and innovation. In a recent BDC study, just 39 percent of companies reported using AI; however, 66 percent were able to identify AI tools based on a given list. This result suggested that many companies did not know of the AI capabilities built into their tools. The BDC data to AI program takes a structured approach, offering users training and customized advice. This includes a detailed roadmap intended to modernize businesses and improve productivity by highlighting specific steps and milestones. The program also provides assessments and solutions for protecting client information. Businesses that apply for the program will work with BDC to identify objectives and roadblocks before putting together a financing plan. This plan includes a term loan that can support the total costs of the project, including consulting, software acquisition and implementation, with a repayment period of up to eight years. BDC

Montreal-based Lion Electric Company announced it reached an agreement to sell its innovation centre facility, which houses Lion’s prototyping laboratories, in Mirabel, Que. to Aéroport de Montreal for $50 million, to repay debts. Lion Electric makes electric school buses and other all-electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. All of the net proceeds from the sale are intended to be used towards the partial repayment of Lion Electric’s senior secured non-convertible debentures issued in July 2023. The company, which on December 1 temporarily laid off 400 employees, now runs on a skeleton crew of about 20 percent of the staff it had two years ago. In another development, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced it will delist Lion’s warrants on December 17, after the company failed to appeal the NYSE’s decision to remove a class of Lion’s warrants due to an “abnormally low” selling price.  Lion Electric Company

Taiwan-based TTC Group said it will halt the planned expansion of the E-One Moli $1-billion lithium-ion battery production plant in Maple Ridge, B.C. Instead, parent company TTC will focus on its flagship plant in Taiwan and scale back overseas investments. The federal government had promised $205 million and the B.C. government $80 million to support reconstruction of E-One Moli’s facility to produce high-performance rechargeable batteries for niche applications such as commercial-grade power tools. In the year since, however, the economics for electrification through battery power have changed, according to the company, E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Ltd. In the past year, more than 17 major lithium-ion manufacturing investments have been cancelled or postponed, Frank So, executive vice-president of E-One Moli, said in an email to the Vancouver Sun. E-One Moli’s Maple Ridge factory is capable of producing 24 million battery cells a year now. According to So, the company wasn’t able to secure an anchor customer for the expansion, which was intended to produce 130 million battery cells a year. Vancouver Sun

Toronto-based OMNI Conversion Technologies Inc., a waste-to-energy company, is seeking a buyer after becoming insolvent. OMNI manufactures the proprietary Omni200 Gasification and Plasma Refining System, a waste-to-value gasification system designed to convert any solid energetic material into clean energy, including hydrogen, renewable natural gas and sustainable aviation fuel. However, the company ran out of cash as it tried to commercialize the process for turning municipal garbage into clean fuel, according to filings in Ontario court. OMNI has assets of about $1 million against liabilities of $105.8 million. A judge approved a restructuring to conclude by March 7. Grant Thornton Limited will conduct the sale and investment solicitation process. Grant Thornton Limited

Calgary-based Acceleware Ltd. announced an agreement for up to $1.31 million in non-dilutive grant funding from the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN). Acceleware has developed patented, low-carbon electromagnetic heating technology for producing heavy oil and oilsands bitumen, among other industrial applications. The funding will be applied to eligible costs for redeploying upgraded subsurface components and the next phase of heating at the Marwayne, Alta. RF XL pilot project, estimated to cost $5 million. CRIN’s funding is intended to accelerate clean technology development and commercialization for oil and gas industry challenges, and is made possible by the federal government’s Strategic Innovation Fund. CRIN’s funding for Acceleware is conditional upon the company securing matching sources of the funding for the project, a portion of which the firm has already secured. Acceleware

Calgary-based Enbridge Inc. cancelled plans to build a natural gas pipeline project in northern British Columbia that was once touted as a key supply route for liquefied natural gas export terminals near Prince Rupert. The company said it is no longer developing its Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission (WCGT) project after allowing its environmental certificate to expire on November 25. WCGT was envisioned to carry 4.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas more than 850 kilometres in two pipelines from northeastern B.C. to the Prince Rupert area, initially to feed Shell PLC‘s proposed Prince Rupert LNG export facility. Shell scrapped that project in 2017, but WCGT was revived and in contention to supply another proposed export terminal in northern B.C., Ksi Lisims LNG, Canada’s second-largest proposed terminal after LNG Canada. At one point, five natural gas pipelines were proposed to traverse northern B.C., carrying gas from Western Canada to export facilities on the West Coast. Now, just two of those pipelines remain: TC Energy’s completed Coastal GasLink pipeline, which will supply the Shell-led LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, and the contentious PRGT project, now co-owned by the Nisga’a Nation and Houston-based Western LNG. The PRGT pipeline would supply the Ksi Lisims LNG site on Pearse Island. Financial Post

North Island College (NIC) seaweed researchers have a new piece of equipment – a seaweed bioreactor – to help their work to support the burgeoning seaweed industry. NIC’s Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation's (CARTI) new seaweed bioreactor provides a stable environment for producing kelp cultures and gives users more time to collect and nurture samples. Typically, opportunities to collect “sori,” or spore patches for kelp are limited to certain times of the year. Usually, it’s about a two- or three-month window. The bioreactor provides the CARTI team with more control and certainty when it comes to having a reliable seed supply. The bioreactor is easy to maintain, providing consistency and control over factors like pH levels, light and carbon dioxide and an environment with an extremely minimal risk for contamination. The modular design allows users to scale their operations. CARTI obtained one of the large, 16-compartment bioreactors. The investment was supported by the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation, with each funder contributing $200,000. Vancouver Island Free Daily

A home east of Edmonton is the first in Canada to be heated by a furnace fueled by pure hydrogen. Built as a demonstration and open to the public for tours, the home aims to show that hydrogen gas can be used safely and effectively for heating buildings while also being part of the clean energy transition. The home in Sherwood Park, a community of about 75,000 people, is a joint project between electricity and natural gas utility company ATCO and residential developer Qualico. The partners say their ultimate goal is to have all 37,000 homes in Qualico's proposed future Sherwood Park community of Bremner heated by pure hydrogen, which produces no direct greenhouse gas emissions. Although regulatory changes will have to be made to permit it, hydrogen can be transported through the same pipelines that already supply communities with natural gas. Hydrogen home heating has been tried in a handful of other jurisdictions globally, such as the Netherlands, with mixed results. Some people have expressed concerns about the risk of explosion or pipeline leaks, although proponents said hydrogen heating when done properly is just as safe as natural gas. CBC News

Eight First Nations in Alberta are asking that the $16.5-billion carbon capture and storage (CCS) project proposed by the Pathways Alliance group of oilsands companies be reviewed under the federal Impact Assessment Act. Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Cold Lake First Nations, Frog Lake First Nations, Heart Lake First Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, and Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake First Nation No. 128 made the request in a letter to federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. The First Nations say the project is “massive” and “unprecedented” and poses potential risks to both the environment and human health. Pathways Alliance is proposing to build a CCS network to capture carbon emissions from more than 20 oilsands facilities and transport them 400 kilometres by pipeline to an underground storage hub in the Cold Lake area. Pathways has already begun submitting applications for approval to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), which has regulatory jurisdiction since the project’s boundaries lie entirely within the province of Alberta. The AER said it isn’t requiring the project to undergo an environmental impact assessment. But the First Nations say the project’s potential impact on reserve land and Indigenous territory means it should be subject to federal review. The Alberta government is currently battling Ottawa in court over the federal Impact Assessment Act’s constitutionality. The Canadian Press

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced the publication of a notice intended to provide clarity and guidance on how securities legislation applies to the use of artificial intelligence systems by market participants. CSA Staff Notice and Consultation 110348: Applicability of Canadian Securities Laws and the Use of Artificial Intelligence Systems in Capital Markets also seeks stakeholder feedback through consultation questions on the evolving role of AI systems and the opportunities to tailor or modify current approaches to oversight and regulation in light of these advancements. The guidance in the notice addresses key considerations for registrants, reporting issuers, marketplaces and other market participants that may leverage AI systems. It highlights the importance of maintaining transparency, ensuring accountability and mitigating risks to foster a fair and efficient market environment. According to the CSA’s guidance, market participants should set standards for how AI is overseen and be able to explain its results. AI risk factors might require disclosure. The CSA invites responses to the consultation questions available on CSA members’ websites. The comment period closes on March 31, 2025. CSA

A B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC) panel has imposed $18.4 million in financial sanctions after finding that a B.C.-based crypto trading platform committed fraud by lying to its customers and diverting almost $13 million of their assets to gambling. The panel ordered David Smillie and his company, 1081627 B.C. Ltd. operating as ezBtc, to pay a combined $10.4 million, representing the amount they obtained as a result of their wrongdoing less repayments to customers. In imposing this sanction, the panel wrote that Smillie and ezBtc “fraudulently diverted their customers’ crypto assets for their own purposes. Their deceit was blatant and repeated.” Smillie, who was a B.C. resident during the fraud, must also pay an administrative penalty of $8 million for his misconduct. The platform allowed customers to buy and sell various crypto assets, telling them that their digital holdings would be held offline, a more secure method of keeping digital assets to protect them from cyber threats and unauthorized access. Instead, approximately a third of all the crypto assets that customers deposited with ezBtc or acquired on the ezBtc platform between 2016 and 2019 were diverted to gambling sites or to Smillie’s personal accounts on other crypto trading platforms. The panel determined that throughout the misconduct, Smillie “blatantly and repeatedly lied to customers” and threatened customers who complained publicly. In addition to the financial sanctions, the panel permanently banned Smillie from participating in B.C.’s investment market, except as an investor through a registered advisor. ezBtc is likewise permanently prohibited from trading its shares or engaging in any promotional activity. B.C. Securities Commission

Montreal has voted to stop fluoridating water at two water treatment plants that serve six West Island communities, citing reasons such as the upgrades planned for the Pointe-Claire Drinking Water Treatment Plant. The city’s Agglomeration Council voted on November 21 to stop fluoridation at the Pointe-Claire and Dorval plants. The change will affect more than 143,000 people in Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Kirkland, Baie-D’Urfé, Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Dorval. Maja Vodanovic, Lachine borough mayor and Montreal’s executive committee member responsible for water, told the council that in addition to the $100,000 per year price tag to maintain fluoridation, there have also been fluoride supply chain issues in recent years that contributed to closures at the Pointe-Claire and Dorval water treatment plants. She said maintaining the equipment to add fluoride has become unnecessarily costly and potentially wasteful, as it delivers fluoridated water that ends up washing cars and people, fighting fires or flushing toilets. Then it all ends up in the rivers, with unknown environmental and aquatic life concerns relating to wastewater treatment that does not remove fluoride from the water. Health Canada maintains its support for drinking water fluoridation as a safe, universal and accessible method of preventing tooth decay. But Vodanovic said that access to fluoride is widely available in other forms for residents. Fluoridation doesn’t occur elsewhere in Quebec apart from Saint-Georges in Quebec’s Beauce region. Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine

The proportion of people in Canada who report smoking cannabis continues to decline, according to Health Canada’s annual Canadian Cannabis Survey. Findings from the survey include:

• Smoking remains the most common method of consuming cannabis (69 percent), followed by eating (57 percent) and vaporizing with a vape pen or e-cigarette (37 percent).
• The number of respondents who reported getting cannabis from a legal source in 2024 was 72 percent – an increase from 37 percent in 2019, with legal storefronts being the most common source since 2019. A smaller proportion reported accessing cannabis through illegal sources (three percent) compared with 2019 (16 percent).
• 18 percent of people who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving after cannabis use, a significant decline from 27 percent in 2018.
• There was no change in rates of cannabis use among youth (aged 16-19) over the past year. Past 12-month cannabis use among youth aged 16-19 was 41 percent, similar to several previous years (44 percent, 44 percent, and 43 percent in 2019, 2020 and 2023 respectively).
• Overall, the proportion of respondents who said they used cannabis and reported daily or almost daily use has been stable since 2018 (approximately 25 percent), including among youth (approximately 20 percent).
• The percentage of people in Canada who said they use cannabis who are “at high risk” of developing problems from cannabis use has remained stable since 2018 (approximately three percent).

Health Canada has made significant investments to educate youth and young adults about the health risks of cannabis, as they are at an increased risk of experiencing adverse effects from cannabis use since the brain continues to develop up until around the age of 25. Health Canada

Sales of patented medicines in Canada in 2023 were $19.9 billion and accounted for approximately 47 percent of the sales of all medicines in Canada, according to the annual report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB). Canadian list prices for patented medicines were higher than all PMPRB11 countries in 2023 and fourth-highest among the 31 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. The PMPRB is a quasi-judicial administrative body that ensures the prices of patented medicines sold in Canada aren’t excessive. Other highlights of the report include:

• 1,146 patented medicines for human use were reported to the PMPRB in 2023, including 86 new medicines.
• Sales of patented medicines in Canada were $19.9 billion in 2023, an increase of 8.2 percent over the previous year.
• $514 were spent on patented medicines per Canadian. This is an increase of $50 from 2022, due mainly to the entry of new, higher-priced medicines.
• The national list price for patented medicines increased by 0.7 percent in 2023, while the Consumer Price Index rose by 3.9 percent.
• Rights holders reported $1.07 billion in research and development (R&D) expenditures in 2023, for an average sales-to-R&D ratio of 3.7 percent. This result is based on the definition of R&D outlined in the Patented Medicines Regulations. 
• Five undertakings to voluntarily lower the price of a medicine and/or pay potential excess revenues to the Government of Canada were accepted in 2023. Undertakings for potential excess revenues resulted in payments to the Government of Canada totaling more than $2.1 million. PMPRB

IBM unveiled what it called breakthrough research into optics technology that could dramatically improve how data centres train and run generative AI (Gen AI) models. The company’s co-packaged optics innovation could replace electrical interconnects in data centres to offer significant improvements in speed and energy efficiency for AI and other computing applications. Researchers have pioneered a new process for co-packaged optics (CPOs), the next generation of optics technology, to enable connectivity within data centres at the speed of light. By designing and assembling the first publicly announced successful polymer optical waveguide to power this technology, IBM researchers have shown how CPO will redefine the way the computing industry transmits high-bandwidth data between chips, circuit boards and servers. In a newly published paper, IBM introduced a new CPO prototype module that can enable high-speed optical connectivity. According to IBM, this technology could significantly increase the bandwidth of data centre communications, thereby minimizing GPU (graphics processing units, the core of AI models) downtime and accelerating AI processing. DataCentre Magazine

China announced a ban on rare earth mineral exports to the United States, impacting government procurement and national security along with domestic battery and solar panel production. The ban applies to several minerals, including gallium, germanium and antimony, and also restricts the export of graphite. Antimony is vital for the production of batteries, while gallium and germanium are both used to manufacture high-efficiency solar cells for solar panels, such as those designed for space applications. These critical minerals are also vital to the production of automotive and telecommunication tech, flame retardants, night-vision goggles and nuclear weapons. The move comes during a period of upheaval in international trade, with president-elect Donald Trump consistently vowing to impose heavy tariffs on Chinese goods. China with this latest ban is responding to the Biden administration’s recently issued sanctions on Chinese semiconductor chips and equipment. According to consultancy Project Blue, China accounted for 98.8 percent of refined gallium production and 59.2 percent of refined germanium output this year. Last year, it accounted for 48 percent of globally mined antimony, which is used in items including nuclear weapons and ammunition. Trellis

Senior Economist editor Oliver Morton is calling on the United Nations secretary-general to fight climate change with geoengineering. Morton in his article, A place to talk about cooling the Earth, pointed to Operation Popeye – a top secret U.S. Air Force military operation that used cloud seeding to throw the North Vietnamese military into confusion and destroy supply lines during the Vietnam War in the 1970s. Operation Popeye was unsuccessful in Vietnam, but Morton wants the UN to revisit the same tactic – this time to target greenhouse gas emissions. Morton's work has been widely published in scientific journals, including The American Scholar, for which he won the American Astronomical Society's award for High Energy Astrophysics Science Journalism. His 2016 book, The Planet Remade, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize. One geoengineering technology, called solar geoengineering, involves releasing or injecting tiny particles into the stratosphere to reflect more sunlight back into space to counteract global warming on Earth. Western Standard

VC, PRIVATE INVESTMENT & ACQUISITIONS

Montreal-based KisoJi Biotechnology Inc., which is focused on the discovery and development of transformative antibody therapeutics, raised $57 million in equity including the conversion of previously funded convertible debentures. The Series B financing was led by Investissement Québec and Lumira Ventures with participation by Fonds de solidarité FTQ, adMare BioInnovations, and Remiges Ventures. KisoJi said the funds will be used to bring its lead therapy, KJ-103, which recruits the body’s immune cells to kill tumour cells, into the clinic to treat solid tumours. The company has an agreement with Cancer Research UK to introduce KJ-103 into its first human clinical trial with roughly 100 patients. In preclinical tests, KJ-103 has shown promise against human tumours from breast, colorectal and other cancers. Funds will also be used to deploy the company’s AI-powered antibody discovery platform, called KisoSeek, towards new multi-specific therapeutic antibody drugs in cardiometabolic disease, as well as immunology and inflammation. KisoJi Biotechnology Inc.

Toronto-based trucking data startup FleetOps rebranded to Class8 and raised $30.8 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by U.S. investor Xplorer Capital, with participation from Commerce Ventures and long-time supporters Inspired Capital and Resolute Ventures. Additionally, Canadian firms BCF Ventures and Panache Ventures, which participated in Class8’s earlier seed round, made follow-on investments. Class8’s electronic sensors-driven platform provides trucking companies with a comprehensive suite of tools designed to optimize operations, including real-time tracking, automated vehicle inspection reporting, fuel profitability calculations, and dynamic load scheduling. Class8 said this funding will be used to expand its product. Scholars International Institute of Technology

Investissement Québec, the Quebec government’s investment arm, invested US$25 million in Montreal-based SRTX, the holding company of Sheertex Inc., which makes Sheertex tights. Investissement Québec anchored a funding round that secured a total of US$50 million. Returning investors include Toronto-based ArcTern Ventures and Philippines-based Kickstart Ventures. The company said the funding will enable SRTX to scale and boost production capacity, expand its raw material manufacturing, and invest to own and operate all levels of its supply chain. Established in 2017, Sheertex, founded by CEO Katherine Homuth, is a maker of rip-resistant tights, made from ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene, the same material used in bulletproof vests. SRTX

Firestarter, an Atlantic Canada-based pilot program aimed at supporting women and non-binary founders, is going national thanks to funding from the Business Development Bank of Canada’s (BDC) Thrive Lab. The amount of funding wasn’t disclosed. Firestarter, created by angel investment network The Firehood, offers founders networking, resources and mentorship to support their ventures’ success as they scale. BDC’s venture lab will be providing mentorship and resources to impact-focused, women-led businesses through the program. The national virtual program, which intentionally spells its name fully in lowercase in recognition of the lack of funding for women entrepreneurs, will be launching a new cohort in early 2025 that will culminate in a $100,000 pitch competition in Toronto, in time for International Women’s Day. BetaKit

OMERS Private Equity, the private equity arm of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, Toronto, agreed to acquire a majority stake in IT management and cybersecurity firm Integris from Frontenac, a Chicago-based private equity firm. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. Based in New Jersey, Integris offers outsourced IT, cloud and cybersecurity services to small and medium-sized businesses across the U.S. The transaction marks OMERS Private Equity’s initial entry into the IT managed services provider business. OMERS had $128.6 billion in net assets as of December 31, 2023, including approximately $25.1 billion in private equity assets. OMERS

Hamilton-based Better Impact, which offers volunteer management, scheduling and engagement software, announced its acquisition by The Brydon Group based in Washington, D.C. Financial terms weren’t disclosed Better Impact partners with non-profits, municipalities, and community-focused organizations to optimize their volunteer programs. The Brydon Group has joined forces with software executives Houston Goodwin and Timothy Sarazen, who will lead Better Impact alongside the company’s founders, Tony Goodrow and Dan Plaskon, supported by an expanded engineering and growth team. The Brydon Group said this change in ownership brings a major investment in continued consultative support, personalized engagement tools and reporting, and seamless integrations tailored to diverse organizational needs. FinSMEs

REPORTS & POLICIES

Building new data centres in Canada is a huge economic opportunity but concerns about power needs and emissions need to be addressed: RBC report

Proposed AI-focused Canadian data centres being reviewed by regulators would account for 14 percent of Canada’s total power needs by 2030 if all the projects proceed, according to a report by RBC Thought Leadership

Development of likely between 20 and 30 data centres would result in $100 billion in capital expenditures related to the construction and building of accompanying IT infrastructure.

“However, AI’s energy-intensive nature raises concerns about power availability, grid reliability and its implication on emissions,” the report says.

Key findings of the report, by Shaz Merwat, energy policy lead at RBC Climate Action, include:

• Canadian regulators are reviewing data centre applications with an estimated combined capacity of 15 gigawatts – enough to power seven out of 10 homes nationwide.
• Canada’s clean energy resources offer a strategic advantage for AI-driven growth. However, natural gas remains a critical part of the mix due to its reliability. Nuclear power is also an option but with a considerably longer lead time.
• Canada’s annual emissions could rise by three percent if natural gas powers six additional gigawatts of data centres. However, carbon capture and storage facilities could reduce the emissions increase.
• Local data centres strengthen Canada’s position in AI by securing data sovereignty and enhancing cybersecurity.
• Targeted efforts to increase AI adoption among Canadian SMEs – which account for half of Canadian GDP – could help reverse Canada’s lagging productivity.

Canada can leverage its prodigious hydro, natural gas and nuclear power supplies to emerge as a low-cost data centre hub, according to the report.

The AI opportunity also has trade and geopolitical implications, especially as Canada needs ever more chips to bargain with a transactional U.S. administration-in-waiting, the report notes.

“With Washington increasingly focused on China, data sovereignty could become a key focus over the next few years. This provides Canada plenty of opportunities – but also some risks.”

Canada could be a valuable partner for the U.S. and create a digital North American “fortress,” securely warehousing critical data at low cost, the report says. But this would require a realignment on data sovereignty between the two countries, which would most likely occur at the next round of the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement in 2026.

Substantial demand from “hyperscalers” – data centres with large compute capabilities – could strain Canada’s grid and drive up power bills, putting governments and regulators in a bind, according to the report.

Data centre power demand also comes at a time when many Canadian provinces are already facing sizeable power demands from population growth and electrified transport, as well as ambitions to decarbonize heavy industries.

All told, Canada’s power demand was already set to double by 2050, or potentially even triple, even before AI became a compelling need for the global economy.

The report says Canada has several energy sources it can draw on to power data centres, but each comes with its own challenges and considerations:

• Wind and solar: These are growing sources of power, but in the absence of storage, their intermittency makes them unsuitable for data centres that demand consistent baseload power.
• Nuclear: The emerging energy of choice for Big Tech in the U.S. It’s an option in Ontario, too, but would require long lead times stretching out to a decade, if not more. Nuclear remains a viable long-term solution.
• Hydro: Several provinces such as Quebec and British Columbia already rely heavily on the power source but, like nuclear, hydro would require a long time to boost capacity.
• Natural gas: Alberta’s preferred option and a key part of Ontario’s transition until 2040. But powering AI through natural gas comes with an emissions cost that provinces will need to weigh.

Decisions about where and how to build data centres will involve a complex matrix of economic, environmental and social factors.

RBC’s research shows that data centres rank higher in GDP impact compared with, say, manufacturing and transport, but contribute fewer jobs compared with these industries.

Federal and provincial alignment will be critical to Canada’s AI strategy, the report notes. Policymakers will need to create frameworks that allow provinces to develop policies that balance growth, sustainability and the demands of the new economy.

This includes targeted support for AI adoption among SMEs and ensuring that data centres contribute to productivity gains across sectors.

For example, as part of a greater commitment to invest $25 billion in Canadian data centres, Amazon Web Services apportioned dedicated compute capacity to the University of Alberta in 2023, sourced from a recently completed $4-billion cloud computing data centre in Calgary.

Hydroelectric and nuclear power in cities like Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto offer some of the cheapest and cleanest electricity in North America.

Comparatively, U.S. industrial power prices in key data centre states such as Arizona, Illinois, and Texas are on average 30 percent to 40 percent more expensive, and that excludes their warm climates adding an extra 20 percent to 40 percent power for cooling purposes.

The RBC researchers estimated that various provinces are reviewing applications for 15 gigawatts (GW) of new data centre capacity – a 20-fold increase from current levels and enough to power 70 percent of Canadian households today.

The mass electrification of the economy is already expected to place unprecedented demand on Canada’s grids, the report says.

Canada’s power generation is expected to reach 750 gigawatt-hours (GWh) over the next 10 years, compared with an estimated demand of 875 GWh – implying a shortfall of about 15 percent. “It underscores the need for careful resource management.”

Data centres’ impact on the electricity grid, to date, has been marginal given that in Canada these centres are used largely for hosting purposes.

But the proliferation of AI and resulting power draw from hyperscalers underscores the tradeoffs on power and trade.

As for data centres’ emissions, in Alberta companies are already in discussions to incorporate carbon capture and storage (CCS) into natural gas-fired power plants for data centres.

However, the high costs and technical complexities of CCS mean it’s not an all-of-Canada solution, the report says. “While the CCS technology is readily transferable, only Alberta and Saskatchewan have the required geology and infrastructure in Canada to store carbon.”

When it comes to economic impact, current estimates suggest the digital economy accounts for 6.3 percent of Canada’s GDP, but broader estimates place it at 15 percent – and it’s growing 2.5 times faster than conventional economic sectors^.

Data centres are critical to this digital ecosystem, hosting and processing the vast volumes of data generated by AI and other advanced technologies.

Development of the proposed data centres alone could spark a $100-billion construction and IT infrastructure boom, in addition to its positive impact on the wider economy.

“But there’s an even greater prize for Canadian businesses: an AI ecosystem that helps them gain a competitive edge in areas as diverse as health care, autos, manufacturing and cleantech,” the report says.

Canada’s AI adoption, however, lags its peers. Only 35 percent of Canadian firms use AI, compared with 72 percent in the U.S.

The discrepancy is partially due to the high percentage of SMEs in Canada, which employ 65 percent of the private workforce. SMEs often lack the capital and talent to invest in cutting-edge technology.

Bridging the AI adoption gap is critical not only for immediate economic gains, but also for positioning Canada as a global leader in the technology, according to the report. This includes deepening the country’s AI-ready workforce, with training programs and partnerships with academic institutions key to fostering a new generation of AI professionals.

The report points out that data sovereignty is also crucial. Canada’s strict data privacy laws mandate that sensitive information remains within its borders, ensuring compliance and protecting citizens’ privacy.

As digital data grows, so do cyber risks. IBM reports 27,000 data breaches in Canada annually, with potential economic losses in the billions.

The report notes that Canada has been a leader in AI research since the 1980s, thanks to renowned academics including Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio.

“Yet, the country’s lack of domestic AI infrastructure threatens its leadership,” the report says.

“To remain competitive, Canada must likely prioritize dedicated data resources for public sectors such as health care, education and defence. These resources are essential for fostering innovation and maintaining Canada’s technological edge.” RBC Thought Leadership

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Alberta government launches new AI data centres strategy

The Government of Alberta announced a new Artificial Intelligence Data Centres Strategy and says Alberta aims to become North America’s destination of choice for AI data centre investment.

The new strategy identifies three pillars that create the foundation of Alberta’s work to position itself as a competitive player in the global AI landscape: power capacity, sustainable cooling and economic diversification.

The United Conservative Party government said that in each of these strategic areas, there are policy and regulatory levers required in addition to other steps the government is taking to ensure Alberta is the most attractive and competitive destination for this emerging sector.

“This strategy will position Alberta as the place to invest and build AI data centres, further building on our reputation as a province with no limit to innovation and opportunity,” Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement.

The government said it will conduct a comprehensive review of all regulatory timelines associated with data centre development to reduce red tape and shorten timelines for investment decisions and construction readiness.

A purpose-built concierge program will be established to provide a direct gateway for investors and operators entering Alberta’s market.

The strategy’s entire approach prioritizes competitive advantages, economic integration, market stability and keeping utilities reliable and affordable, the government said.

The province’s unique competitive power market opens the door to many opportunities for AI companies to partner with Alberta’s talented and experienced electricity sector, the government said.

The strategy encourages operators to determine the cooling technology best suited for their needs, water license availability and regional and project circumstances.

Alberta’s climate offers significant advantages for AI data centres because of the province’s cold winters, which would reduce the need for artificial cooling systems, the government said.

“This strategy is not just about building infrastructure; it's about fostering innovation and establishing Alberta as a hub for high-tech industries, driving economic growth and supporting critical public services like health care and education," said Nate Glubish, Alberta’s minister of technology and innovation.

The government said over the past several months, Alberta Technology and Innovation met with AI data centre builders and operators, power generators, natural resource sector participants, telecommunications companies and municipalities actively pursuing AI data centres.

The Alberta Electricity System Operator (AESO) has 12 data centre projects on its project list totalling 6,455 megawatts of load. Most of the power demand on the AESO project list is from data centres.

Currently, there are about 1,000 megawatts of additional dispatchable generation over Alberta’s current needs. This amount is dynamic and may change due to factors such as generation retirements, outages, derates or new additions, the government said. Govt. of Alberta

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Costs and impacts of Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy on defence procurements are unknown due to poor tracking by ISED: Auditor General

The benefits of the federal Industrial and Technology Benefits (ITB) Policy are being poorly tracked and the costs of and the impacts of the policy on defence procurements are unknown, according to a report by the Auditor General of Canada. 

From 2014 to 2023, 99 contracts worth at least $39 billion were awarded that included industrial and regional benefit and industrial and technological benefit obligations on the part of awarded contractors of more than $36 billion.

But Auditor General Karen Hogan’s audit found that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which is responsible for administering the policy, could not demonstrate that the policy met its objectives, which include supporting the long-term viability and growth of the defence industry.

ISED did not establish clear rules and guidance for applying the policy, lacked effective ways to measure the policy’s economic benefits and the creation of jobs, and did not track the potential impacts of the policy on defence procurements, Hogan said.

The ITB Policy applies to defence procurements over $100 million with some exceptions and may be applied to defence procurements between $20 million and $100 million.

Industrial and technological benefits form part of the bidding process that determines who is awarded major defence contracts.

While the policy states that an equal amount of an awarded contract’s value is to be invested back into the Canadian economy by a contractor, Hogan’s audit found 10 procurements out of 60 over $100 million “where either the policy was not applied or the investment in the economy was less than 100 percent of the awarded contract’s value.”

For the 60 eligible procurements over $100 million that the Auditor General identified, two procurements had industrial and technological benefits commitments that were less than 100 percent of the contract value and eight procurements had no obligations.

“Both the specific benefits and the full costs of the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy were unknown,” Hogan said.

Delays in procurement process negotiations and additional costs stemming from contractors managing their industrial and technological benefits obligations conflicted with the goal of the Defence Procurement Strategy to deliver the right equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces in a timely manner, according to the Auditor General’s report.

“We found that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada lacked some elements to ensure sound administration of the policy, such as clear rules and guidance on how to apply the policy and good tracking of contract obligations, economic benefits and job creation,” her report said.

François-Philippe Champagne, minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said in a response to the Auditor General’s report that ISED will adopt several recommendations from her report.

Champagne said that as recommended by the Auditor General, the government will seek to:

• improve the transparency of the ITB Policy’s application by providing more information on the scope of the policy and guidelines for applicants.
• update the policy’s performance measurement framework to better demonstrate how the ITB Policy is meeting its objectives.
• collaborate with the Department of National Defence to review the Key Industrial Capabilities to enhance alignment of the operational requirements of the Canadian Armed Forces and the contributions of Canada’s defence industry.
• explore options, in collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada, to better identify the overall cost of applying the ITB Policy in the context of government objectives for procurement. Auditor General of Canada, ISED

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Federal COVID-19 loans to businesses rolled out quickly but value for money compromised by poor program management and oversight: Auditor General

Approximately $3.5 billion of the $49.1 billion in loans to small businesses under the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program during the COVID-19 pandemic went to ineligible recipients, according to a report by the Auditor General of Canada.

Export Development Canada (EDC), as the Crown corporation responsible for delivering the CEBA program, acted quickly to disburse $49.1 billion in loans to small businesses to cover expenses that could not be deferred during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Of those loans, 91 percent went to eligible businesses, Auditor General Karen Hogan’s audit found.

As of March 31, 2024, approximately 83 percent of the total loan amounts originally disbursed had been repaid, with a portion forgiven.

The CEBA program provided interest-free loans of $40,000 to $60,000 to eligible businesses, with $10,000 to $20,000 to be forgiven if the rest of the loan was repaid on time.

Approximately $49.1 billion in loans were provided to approximately 898,000 small businesses across Canada, according to the Auditor General. Of these loans, about $45.6 billion went to recipients that were deemed eligible.

The total spending to administer the CEBA program as of March 31, 2024 was $853 million, including $575 million to financial institutions and $248 million to EDC to administer the program.

As of March 31, 2024, the majority of EDC’s expenses ($230 million) were for contracts with third‑party vendors, and within this, 91 percent was paid to Dublin, Ireland-headquartered Accenture via non‑competitive contracts.

“As a result of the use of Accenture proprietary systems, ongoing delivery of the program will rely on these non‑competitive contracts until at least 2028,” Hogan noted.

Most of the administration of CEBA was done by Accenture, whose contracts with EDC are set to increase to more than $1 billion, The Global and Mail reported.

Records obtained by The Globe and Mail under access to information law show the relationship between EDC and Accenture goes far beyond just the CEBA program, and that the Crown corporation has dramatically increased its spending on IT contracts in recent years, with the lion’s share of that spending directed to Accenture.

The Auditor General’s audit found that EDC prioritized quick implementation of program changes by relying on sole-source contracts with a single vendor “without strong checks and balances in place.”

EDC told the Auditor General that the Crown corporation took this approach because it did not have the capacity, expertise or infrastructure to manage a program of CEBA’s size.

“EDC gave the vendor too much control over key aspects of contracts, such as the scope of work and pricing, and failed to exercise basic controls in contract management, such as monitoring that amounts paid aligned with the work performed. This meant that value for money was compromised,” Hogan said.

Finance Canada and Global Affairs Canada did not provide effective oversight to ensure that the CEBA program was managed with due regard for value for money, according to her audit.

As a result of unclear roles and responsibilities, neither department took accountability for the program, leaving many basic program elements, such as program lifecycle planning, either delayed or incomplete, her audit found.

Further, Finance Canada did not provide effective oversight of EDC’s administrative spending. No overall spending limits were set and Finance Canada did not challenge administrative spending on the program.

Hogan said her audit findings are important because unlike other COVID‑19 programs, CEBA is a loan program and will continue for several years.

As of March 31, 2024, there was $8.5 billion remaining in loans to be repaid. Some repayments are ongoing, while taking action on defaulted loans has just started.

Hogan’s audit found that EDC’s plan to collect defaulted loans lacked forecasted costing, performance management and other key elements.

The Canada Revenue Agency, which is supporting EDC in collection efforts, had a more detailed plan but was missing targeted timelines.

The Auditor General recommendations include that:

• Export Development Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency should reassess their individual collection plans and include missing elements, such as key performance measures.
• Export Development Canada should update estimates and forecasts of defaulted loans to be collected in order to provide the Canada Revenue Agency with more precise information for its planning and resourcing.
• In its role as policy lead, Finance Canada should address the accountability and oversight gaps for the Canada Emergency Business Account program, including oversight of administrative expenditures that are paid through the Canada Account. Auditor General of Canada

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Federal government splitting online harms bill to try to get measures to combat online child abuse and hate passed into law

The Government of Canada is splitting its online harms bill in two in an effort to speed into law measures to combat online child abuse and hate, after the legislation ground to a halt in the House of Commons because of prolonged filibustering.

Justice Minister Arif Virani said he was dividing Bill C-63 into two bills that would proceed “on different tracks.”

The first priority will be the bill to protect children from online predators, take down revenge porn and combat online hate. The second bill would include the new hate-crime penalties that civil liberties groups have warned are heavy-handed and threaten freedom of speech.

Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, has been stuck in the House of Commons since September, held up by a filibuster that reduces its chances of becoming law before the next election, which could come at any time before next October.

Earlier this year, more than 20 civil society groups and legal experts delivered an open letter to Virani urging him to split Bill C-63.

Advocates who want to see tougher action to protect children from abuse online have also been calling on the minister to divide the bill to improve the chances of such measures becoming law. The priority bill will include the creation of a digital safety commission and ombudsperson to combat online hate and measures to force platforms to take swift action to take down child abuse material and report internet child pornography.

The decision, which would put changes to the Criminal Code and Human Rights Act on a slower track, dramatically reduces their chance of becoming law before the next election. Among the measures is a new hate-crime offence that would carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if coupled with another crime.

In a bid to get the priority bill moving, the government began initial study at the Commons justice committee.

The decision to split the bill “is the right thing to do, but it may have come too late,” said Michael Geist, law professor and Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, and a longtime critic of the bill.

“Given months of delays, the government will be tempted to rush through the [justice committee] study with a parade of supportive witnesses that describe the urgency of addressing online harms and offer little critique of how the bill can be improved,” Geist said on his website.

The removal of the most problematic aspects of Bill C-63 should only be viewed as the first step in putting the online harms initiative back on track, he said.

The provisions related to internet platforms still require careful study, particularly the enforcement structure that vests enormous power in a new digital safety commission that will have primary responsibility for enforcing the law, Geist said.

The breadth of powers granted to the commission is remarkable: rulings on making content inaccessible, investigation powers, hearings that under certain circumstances can be closed to the public, establishing regulations and codes of conduct, and the power to levy penalties up to six percent of global revenues of services caught by the law, he noted.

“There is an awful lot there and questions about [the digital safety commission’s] oversight and accountability are essential,” he said.

“There are no short cuts in crafting legislation that addresses online harms, passes constitutional muster, and properly safeguards freedom of expression,” Geist said. The Globe and Mail, Michael Geist website

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Federal government launches new foreign policy for Canada’s Arctic

Mélanie Joly, minister of Foreign Affairs, launched Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy (AFP).

The AFP commits $34.7 million over five years, with another $7 million ongoing. Much of the money is to fund a renewed ambassador role and two new consulates in the Arctic.

The launch of the AFP is the culmination of months of extensive engagement with territorial and provincial governments and Inuit, First Nations and Métis, Joly said in a statement.

The AFP was also informed by consultations with the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States – Canada’s like-minded Arctic partners.

“We are in a tough world, and we need to be tough in our response,” Joly said. “Competition is growing across the globe and the Arctic is not immune. Many countries, including non-Arctic states, aspire for a greater role in Arctic affairs.”

“The evolving security and political realities in the region mean we need a new approach to advance our national interests and to ensure a stable, prosperous and secure Arctic, especially for the Northerners and the Indigenous Peoples who call the Arctic home,” Joly said.

As part of the Arctic Foreign Policy, Canada will:

• appoint an Arctic ambassador.
• open new consulates in Anchorage, Alaska and Nuuk, Greenland
• initiate an Arctic security dialogue with the ministers of foreign affairs of like-minded states in the Arctic.
• expand information sharing with relevant territorial and provincial governments and Indigenous leaders on emerging and developing international Arctic security trends, including foreign interference threats.
• support science and research coordination initiatives with foreign policy considerations as related to research security and science in the Arctic.
• launch boundary negotiations with the U.S. regarding the Beaufort Sea and finalize the implementation of the boundary agreement between Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark regarding Tartupaluk (Hans Island).

The AFP provides expanded presence and partnerships to address current needs and the flexibility to adapt to future challenges, the federal government said.

This approach complements the 2019 Arctic and Northern Policy Framework and it will allow Canada to continue to safeguard its sovereignty, advance national interests and promote a stable, prosperous and secure Arctic based on a shared vision for the region’s future, the government said.

The AFP is comprised of four foreign policy pillars: asserting Canada’s sovereignty; advancing Canada’s interests through pragmatic diplomacy; [providing] leadership on Arctic governance and multilateral challenges; and adopting a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy.

The policy will also advance the priorities of territorial and provincial governments and the First Nations, Inuit, Métis, modern treaty partners and self-governing partners who call the Arctic home, Ottawa said.

The Canadian Arctic covers 40 percent of Canada’s territory and more than 70 percent of its coastline. Global Affairs Canada

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Canada’s labour productivity declines for the third quarter in a row: Statistics Canada

Labour productivity of Canadian businesses fell 0.4 percent in the third quarter of 2024, after edging down by 0.1 percent in the second quarter and by 0.2 percent in the first quarter – marking three consecutive quarters of decline, according to a report by Statistics Canada (StatsCan).

The decline in productivity in the third quarter reflects the slowdown in the pace of growth in business output, while hours worked continued to increase at a rate fairly similar to that of the previous two quarters, StatsCan said.

Growth in the real gross domestic product of businesses slowed to 0.1 percent in the third quarter, after rising by 0.5 percent in the previous quarter.

Hours worked in the business sector rose for the third consecutive quarter, increasing by 0.5 percent in the third quarter. This growth rate is close to that of the previous two quarters.

The growth in hours worked in the third quarter was due to a 0.7-percent increase in average hours worked, while the number of jobs fell 0.2 percent. This contrasts with the variations in average hours worked and number of jobs observed in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, hours worked also increased in both service-producing (+0.6 percent) and goods-producing (+0.3 percent) businesses, led by increases in 12 of the 16 industry sectors.

In July and August 2024, wildfires affected certain economic regions of British Columbia and Alberta, as well as Labrador City in Newfoundland and Labrador. This contributed to a negligible 0.004-percent reduction in the growth of hours worked in the business sector in the third quarter.

Goods-producing businesses saw their productivity fall by 0.7 percent in the third quarter, after rising 0.3 percent in the previous quarter.

As for service-producing businesses, their productivity declined for a third consecutive quarter, falling 0.3 percent in the third quarter. Overall, 11 of the 16 main business sectors were down in the third quarter.

The utilities (+3.4 percent), retail trade (+0.9 percent), administrative services (+0.4 percent) and finance and insurance (+0.2 percent) sectors posted increases, while productivity in real estate services was essentially unchanged.

In the third quarter, manufacturing, professional services and wholesale trade were the main contributors to the overall decline in productivity.

Since productivity declined 0.4 percent in the third quarter, the one-percent rise in hourly compensation in the quarter resulted in a 1.4 percent increase in unit labour costs of businesses. This was a faster rate of growth than in the second quarter (+0.8 percent).

Unit labour costs represent the costs of wages and benefits per unit of output. Statistics Canada

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Canada’s R&D expenditures increased in 2022 but still below average R&D spending by G7 and OECD countries: Statistics Canada

Canada's gross domestic expenditures on research and development (GERD) reached $51.7 billion in 2022, up nine percent (+$4.2 billion) from the previous year, according to a report by Statistics Canada (StatsCan).

The growth rate was consistent across both fields of research, with natural sciences and engineering reaching $46.9 billion (+$3.9 billion) and social sciences, humanities and the arts reaching $4.8 billion (+$383 million).

In 2022, R&D spending continued to be concentrated in Ontario (+$1.9 billion to $23.7 billion), Quebec (+$925 million to $12.7 billion), British Columbia (+$631 million to $6.7 billion), and Alberta (+$459 million to $4.7 billion).

Preliminary estimates suggest that R&D spending will reach $53.1 billion (+$1.4 billion) in 2023 and $55 billion (+$1.8 billion) in 2024.

The business enterprise sector was the largest R&D funder in 2022 (+$2.4 billion to $24.5 billion) and accounted for over half of the overall increase in R&D funding.

It was followed by the higher education sector (+$565 million to $8.9 billion), the private non-profit sector (+$415 million to $2.4 billion), and the federal government (+$356 million to $8.4 billion).

The business enterprise and higher education sectors accounted for over 90 percent of R&D activities undertaken in Canada in 2022.

Businesses performed $30.4 billion of R&D activities, an increase of $2.6 billion from 2021, representing over 60 percent of the total growth in R&D spending.

Meanwhile, higher education institutions conducted $18.1 billion of R&D activities, up $1.4 billion from 2021.

Canada's R&D intensity, which compares a country's R&D expenditures with its gross domestic product remained below the G7 average in 2022. Canada's R&D intensity fell from 1.87 in 2021 to 1.81 in 2022.

By comparison, intensity increased among leading R&D performers, the U.S. and Japan.

Canada's performance was also below the average (2.73) of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development's 38 members in 2022. Statistics Canada

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Foreign and Canadian multinational enterprises spend the most ever on R&D, while employment by Canadian majority-owned affiliates abroad hits record high

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) in Canada employed 5.10 million people (+3.2%) in 2023 and traded $1.2 trillion worth of goods internationally (+0.3%), according to a report by Statistics Canada.

Canadian majority-owned affiliates abroad registered their highest levels of employment (2.04 million) and assets ($8.2 trillion) to date.

In addition, in-house research and development (R&D) expenditures ($23.1 billion) and R&D personnel (139,900) at MNEs reached all-time highs in 2022.

In the corporate sector, MNEs accounted for just over three-quarters (75.9 percent) of in-house R&D spending and for two-thirds (66.1 percent) of R&D personnel in Canada in 2022.

R&D spending by foreign MNEs increased 12.1 percent to reach $13.3 billion in 2022, outpacing growth by Canadian MNEs (+8.6 percent to $9.8 billion).

For both foreign and Canadian MNEs, the increase in R&D expenditures was led by the professional, scientific and technical services sector.

The total number of employees at foreign and Canadian MNEs in Canada surpassed 5 million in 2023. Employment at foreign (2.67 million) and Canadian (2.44 million) MNEs both hit record highs.

Over one-third (36.6 percent) of employment in the corporate sector was at MNEs in 2023, a share similar to what was recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 (36.5 percent).

Employment at foreign MNEs in Canada rose by three percent (+78,500) in 2023, a deceleration after 6.1-percent growth the previous year.

In absolute terms, over one-quarter of the total increase in employment at foreign MNEs was from the professional, scientific and technical services sector (+22,100). The increase within this sector was mainly attributable to MNEs ultimately controlled from the United States (+17,200) and India (+5,800).

At the same time, the number of employees at Canadian MNEs in Canada went up by 3.4 percent in 2023, with the largest increase coming from the manufacturing sector.

Outside of Canada, employment at foreign affiliates of Canadian MNEs (+2.7 percent) reached 2.04 million in 2023, led by affiliates in Asia and Oceania (+10.3 percent).

On a sector basis, employment in both services-producing (+3.3 percent) and goods-producing (+1.8 percent) sectors went up. In the services-producing sector, finance and insurance (+7.9 percent) and professional, scientific and technical services (+6.7 percent) contributed the most to year-over-year growth.

The affiliates of Canadian MNEs abroad held $8.2 trillion in assets in 2023, up 6.5 percent from 2022.

In 2023, the Canadian dollar depreciated against several major currencies, including the US dollar, the Euro and the British pound, contributing to an upward revaluation of assets when converted into Canadian dollars.

Most assets held by the affiliates of Canadian MNEs abroad were in the finance and insurance sector ($5.1 trillion), primarily in North America and the Caribbean ($3.4 trillion) and Europe ($1.1 trillion).

In 2022, the latest year for which data on assets held by MNEs in Canada are available, the value of assets of Canadian MNEs increased by 7.4 percent to reach $10.5 trillion. This was driven by the finance and insurance sector (+7.8 percent), the assets of which exceeded $7 trillion for the first time.

The value of assets held by foreign MNEs in Canada went up by 2.7 percent to reach $3.2 trillion in 2022.

Although foreign MNEs held fewer assets than Canadian MNEs, they held more assets in the manufacturing sector ($584.2 billion) than Canadian MNEs ($479.8 billion).

The overall value of merchandise trade by foreign MNEs in Canada was up slightly (+1.8 percent) in 2023 to reach $883.4 billion. The increase was led by higher imports of goods (+5.3 percent), despite a decline in the value of exports (-2.1 percent).

Foreign MNEs in the manufacturing sector registered an increase in both the value of goods imports (+11.2 percent) and goods exports (+8.8 percent) in 2023. The growth was driven by motor vehicle manufacturers, namely from improved supply chains and higher prices.

However, the overall decline in the value of goods exports by foreign MNEs was mostly the result of significantly lower prices of energy product exports in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector (-22.3 percent).

For Canadian MNEs, the total value of merchandise trade was down by 3.8 percent to $303.9 billion in 2023 due to a decline in both the imports (-5.1 percent) and exports (-3.2 percent) of goods. For exports, the decline was primarily due to lower values for energy products and potash, which affected trade by Canadian MNEs in Western Canada. Statistics Canada 

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Alberta government announces new “agriculture first” regulations limiting renewable energy development

The Government of Alberta announced new “agriculture first” regulations for renewable energy development, including the need to consider potential irrigation of lands and whether projects can co-exist with agricultural development.

A new regulation establishes specific guidelines to prevent renewable energy projects from impacting “pristine viewscapes,” by requiring buffer zones and visual impact assessment zones.

A map released with the regulations delineates a roughly 70,000-square-kilometre buffer zone where wind energy development will be prohibited, along with 82,000 square kilometres of visual impact assessment zones where renewable energy developers will have to prove that their projects won’t obscure scenic views.

Amendments to regulations on conservation and reclamation will create consistent reclamation requirements across all forms of renewable energy development, including a mandatory reclamation security requirement for renewable energy developers, the government said.

“Albertans expect renewable power generation projects to be responsibly decommissioned and reclaimed for future generations. Alberta’s government stands firm in its commitment to protect landowners and taxpayers from being burdened with reclamation costs.”

The United Conservative Party government said municipalities, agricultural producers and landowners across the province have raised concerns that rules have not kept up with Alberta’s rapidly growing renewable energy sector.

The map with the new regulations delineates about 60,000 square kilometes of “agriculture first” lands where renewable energy developers will need to prove that their projects can co-exist with agriculture.

Critics of the Alberta government’s restrictions on renewable energy development say there are no comparable restrictions for the oil and gas industry in the province.

There are no regulations to prevent Alberta’s oil and natural gas industry from impacting pristine viewscapes, for example.

When it comes to reclamation, the liability for inactive oil and gas wells in Alberta is estimated to be at least $60 billion and possibly double that amount, according to research by the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.

Internal Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) documents suggest the total cost of well cleanup to be about $88 billion.

One company, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., has about 20,000 of Alberta’s inactive wells. The company reported a profit of $8.22 billion in 2023, with revenue of $26.27 billion for the 12 months ending September 30, 2024.

On top of the liability for inactive wells, oil and gas companies owe more than $250 million in overdue property taxes to rural communities across the province.

After receiving complaints from municipalities, the Alberta government put in place a requirement that the AER make payment of municipal taxes a mandatory condition for approval of well licence transfers or new licences.

However, the AER has said that actual tax collection and enforcement of municipal taxes is the sole responsibility of municipalities.

A new report by the Pembina Institute, a Calgary-based clean energy think tank, found that electricity grids in six different jurisdictions – California, Texas, Ireland, Germany, south Australia, and Denmark – are reaching high levels of wind and solar energy integration.

This shows how Canadian provinces can accelerate their deployment of these lowest-cost sources of power, the Pembina Institute said. Govt. of Alberta

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Alberta business associations file lawsuit against federal government’s “greenwashing” law

The Alberta Enterprise Group (AEG) and the Independent Contractors and Business Association jointly filed a constitutional challenge against the federal government’s “greenwashing” law.

The legal action, filed in the Court of King’s Bench in Alberta, targets sections 236 and 239 of Bill C-59, the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023.

The two associations maintain the bill amended the Competition Act “in ways that severely limit the business community’s ability to discuss environmental impacts.”

“These provisions impose unreasonable restrictions on the dissemination of truthful and fair-minded information, striking at the heart of free expression and open debate in Canada,” the associations said in a statement.

They are seeking a judicial declaration that the law is unconstitutional.

Catherine Brownlee, AEG president, said the federal regulations “pre-emptively ban even truthful, reasonable, and defensible discussion unless businesses can meet a government-imposed standard of what is the truth.”

The associations believe the regulations violate fundamental Charter rights and undermine Canada’s ability to foster economic growth and responsible resource development.

Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean welcomed the lawsuit, calling the federal bill “undemocratic” and “extreme.”

The federal greenwashing law prohibits claims about the environmental benefits of a product that are not based on adequate and proper testing.

The law also prohibits claims about the environmental benefits of a business or business activity that are not based on adequate and proper substantiation in accordance with “an internationally recognized methodology.”

The passage of the law sparked a furor from the oil and gas industry. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the Pathways Alliance oilsands group and several individual oil and gas companies removed environmental content from their websites and social media in response. Alberta Enterprise Group

THE GRAPEVINE – News about people, institutions and communities

Rhonda Moore, executive director of science & innovation at the Ottawa-based Institute on Governance, was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal. The honour recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Canada or their communities. Moore was selected as part of the Royal Canadian Institute for Science’s 175^th anniversary celebrations, which highlight extraordinary efforts to foster a culture of science and innovation in Canada. Institute of Governance

Greg Caws, former president and CEO of Innovate BC (then known as the BC Innovation Council), died November 27 in Victoria, B.C. Caws, a Victoria entrepreneur, began as an aerospace engineering officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and worked as a Y2K expert for IBM in the late 1990s. He served as the former president of British Columbia’s Premier’s Technology Council and was previously the chair of the board and CEO of VIATEC, a non-profit that supports the growth and promotion of the Greater Victoria tech sector. He also co-founded Canada’s Digital global innovation cluster. Vancouver Tech Journal

The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan announced the appointment of Annesley Wallace as the new president and CEO, effective April 1, 2025. Wallace succeeds Jeff Wendling, who announced his retirement earlier this year and has served as CEO since 2020. Wallace’s investment experience includes overseeing the global infrastructure portfolio at OMERS. As chief pension officer at OMERS, she led initiatives that enhanced member engagement, digital services and the overall member experience for plan members. Wallace is currently the executive vice-president, strategy and corporate development and president, power and energy solutions, at TC Energy. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan

Royal Bank of Canada promoted Sian Hurrell to lead its capital markets business in Europe.  Hurrell is taking over from Dave Thomas, who is retiring after more than 30 years with the bank. London-based Hurrell joined Royal Bank in 2013 and was most recently global head of sales and relationship management for global markets and head of global markets, Europe. She previously worked at the Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC. RBC’s European presence grew in importance after it acquired U.K. wealth manager Brewin Dolphin Holdings Plc for £1.6 billion ($2 billion) in 2022.  BNN Bloomberg

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) School of Medicine received $5 million from the Moez & Marissa Kassam Equity Fund. The fund will support construction of the School of Medicine’s future building and establish the Moez & Marissa Kassam Excellence through Equity Scholarship program, the first comprehensive scholarship program at TMU’s new School of Medicine. The scholarships will cover full tuition for students from underrepresented backgrounds who demonstrate academic excellence. TMU said it will recognize the Kassam family’s generosity by naming the school’s central atrium the Moez and Marisa Kassam Atrium. The TMU School of Medicine is readying to open the doors of its Brampton facility in July 2025. TMU

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) announced the establishment of the Hon. Joan Kingston Research Chair in Health Innovation, supported by a $1.25-million gift from the Hon. Joan Kingston Foundation. Kingston, a health advocate who was appointed to the Senate in 2023, worked for a decade in UNB’s faculty of nursing as a lecturer and clinical instructor, and as co-manager of the Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre, a teaching facility she played a key role in establishing. The inaugural chairholder is UNB Faculty of Nursing assistant professor Alexis (Ali) McGill, who will research health care innovation and contribute to the university’s teaching, research, public service and models of primary care service delivery. “Joan Kingston is a UNB Nursing graduate who has worked tirelessly to further nursing education in New Brunswick, so it is tremendously fitting that this research chair in health innovation should be named in her honour,” said UNB Dean of Nursing Lorna Butler. UNB

The University of Lethbridge (ULethbridge) unveiled the Institute for Geospatial Inquiry, Instruction and Innovation (i4Geo), with major funding from Calgary-based TECTERRA, a not-for-profit corporate entity. This multidisciplinary institute will address a broad spectrum of environmental challenges and opportunities by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, business incubation and community outreach. “There is so much opportunity in geographical information science, geospatial positioning and imaging technologies, sensor networks, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and 3D digital twins,” said Dr. Chris Hopkinson, PhD, ULethbridge professor in the Department of Geography & Environment. “Bringing these fields of study together under the i4Geo umbrella, encompassing research, training, networking, business innovation, and community outreach will further establish ULethbridge as leaders in geospatial technology and its applications.” In 2023, TECTERRA invested $5.2 million in a Legacy Program for Alberta-based universities, of which $1.3 million was directed to ULethbridge to fund various undergraduate and graduate awards for students engaged in geomatics-related fields, as well as further growth opportunities – i4Geo being one. ULethbridge

The University of Windsor (UWindsor) and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent launched a strategic partnership to bolster regional innovation and sustainable growth through education and research. Under a five-year memorandum of understanding, UWindsor and Chatham-Kent will foster collaborative research and innovation in fields such as agriculture, health and environmental sustainability; establish experiential learning opportunities for students; and deliver the university’s continuing education programming to Chatham-Kent’s workforce. The aim of this work is to nurture a resilient, forward-thinking community with their shared focus on research, skill building, and shared knowledge. UWindsor

The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Faculty of Applied Science is collaborating with Vancouver-based Seaspan Shipyards to introduce a faculty chair position that focuses on marine innovation in robotics and autonomy. The position is held between UBC’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Seaspan will provide $1 million over five years for the chair; UBC will match this investment through its President’s Academic Excellence Initiative. The Seaspan Chair in Robotics for Marine Vessels at UBC is the third chair to be funded by Seaspan. The chair will be held by Dr. Adrien Desjardins, PhD, whose research specializes in novel sensing method development, machine learning and autonomous robotic platforms. Desjardins will focus on developing new solutions for autonomously inspecting marine vessels and monitoring the environment. Seaspan

HEC Montréal launched a new chair in organizational ethics and AI governance. This chair will study issues related to the development and implementation of ethical and responsible AI, and support organizations by enhancing their ability to address ethical challenges. The chair will be led by Dr. Joé T. Martineau, PhD, associate professor in HEC’s Department of Management, who will focus on three key areas: managing the ethical dimensions of organizations; governing ethical and responsible AI; and fostering ethical competencies among organizational actors. Creation of this chair was made possible thanks to financial contributions from IVADO-Fonds de recherche du Québec, Confiance AI, and The HEC Montréal Foundation. HEC Montréal

Camosun College unveiled a new name for its trades education and innovation centre: the Bhalla Centre for Trades Education and Innovation. The name recognizes a $1-million donation from siblings Munjeet, Jeety, and Jindy Bhalla in honour of their parents, Tara and Sela Bhalla. The Bhalla Centre for Trades Education and Innovation is a state-of-the-art facility at Camosun's Interurban campus. Built in 2015, the facility offers a wide range of in-demand trades programs. The centre houses specialized equipment and labs for marine and metal trades, including welding, sheet metal fabrication, and shipbuilding and repair. It also provides training facilities for mechanical trades such as heavy mechanical and automotive service technician programs. The gift from the Bhalla family will be used to support the college and bolster the college’s capital reserves. Camosun College

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