NSERC announces first community college awards

Science and Engineering Canada (NSERC) has made its first investment through the new College and Community Innovation Fund (CCIF) to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The award of provides for up to $600,000 over three years dependent upon matching funds from other sources. Awards are also pending for three other colleges: Olds College (Olds AB), Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon (Lévis PQ) and the Lawrencetown campus of the Nova Scotia Community College. Two other awards will be announced in the near future. The CCIF is a joint effort between NSERC and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (R$, March 3/04). CCIF funding can be used to help firms bring innovations to market, develop new expertise, demonstrate new technologies and provide release time for faculty to work on company projects….