The Short Report: July 17, 2024

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

The Department of Finance announced the Canada Growth Fund’s sixth investment, a combined $2-billion investment with Calgary-based Strathcona Resources – Canada’s fifth-largest oil producer. The investment is to build carbon capture and sequestration infrastructure on Strathcona’s three steam-assisted, gravity drainage oilsands facilities (photo at right shows one facility) in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Upon completion, the partnership will capture and permanently store up to two million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Supported by an initial $500 million investment from the Canada Growth Fund – with an option to increase this to $1 billion – Strathcona will begin its final detailed engineering work for the first carbon capture and sequester project, with a final investment decision expected in 2025. Finance Canada said the partnership was made possible by and will benefit from the federal government’s Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage investment tax credit. The Canada Growth Fund will earn a targeted return over time with the annual cash flows generated by each carbon capture and sequestration project based on actual captured volumes, actual operating costs, and a fixed carbon price guaranteed by Strathcona. Finance Canada

The Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia announced a joint investment of $195 million to upgrade key highway infrastructure in B.C.’s northwest, needed to support critical minerals development in the region and improve community access and safety. Funded through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, this project has been conditionally approved to support the development and operation of several copper, molybdenum, zinc, nickel and cobalt projects in B.C.’s Golden Triangle region. The federal contribution totals up to $75 million, with the remaining $120 million being funded by B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The Northwest BC Highway Corridor Improvements Project is a key action of B.C.’s Critical Minerals Strategy, a top priority for the Tahltan Central Government and the mining industry in B.C., and a shared priority of the federal government. It will provide a series of improvements for Highways 37, 37A and 51, which include widening shoulders, creating pullouts for slow-moving vehicles, adding chain up/chain off areas and increasing Wi-Fi access along 800 kilometres of roadway. Natural Resources Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a joint Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia investment of $72.75 million in Vancouver-based Aspect Biosystems, a pioneer in the development of bioprinted tissue therapeutics. The federal government is contributing $49 million through the Strategic Innovation Fund, and the B.C. government is contributing $23.75 million toward Aspect Biosystems’ $200-million project to establish a world-leading clinical biomanufacturing facility and capabilities, advance its cutting-edge technology platform, and expand its therapeutic pipeline of novel bioprinted tissue therapeutics for serious metabolic and endocrine diseases. This strategic initiative leverages a US$2.6-billion biotech partnership between Aspect Biosystems and Copenhagen, Denmark-headquartered Novo Nordisk, and will establish the first clinical biomanufacturing facility in Canada dedicated to producing next-generation bioprinted tissue therapeutics. Aspect Biosystems’ technology platform combines proprietary bioprinting technology, computational tissue design, biomaterials and therapeutic cells, to create implantable cell-based therapies for replacing or repairing biological functions – such as sensing glucose and releasing insulin – that are lost or damaged due to disease. Aspect Biosystems is a spinout from the University of British Columbia. ISED

The Government of Ontario announced a $201-million investment to enable postsecondary institutions to undertake crucial repairs, purchase equipment and learning resources, and upgrade their facilities. Part of the investment requires postsecondary institutions to receive matching contributions from a private sector partner. The funding will be distributed through three programs:

• Facilities Renewal Program ($171 million), which focuses on critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades.
• College Equipment and Renewal Fund ($20 million), which colleges can draw on for equipment and learning resources.
• Training Equipment and Renewal Fund ($10 million), which universities can draw on to purchase equipment and resources.

The funds can be used to buy instructional equipment and materials, such as new computers and software for teaching purposes, specialized equipment, or machinery for use in labs and classrooms, and tools for shops. Govt. of Ontario

The Government of Canada announced $47 million for innovative projects to help support and retain members of the health workforce by improving research, planning and health workforce data. As part of the initiative, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and its partners are providing nearly $11.6 million in funding to support 15 research teams and one Evidence Support and Knowledge Mobilization Hub. These teams and hub are investigating ways to strengthen and support Canada’s health workforce and alleviate the health workforce challenges that threaten the provision of timely, equitable, accessible and quality health care. Funding recipients include:

• Health Workforce Canada (HWC), a not-for-profit, independent organization announced by the Government of Canada as a new centre of excellence in December 2023. HWC will receive $22.5 million over five years to conduct research on the current state, gaps and opportunities of health workforce data, establish a process to address data fragmentation within and between jurisdictions, and work with partner organizations to develop evidence-based data collection and networks to advance work in priority areas.
• Medical Council of Canada will receive $13 million over five years to build the National Registry of Physicians, which will help provide a more detailed understanding of the number of physicians in each province and territory and enable decision makers to better plan for future workforce needs. 
• BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute will receive $750,000 for its project, A New Provincial Training Hub: Building capacity for clinicians who care for children and youth with eating disorders. This project will improve clinician well-being, expand system capacity and ensure the availability of quality, evidence-based care for children and youth with pediatric eating disorders. Canadian Heritage

The Government of British Columbia is investing $33.7 million in capital funding for interim space for Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) new medical school, along with $27 million in operational funding. This builds on previous government funding of $14 million for startup and planning. The interim site is at the exiting building space at SFU’s Surrey campus, as well as a leased space nearby. Dr. David J. Price was appointed the founding dean for the medical school, which plans to recruit its first class to start in summer 2026. The medical school will focus on primary care and leverage the university’s strength in community engagement and strong partnerships with the First Nations Health Authority, Fraser Health Authority, other provincial health authorities and the practice community. The proposed curriculum will follow a three-year, competency-based model, incorporating a minimum of 130 weeks of instruction. Collaboration, cultural safety and humility will be embedded throughout, along with First Nations and Métis knowledge systems and perspectives. Govt. of B.C.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced a contribution of $30 million through the Strategic Innovation Fund to support Hitachi Energy Canada’s project. The three-year project will include building a new state-of-the-art transformer test laboratory at Hitachi Energy’s large power transformer facility in Varennes, Que., in addition to expanding capabilities for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technologies. Hitachi will also establish a new HVDC simulation and collaboration centre at the company’s headquarters in the St-Laurent borough of Montreal. The project will allow Hitachi Energy to perform HVDC system simulations in Canada for its local and international customers, which ISED said will foster greater innovation, knowledge transfer and economic growth. In the future, Canada will require more electricity-generating capacity to support the increased electrification of the economy. HVDC transmission technology provides an opportunity for a cost-effective modernization of Canada’s infrastructure to prevent outages. The project will contribute to reducing indirect greenhouse gas emissions by allowing for an increased share of renewable energy in the grid and further displacing fossil fuels with electricity. ISED

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) announced federal funding of more than $21.9 million for 13 projects to bolster Alberta’s clean technology sector through the commercialization and adoption of new applications that offer environmental benefits across a wide range of industries. Examples of projects receiving support include:

• Alberta Innovatesis receiving $10 million to launch a production and testing facility to support the commercialization of new technologies that help produce low-cost carbon fibre using bitumen.
• The Battery Metals Association of Canada is receiving $850,000 to support growth of the battery metals sector in Western Canada by enhancing collaboration and educating stakeholders.
• Carbon Management Canada is receiving nearly $1.2 million to enhance its emission-management technology validation facility where small and medium-sized businesses can test, refine, and commercialize carbon capture products and technologies.
• Kuva Canada is receiving more than $4 million in repayable funding to grow market share of its automated methane monitoring products and software which safely detect methane leaks more accurately, faster and at a lower cost than traditional methane inspection technologies.
• The Métis Nation of Alberta is receiving $174,000 to conduct a comprehensive review of the Métis Housing portfolio energy efficiency plan that will provide prioritized recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of homes and support their Climate Change Action Plan.

PrairiesCan said the federal investment leverages about $7 million in additional funding through other levels of government and industry. PrairiesCan

Vancouver-based DIGITAL, Canada’s global innovation cluster for digital technologies, announced a $15.3-million investment in a $44-million project with innovative Canadian health tech companies and researchers, to advance the development and deployment of AI-powered technologies to better support health care providers and enhance patient outcomes. Industry partners will contribute the remaining $29 million. The Health Compass II project is led by Richmond, B.C.-based clinic management software firm ORX Surgical, in collaboration with a pan-Canadian team of Tali AI, HEALWELL AI, Phelix AI, WELL Health Technologies, and Simon Fraser University. The project will introduce an innovative suite of four AI-driven modules to increase patient engagement, reduce administrative burnout, assist healthcare providers with documentation, and enhance clinical decision-making. These modules will be integrated through an electronic medical record-agnostic mobile app to further advance patient engagement. This new commitment builds on DIGITAL’s original $3.1 million investment in the first phase of the Health Compass project in 2022. DIGITAL

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region announced nearly $9.3 million in funding for four projects in British Columbia under the Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund. This fund supports projects to conserve and restore aquatic ecosystems by addressing impacts in these environments. Projects receiving funding include:

• Nearly $3.7 million over four years for The Kelp Rescue Initiative (based at the Western Canadian Universities Marine Sciences Society's Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre) and the University of Victoria to develop and apply methods for culturing and out-planting giant and bull kelp in southern British Columbia, in partnership with local First Nations.
• More than $2.9 million over four years for the Secretariat of the Haida Nation to continue monitoring, adaptive management and restoration of historic marine-based log handling facilities in ecologically sensitive estuaries on Haida Gwaii.
• More than $1.8 million over four years for the SeaChange Marine Conservation Society and partners to implement the Resilient Estuaries of the Salish Sea project though restoration, conservation, monitoring and educational activities that address the pressures and threats to important salmon.
• $852,000 over four years for the Ditidaht First Nation to restore Doobah Creek watershed, including lost and degraded critical salmon spawning and rearing habitats, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced two federal investments totaling more than $9 million to Richmond, B.C.-based Saltworks Technologies Inc. and Vancouver-based NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. (NESI) to support the battery supply chain in British Columbia, under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program. These investments will support Canada’s ability to address a gap in midstream lithium processing through the advancement of Canadian technologies. The nearly $5 million investment in Saltworks will be used to accelerate the concentration and conversion of Canadian lithium brine into lithium battery precursors using two novel technologies developed and tested by the company. An additional investment of $4.5 million in NESI will support industrial-scale demonstration of membrane electrolysis technology for lithium production at the company’s new test centre. The project will help commercialize sustainable lithium hydroxide production from a variety of lithium resources, enabling wide-scale industrial implementation of membrane electrolysis technology. NRCan

Halifax-based Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC), a federally funded global innovation cluster, announced Phase 3 of the Ocean Startup Project. With a total project value of just over $8 million, the OSC is providing $5 million in funding, with $2 million from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, $450,000 from Mitacs and the balance coming from industry partners. In 2020, the OSC announced its first innovation ecosystem project called the Ocean Startup Project, bringing together regional incubators and accelerators across Atlantic Canada to work together collectively for the first time to inspire, initiate and invest in new and early-stage ocean companies. Now pan-Canadian in focus, the Ocean Startup Project has helped more than 155 new ocean ventures become established. The project is led by New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, in collaboration with partners including: Technopole Maritime du Quebec; Invest Nova Scotia; Genesis Centre (Newfoundland); PEI BioAlliance; Springboard Atlantic; Creative Destruction Lab (Dalhousie University); and COAST Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (B.C.). Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Regina-based Protein Industries Canada, a federally supported global innovation cluster, is investing $2 million in a $4.5-million partnership with Ground Truth Agriculture, Parametrics.Ag, Cas-Grain Farms and C-Merak Innovations, to develop new technologies that predict and assess the quality of protein crops in the field during the growing season and harvest. The industry partners will contribute the remaining funding. Funded under Protein Industries Canada’s artificial intelligence stream of funding, the project is part of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. The companies are combining their expertise in the areas of software development, ingredient processing and agronomics to design an in-season protein prediction model and on-combine grain grading and quality system that can be used to assess crop quality in real time during the growing season and harvest. Protein Industries Canada

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced just over $3 million over five years for  the Atlantic Grains Council through the AgriScience Program - Projects Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. This funding will support the Atlantic Grains Council in research activities to address regional conditions, production challenges and agronomic practices, focusing on priorities for the local sector. Researchers will explore ways to adapt to a changing climate and enhance soil health, while improving the production and quality of grains and oilseeds to remain sustainable and competitive into the future. One of the key project activities is the Yield Enhancement Network (YEN). The YEN provides a real-time snapshot of the trends impacting the production, yield, quality and environmental impacts of grains and oilseeds. The network helps local farmers better understand their yield potential and discover limits to achieving that potential. There are 233 grain and oilseeds farms in Atlantic Canada, which generated approximately $113.8 million for producers in 2023. AAFC

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) announced the re-investment of up to $2.2 million of recycled industrial pollution pricing revenues to fund a major new emissions-reduction project at St Marys Cement in St. Marys, Ont. With this funding, St Marys Cement Inc. (Canada), which is part of the Votorantim Cimentos group, is installing new specialty cement kiln infrastructure that uses lower-carbon fuels, including discarded plastics, to replace up to 30 percent of the high-carbon fuels required for the manufacturing process. The innovative technology will cut more than 39,900 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2030, the equivalent of taking over 9,400 gas-powered cars off the road for a year. As members of Canada’s Net Zero Challenge, St Marys Cement is implementing their plan to transition their facilities and operations to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. ECCC

RESEARCH, TECH NEWS & COLLABORATIONS

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE) announced funding a new Research Community to conduct unclassified research on cutting-edge technologies in areas of strategic importance to CSE and the federal government, focusing on robust, secure, and safe artificial intelligence. David Lie, professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Toronto and his 18 co-applicants, from four Canadian universities (University of Toronto, Concordia University, University of Waterloo, York University), have been awarded a total of $5.6 million over four years to support a large project entitled: “End-to-End Approach to Safe and Secure AI Systems." Their goal is to develop techniques to solve many of the challenges associated with the use of these systems, including the training of models in scenarios that lack reliable, labeled data and ensuring the security, robustness, fairness and interpretability of AI. This is the first of four joint funding opportunities being offered by NSERC and CSE over the next five years, stemming from a new memorandum of understanding between the two organizations to award Research Communities grants to Canadian university researchers. Each funding opportunity focuses on a different topic. The grants will be awarded through NSERC’s Alliance grants program. NSERC

Startup Montréal has rebranded to Québec Tech, after the Quebec government granted $7 million to Startup Montréal last May, as part of the province’s Innovation Research and Investment Strategy. The renamed entity will be tasked with making Quebec an international reference in creating and supporting the growth of new technology companies. A focus of Québec Tech will be helping startups to scale up, with assistance from other provincial organizations and institutions, such as Investissement Québec International. Richard Chénier, general director of Québec Tech, said the organization is inspired somewhat by Alberta Innovates, created by the Alberta government, that quickly allowed Calgary to establish itself as a tech hub on the North American technology scene. Le Devoir

The Court of Appeal for British Columbia has ruled that victims of a 2020 data breach at the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink) can pursue a class action lawsuit for failing to keep their private information safe. The Court recognized that data custodians’ obligation to protect personal information they hold is not limited to that set out in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, says an article in the publication CircuLAWr. Likewise, data custodians can commit the statutory tort of violation of privacy found in the Privacy Act where they fail to take sufficient steps to protect that personal information. “Local governments take note: your exposure to liability arising from a data breah might be greater than you think,” wrote article author Aidan Andrews, an associate lawyer with Civic Legal LLP. The plaintiffs in the case (an estimated 39,000 people were affected by the data breach) asserted that the defendant was liable – both under statute and at common law – for taking inadequate steps to prevent a cyberattack and the unauthorized disclosure of a significant amount of sensitive personal information. The Supreme Court of British Columbia had previously dismissed the plaintiffs’ application for certification of the class action, saying it was bound to fail. The plaintiffs – barring an appeal – now have a second chance to achieve certification before the Supreme Court. Civic Legal LLP

Winnipeg-based Farmers Edge Inc., a digital agriculture company, announced that the Federal Court of Canada ruled in the company’s favour in a patent infringement suit brought by Winnipeg-based ag-tech firm Ag Growth International (AGI). The court ruled that Farmers Edge has never infringed the patent asserted by AGI for a “Farming Data Collection and Exchange System,” and that all claims in the patent are and have always been invalid. The judge also dismissed AGI’s motion to reopen the trial. In April 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska’s dismissed the patent infringement suit brought against Farmers Edge by AGI in the U.S. The Nebraska court ruled that AGI’s patent was ultimately an unpatentable, abstract idea. Farmers Edge

1PointFive, a Houston-based carbon capture, utilization and sequestration company, announced an agreement with Microsoft to sell 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits over six years to support Microsoft’s carbon removal strategy. The agreement is the largest single purchase of CDR credits enabled by direct air capture technology to date. Microsoft – like other U.S. tech giants – are confronting increasing CO₂ emissions largely due to energy-intensive data centres used to develop on generative AI applications. Direct air capture systems capture and directly remove CO₂ from ambient air, for permanent geological sequestration. The CDR credits for Microsoft will be enabled by STRATOS, 1PointFive’s first industrial-scale direct air capture facility currently under construction in Texas. 1PointFive’s partner on STRATOS is Carbon Engineering, a Squamish, B.C.-based company that pioneered a direct air capture system first developed at the University of Calgary by then-UCalgary engineering professor David Keith – now at the University of Chicago. Carbon Engineering was sold for $1.5 billion last September to Houston-based Occidental Petroleum. 1PointFive

Calgary-based Entropy, a subsidiary of Advantage Energy Ltd., announced its final investment decision to proceed with the company’s $127-million second carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at Advantage Energy’s Glacier natural gas processing plant in northwest Alberta. Total carbon dioxide capture capacity of the second project, expected to come onstream in the second quarter of 2026, will be 160,000 tonnes per year. This is in addition to the existing Phase 1 project (now operational) capacity of 32,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. All CO₂ will be permanently disposed of into a saline aquifer approximately two kilometers below the surface. Entropy said all capital expenditures are expected to be eligible for the federal investment tax credit of up to 50 percent, plus the Alberta carbon capture incentive program of 12 percent. Seventy-five percent of revenue from the project is contractually underpinned through a $200-million strategic investment from the Canada Growth Fund, which includes a 15-year carbon credit offtake agreement. The remaining 25 percent of revenue is contractually underpinned by a 15-year power purchase agreement with Advantage. In conjunction with the Glacier Phase 2 CCS project, Entropy will repower Advantage’s Glacier Gas Plant in a $47-million project, by installing a 15-megawatt gas-fired turbine and selling power to Advantage, while capturing approximately 90 percent of the CO₂ emissions from the turbine. Entropy

The Town of Ignace in northwestern Ontario has officially decided it is willing to become the site of a deep geological repository for Canada’s nuclear waste. The industry-led Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) plans to select a site this year where millions of bundles of used nuclear fuel will be placed in a network of underground rooms connected by cavernous tunnels. The process for the $26-billion project had already been narrowed down to two sites – Ignace and South Bruce southern Ontario, and the NWMO says that both the local municipality and the First Nation in those areas will have to agree to be willing hosts. Ignace, between Thunder Bay and Kenora, is now the first of those four communities to make its decision known, after the town council voted in favour of it. A committee of community members tasked with taking the pulse of the town’s willingness presented the results of a community vote, and said that out of the 640 residents who voted, 495 or 77 percent voted in favour. Neither of the First Nations has yet made their willingness decisions. The municipality of South Bruce is set to hold a referendum in October. Canada’s current fleet of nuclear reactors in Canada will produce about 5.5 million used fuel bundles, with around 3.2 million already in either wet or dry storage in containers (only designed to last 50 years) on site at nuclear plants. National Post

Nuclear Waste Watch, a nuclear watchdog group, is spearheading a joint letter from Canadian organizations to Governor General Mary Simon and federal ministers requesting that the appointment in June of Pierre Tremblay as president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) be rescinded, and that the CNSC be reformed to restore public trust in the agency. The appointment of Tremblay, long-time president of AECOM Canada Nuclear Services Inc. and senior executive of Ontario Power Generation, as well as co-owner of a private nuclear business, creates an apparent conflict of interest, Nuclear Waste Watch says. “His appointment compromises the public’s expectation of neutrality, objectivity and independence of Canada’s nuclear regulatory body and reinforces the public perception of industry capture of that body.” Nuclear Waste Watch says Tremblay’s appointment also appears to contravene International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines for management of regulatory bodies for safety, which affirms the need for independent of a regulatory body, and the separation of the regulatory body from the promoters of nuclear technology. As a member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Canada should adhere to IAEA safety guides and standards, Nuclear Watch says. “The most recent appointment of a life-long executive from the business side of the nuclear industry to head the CNSC is unacceptable.” Nuclear Waste Watch

The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) granted $294,497 to three foodtech projects through its Innovation Booster Program. The industry will match these funds to bring $588,992 in total project funding. The recipients of this funding are

• Bliq Photonics(Quebec City) received $99,992 for their “Coagulation Measurement Probe for the Cheese Industry” project. It is developing a non-contact optical probe to monitor cheese production in real-time, aimed at enhancing control and optimizing processes in the dairy industry.
• Harvest Systems(Hamilton) received $98,588 for their “Fryer-based HARVEST System with Ventilation Air Duct Heating Within a Restaurant Environment” project. The company will use this grant to expand its water-heating Harvest platform, which focuses on repurposing waste heat from fryers to heat ventilation air in restaurants, thereby reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
• AgricUltra Advancements(Beamsville, Ont.) received $95,917 to advance food safety and extend produce shelf life using MetaRail UV sterilization technology, designed to sanitize production lines and enhance freshness without chemicals. Food in Canada

The STEM Fellowship announced the launch of Career Center, a new job, internship and education board that connects STEM Talent with health industry employers and colleges. STEM Fellowship is a registered Canadian charity that provides mentorship and experiential learning opportunities in STEM for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Career Center is powered by YM Careers, a leading provider of job websites and career centers for organizations that serve professional associations. In addition to serving as a robust source of up to thousands of job opportunities for top STEM youth talent, STEM Fellowship said the Career Center will offer several benefits to Research Canada members and its supporters, including the ability for emerging investigators to post anonymous resumes, integration of job content into social media channels, and the ability for health and pharma professionals to be alerted every time a new job becomes available that matches their personal goals and interests. STEM Fellowship

VC, PRIVATE INVESTMENT & ACQUISITIONS

Montreal-based TandemLaunch, a Canadian venture studio and seed fund specializing in university technology transfers, announced the first close of TandemLaunch Ventures Fund IV at more than $27 million. The fund garnered support from lead investors BDC Capital and Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and over 30 family offices and angel investors domestically and internationally, many of whom have been long-term investors. TandemLaunch builds and backs university spinoff companies in artificial intelligence, computer vision, the Internet of things, sustainability and advanced sensors. TandemLaunch

Montreal-based Polystyvert, which specializes in recycling technologies and the circular economy of styrenic plastics (polystyrene and ABS), announced the closing of the first tranche of Series B funding for more than $16 million. Dutch venture capital firm Infinity Recycling led the round, followed by SWEN Blue Ocean, and Earth Foundry, an existing shareholder. Polystyvert said the investment represents another step towards construction of its first commercial plant in Quebec dedicated to recycling highly contaminated polystyrene waste, diverting it from landfills and creating premium materials that can replace virgin plastics. Polystyvert

Toronto-headquartered OMERS Ventures pension fund was among the investors in Netherlands-headquartered Medal.tv’s $13-million fundraising, a deal that values the video game-clipping company at $333 million. Other investors included Horizons Ventures, Peak6 and Arcadia Investment Partners. Medal also unveiled Highlight, a new cross-platform desktop app that acts as a contextual AI assistant for users. The app captures the content on your screen and lets you ask questions to a large language model based on that context. The company is also building an open platform for developers to deploy their own apps on the Highlight platform. TechCrunch

Toronto-based Clutch Business Technologies Inc., which specializes in online sales of pre-owned vehicles, received a $10-million investment from Quebec City-based iA Financial Group, an insurance and wealth management provider. Founded in 2017, Clutch in 2023 posted sales of more than 8,000 used vehicles through its online platform, making it one of Canada’s largest retailers of used vehicles. iA Financial Group said this investment enables it to develop its expertise in selling products on an entirely online basis. iA’s offerings will be integrated into Clutch’s platform, allowing customers to purchase a vehicle and select certain types of insurance and warranty coverage in a single transaction. iA Financial Group

Montreal-based Fig Financial Inc., which describes itself as Canada’s first completely digital personal loan provider, launched its services to all Canadians. Fig is a wholly owned subsidiary of Montreal-based Fairstone Bank. Fig said that to date, it has helped over 9,000 Canadians with more than $135 million in funded personal loans through various partnerships – and is now accessible directly to consumers. Fig’s online portal provides Canadians with loan approvals in within 30 seconds and enables them to complete the entire application in under 10 minutes. Customers can choose the amount to borrow, the time frame, and the repayment schedule that works best for them. Fig said its platform also provides transparency, addressing a significant gap in the current market where prime customers often lack clear information about their personal lending options. Fig Financial

Roga, a mental health and wellness company based in Los Angeles and Toronto, announced it raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding. Investors included Exceptional Ventures, ODX by On Deck, Minded Ventures, the AngelList Fund, The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, the Ontario Brain Institute and angel investors including senior directors from Samsung and Google. The company plans to use the funds to support the launch of their wearable device to reduce chronic stress and burnout. The Roga device, which looks like a pair of Apple headphones, is a paired wearable/app duo that combines two methods – peripheral nerve stimulation and personalized guided meditation – into one safe, effective and affordable solution to reduce stress and burnout. Roga’s co-founders are CEO Ami Lebendiker, a former Google Pixel product manager, and chief scientist Alison Smith, a Canadian neuroscientist turned neurotech entrepreneur. FinSMEs

Quebec City-based Point Laz raised $1.2 million in a pre-seed round led by equity financing from i4 Capital Fund and grants from Quebec City as part of the seed capital and business acceleration component of its “Vision entrepreneuriale Québec 2026” to support business development in the city. Point Laz said the financing will enable the worldwide marketing of its Lazaruss scanning device. This optical tool for mine shaft inspections significantly reduces inspection time and ensures greater safety for mine workers, the company said. The tool enables the enables the automation of mine shaft inspections, removing the need for manual inspections. The AI-powered technology generates reliable, structural and visual data for continuous monitoring of mine shaft conditions. Point Laz said its first 10 commercial Lazaruss scanners are set to be produced and exported worldwide. Point Laz

Saint John, N.B.-based MedReddie, which is using AI to transform medical technology procurement and improve health system outcomes, raised $782,000 in its oversubscribed pre-seed round. The investors include BDC’s Thrive Lab, The Firehood, Forum Ventures, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, angel investors, as well as government grants. The AI-powered health tech startup streamlines medical technology evaluation and purchasing, capitalizing on a global procurement software market size valued at $6.6 billion in 2022 and projected to more than double by 2026. MedReddie will leverage this investment to fuel its multi-pronged market expansion, which includes continuing its growth across Canada, targeting the U.S. hospital system, and exploring opportunities in international healthcare markets. MedReddie

Montreal-headquartered Bell Canada announced that it acquired technical services companies Stratejm and CloudKetttle Inc., adding professional and managed services expertise in cybersecurity and salesforce to Bell’s existing capabilities. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. Bell said these acquisitions will advance the company’s strategy to be the leader in supporting medium and large organizations' digital transformations and automation through cloud services, combined with Bell's pure fibre and 5G networks. Stratejm, based in Mississauga, Ont., and servicing Canadian and international customers, leverages AI through its end-to-end security-as-a-service solutions, real-time threat detection and response, and streamlining incident management processes. CloudKettle is a professional services provider based in Halifax and operating within Canada and the U.S. Bell Canada

Longueuil, Que.-based aerospace company Héroux-Devtek Inc. announced an agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Platinum Equity Advisors, a Berly Hills, California-headquartered private equity firm, for $1.35 billion. Platinum Equity has pledged to keep Héroux-Devtek’s headquarters in Longueuil and to continue investing in the company’s R&D centre in Saint-Hubert. Platinum Equity will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Héroux-Devtek, $32.50 in cash per share, other than the shares to be rolled over by members of senior management of the company. Founded in 1942, Héroux-Devtek is the third-largest landing-gear supplier in the world, employing 1,800 people across 15 sites and had net sales last year of about $630 million. Héroux-Devtek

Kitchener, Ont.-based D2L Inc., a global online learning technology company, announced it acquired Norway-based H5P Group for US$25.6 million in a share purchase agreement, with potential additional earnout payments of up to US$7.4 million based on the achievement of certain performance milestones. H5P Group provides interactive content creation software used by educators and organizations globally. D2L said the transaction aligns with the company’s commitment to expanding its learning platform with a focus on technologies that enhance the learning moment and improve learning outcomes. D2L Inc.

Montreal-based MDF Commerce Inc. announced the acquisition of Davis, Calif.-based EcoInteractive, a cloud-based software-as-a-service provider for transportation, environmental and local government agencies in the U.S., from Alpine Software Group in California. Financial details weren’t disclosed. MDF Commerce, which has the largest network of public agency buyers in North America, said it uniquely placed to integrate EcoInteractive’s solutions. EcoInteractive’s cloud-based SaaS software is used to manage critical infrastructure portfolios in 25 states. MDF Commerce was acquired earlier this year by New York-based KKR, a global equity firm, but maintains its operations in Quebec. MDF Commerce

Women founders of U.S. companies secured a record-high percentage of fundraising dollars in 2023 from venture capitalists despite an overall slowdown in VC funding activity, according to a report from Pitchbook Data and Deloitte. Women founders and co-founders secured nearly one-quarter (22.8 percent) of all VC money last year, up from 18.7 percent in 2022. By deal count, women founders secured about the same percentage of the VC deals as in 2022, at a little over 26 percent. The number of transactions for which women-founded startups received VC money fell in 2023 to 3,313, down from 4,461 in 2022. Companies with all female founders fared less well than companies with some female founders. In 2023, all-female-founded companies raised $3.2 billion from VCs, a single-digit percentage of all U.S. VC activity. In comparison, all-male-founded companies raised $114 billion in 2023. CFO.com

The new U.K. Labour government announced it’s launching a £7.3-billion national wealth fund for green investments, with help from a task force that includes Mark Carney, former central bank governor of both England and Canada. Carney is now chair of Brookfield Asset Management and its head of transition investing. The new fund aims to attract another £20 billion in private funds for low-carbon investments and “will invest in the new industries of the future.” Carney is part of an 11-member National Wealth Fund Taskforce that led the initiative, acting in a “personal capacity.”  Canadian pension funds CPP Investments and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan are credited as “wider contributors” to the fund. U.K. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said £7.3 billion of additional funding will be allocated through the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) so investments can start being made immediately. This funding is in addition to existing UKIB funding. “The smart use of public investment via the National Wealth Fund can kick start economic growth and crowd in private capital to vital sectors including ports, heavy industry and manufacturing,” Carney said in a statement. Govt. of the U.K.

REPORTS & POLICIES

 EU innovation report ranks Canada No. 2 among global competitors

Switzerland is the most innovative state in Europe, according to the 2024 European Innovation Scoreboard report.

An extended analysis, which includes the European Union (Switzerland is not an EU member) and 12 other European countries, ranked Switzerland the most innovative European country due to its high performance in several areas, including human resources, attractive research systems, firm investments and intellectual assets, the report says.

South Korea remains the most innovative global competitor in 2024, outperforming the EU by 21.1 percent. Three other competitors – Canada, Australia and the U.S. – lead over the EU, similarly to last year.

Canada is the second-most innovative global competitor (behind South Korea), classified in the report as a “Strong Innovator” with a performance level at 114.9 per cent of that of the EU in 2024.

The report ranks the U.S. as the No. 3 most innovative global competitor and Australia No. 4, of the 11 countries compared with the EU.

Despite a decrease in performance compared to 2023 (-0.8 percent), Canada has shown good improvement since 2017 (+8 percent), the report notes.

The report says Canada’s strengths lie in trademark applications, innovative SMEs collaborating with others, and SMEs introducing business process innovations.

Canada’s weaknesses are the exports of medium and high-technology products, environment-related technologies, and R&D expenditure in the business sector.

R&D expenditure in Canada’s business sector has declined by 75.8 percent since 2017 relative to EU member states, according to the report.

Canada’s exports of medium and high-tech products has declined by 51 per cent since 2017 compared with EU member states. Canada’s exports of environmental-related technologies has declined by 63.3 percent relative to EU member states over the same period.

China has shown a notable rise in innovation performance, increasing the most since 2017 (+28.2 percent), has overtaken Japan, and is catching up with the EU.

Among EU states, Denmark ranked No. 1 as the most innovative state in the EU, ahead of Sweden which was the leading EU state from 2017 to 2022 in last year’s report.

Sweden’s innovation performance improved by slightly less than the EU as a whole during this period – 9.3 percent compared with 10 percent.

Innovation excellence continues to be geographically concentrated in northern and western Europe, while the overall performance of southern and eastern countries that joined the EU after 2004 still ranks below the EU average, according to the report.

The scoreboard considers a wide range of factors that affect innovation It is based on a total of 32 indicators, divided into four main categories (framework conditions, investments, innovation activities, and impacts) and 12 dimensions.

All EU member states, except Luxembourg, have increased their innovation performance since 2017, the report says, although the extent to which they’ve improved varies strongly.

On the one hand, Romania, France, Ireland, Slovakia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Germany, Portugal, Austria and Slovenia displayed increases of less than five percentage points over the period 2017-2024.

On the other hand, 11 member states experienced faster performance growth than the EU over the same period, with Cyprus and Estonia displaying the most notable improvements (+39 percent and +27 percent, respectively).

Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands are innovation leaders with innovation performance well above the EU average (above 125 percent of EU average).

“The 10-percent improvement in the EU’s innovation performance between 2017 and 2024 represents substantial progress,” Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, wrote in a forward to the report.

 The progress is due in good part to the ongoing implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda, launched in 2022, she said. “It is key to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies and fostering a dynamic environment for startups and established businesses.”

The European Innovation Council, part of the European Research and Innovation Framework Programme Horizon Europe, is instrumental in supporting breakthrough innovation by helping high-risk innovative companies scale up, Ivanova said.

However, the EU has seen a decline in intellectual assets over the 2017-2024 period, particularly in the share of international patent and design applications, she noted.

Ivanova said the report also highlights that, compared to its global competitors, the EU needs greater investments in research and innovation, notably by the private sector. European Commission

*******************************************************************************************************************************

Basic scientific research is increasingly driving innovation, analysis shows

Basic scientific research is increasingly driving innovation, according to new analysis from the University of Basel’s Centre for International Economics and Business.

The Swiss researchers looked at patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over the last 40 years.

They found that approximately 30 percent of patents granted in the last decade cited at least one scientific paper, compared to around seven percent in the early 1980s. This points to a higher degree of knowledge transfer, the researchers said.

“You need a great science space to get a great innovation space,” Christian Rutzer, deputy head of the University of Basel, told Science|Business. But too often, politicians see research only as a cost, he said.

Among the countries studied, Switzerland had the highest proportion of science-based patents, possibly due to its strong life sciences sector, followed by the U.K. and the U.S.

Rutzer published the analysis in a series of five LinkedIn posts on the importance of science for innovation. In the second post, he and his team concluded that patents closely linked to scientific research are more likely to be high-impact innovations, which they define as the world’s top 10 percent most cited patents in a given year and a given technology.

With approximately 15 percent of science-based patents falling into this category, compared with under nine percent for other patents, they argue that science plays a key role in generating innovations that impact society.

Their third post breaks the data down by industry, and shows that this trend is particularly noticeable in engineering fields.

“This suggests that integrating basic research in these fields could yield significant benefits. In contrast, fields like chemicals and pharmaceuticals already heavily rely on science for innovation, resulting in a smaller differential benefit,” the researchers said.

Science-linked patents are also shown to have a higher impact in the U.S. than in other parts of the world, which the Basel team attributes to the strong ties between U.S. universities and industry, and the culture of entrepreneurship which helps to attract top talent from around the world.

The new analysis follows previous research from German economists Martin Watzinger and Monika Schnitzer, which found that patents building directly on science are on average $2.9 million more valuable than patents in the same technology class but unrelated to science.

Science-based patents, which also are more novel, are more valuable because science generates new ideas and concepts that are useful for innovation in the private sector, the economists said. Science|Business

*******************************************************************************************************************************

Ottawa proposes new regulations compelling post-secondary institutions to track and report enrolment status of international students

The Government of Canada has proposed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations that would compel designated learning institutions (DLIs) to track and report the enrolment status of international students.

Post-secondary institutions would be required to comply with conditions such as submitting compliance reports to government pertaining to international student enrolment status.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officers would also be empowered to verify a DLI’s compliance with the conditions.

The main objective of the proposed amendments is to provide IRCC with the appropriate tools to ensure that study permits are issued to those who will be attending genuine DLIs that comply with both federal and provincial requirements and to verify that students are complying with their study permit conditions, the government said.

 The amendments also would allow IRCC to act against institutions that fail to comply, such as by placing them on a suspension list and/or suspending them from receiving international students for up to 12 months.

The amendments also seek to allow international students to work four additional hours off campus, raising the maximum to 24 hours per week, to help offset the cost of living in Canada.

In 2023, Canada welcomed more than one million international study permit holders, compared with 352,305 in 2015.

In January, the federal government implemented a cap on the number of international students over the next two years. Ottawa will approve approximately 360,000 undergraduate study permits for 2024 – a 35-percent reduction from 2023.

Ottawa said that under the existing regulations, the government doesn’t have the regulatory authority to compel reporting from designated learning institutions as part of the compliance program and letter of acceptance verification system.

Where DLIs are not reporting, IRCC doesn’t have a reliable way of determining whether a student is attending the DLI and complying with their study permit requirements, and IRCC cannot effectively detect fraudulent letters of acceptance.

Also, IRCC currently cannot impose conditions on a non-compliant DLI, such as the suspension of study permit processing. This means that IRCC is required to issue study permits for students attending the DLI, even when the DLI is not reporting to IRCC on student enrollment status or participating in the letter of acceptance verification system, the government said.

Under the current regulations, IRCC cannot compel international students to notify the department if they change DLIs. “As a result, IRCC is unable in many cases to confirm student attendance and study permit compliance when a student changes DLIs. When students move between institutions without notification, this risks circumventing the study permit cap which has a negative effect on DLIs.”

The proposed regulations would require that post-secondary DLIs comply with the following conditions, using the electronic means specified by IRCC’s minister:

• confirm, within 10 days of a request from the minister, that a student has been accepted to undertake a program of study indicated on the study permit application.
• submit a compliance report, within 60 days of a request from the minister, about the enrollment status of each student who has been accepted to that institution and an indication of whether they are actively pursuing their course or program of study.
• within 10 days of a request from the minister, correct or provide additional information to the information in a compliance report.
• within 10 days of a request from the minister, provide any further information that the minister requires, such as information related to study permits or study permit applications that name the DLI.

The government has published the proposed amendments in the Canada Gazette, and has given interested persons until July 29 at 11:59 p.m. EST to respond. Govt. of Canada

*******************************************************************************************************************************

Nearly all websites and mobile apps worldwide are using deceptive design to obtain personal information online

Ninety-seven percent of websites and mobile apps assessed worldwide were using deceptive design patterns that may influence individuals into giving away more of their personal information online, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada says.

The Privacy Commissioner, along with 25 privacy enforcement authorities from across Canada and around the world, reported on their findings following a sweep conducted earlier this year of more than 1,000 websites and mobile apps.

The sweep enabled authorities to conclude that deceptive design patterns that make it difficult for people to protect their privacy online are not only prevalent, but also often worse among websites and apps that are geared towards children.

“Websites and apps should be designed with privacy in mind,” said Philippe Dufresne, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, said in a statement. “This includes providing privacy-friendly default settings and making privacy information easy to find.”

Ways in which organizations can help users better protect their privacy online include: emphasizing privacy options; using neutral language; clearly presenting privacy choices; and reducing the number of clicks for a user to find privacy information, log out or delete an account.

“Privacy is a fundamental right. Integrating privacy by design and privacy by default helps to promote the best interests of individuals, and builds trust, by offering individuals online experiences that are free from influence, manipulation, and coercion,” Dufresne said.

The Commissioner also encouraged individuals to be aware of deceptive design patterns, so that they can better protect their privacy and personal information online.

This year’s privacy sweep – an annual initiative of the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) – focused on how online deceptive design patterns can be used to steer users towards options that may result in the unnecessary collection of more of their personal information.

Deceptive design also may force individuals to take multiple steps to find a privacy policy, log out or delete their account to discourage them to do so. Other forms of deceptive design include presenting users with repetitive prompts that may frustrate them into giving up more of their personal information than they would like.

Privacy enforcement authorities sought to replicate the user experience by engaging with websites and apps to assess the ease with which they could make privacy choices.

They evaluated the sites and apps based on five indicators that were identified by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development as being characteristic of deceptive design patterns. For each indicator, the global report found:

• Complex and confusing language: More than 89 percent of privacy policies were found to be long or to use complex, university-level language level.
• Interface interference: When asking users to make privacy choices, 42 percent of the websites and apps that were swept used emotionally charged language to try to influence user decisions, while 57 percent made the least privacy protective option the most obvious and easiest for users to select.
• Nagging: 35 percent of websites and apps repeatedly asked users to reconsider their intention to delete their account.
• Obstruction: In nearly 40 percent of cases, sweep participants faced obstacles in making privacy choices or accessing privacy information, such as trying to find privacy settings or delete their account.
• Forced action: 9 percent of websites and apps forced users to disclose more personal information when trying to delete their account than they had to provide when they created it.

Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) along with sweep participants from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, looked specifically at 67 websites and apps targeted at children.

Sweep participants found that websites and apps aimed at children used – more often than websites and apps targeted at the general population – emotive language or nagging to manipulate users into making less privacy-friendly choices.

This part of the sweep supports championing children’s privacy rights, which is one of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s three strategic privacy priorities that will guide the OPC’s work through 2027.

“With children spending more and more of their lives online, it is critical that the spaces that they visit are safe, especially those targeted directly at them either deliberately or by their very nature,” Dufresne said.

“Organizations should put the best interests of young people first when designing websites and apps,” he said. “This includes limiting the collection of young people’s personal information, clearly explaining privacy information, making privacy protective settings the default, and empowering young people and their parents or guardians to make informed privacy protectives choices.”

For the first time, the GPEN sweep was coordinated with the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, which represents consumer protection authorities from around the world, including Canada’s Competition Bureau. The collaboration recognizes the growing intersection between privacy and other regulatory spheres.

In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this month banned Los Angeles-based social network NGL Labs from offering their “NGL: ask me anything” app to anyone under the age of 18.

NGL also will pay $5 million to settle a lawsuit involving a host of law violations related to the anonymous messaging app, including unfairly marketing the service to children and teens.

The FTC and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said NGL sent fake messages to drive up usage, tricked users into signing up for its paid service, didn’t obtain consent for recurring charges, and knowingly exposed kids and teens to cyberbullying and harassment. Privacy Commissioner of Canada

*******************************************************************************************************************************

Federal Conservative Party leader announces support for a First Nations Resource Charge

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre told the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) his government would support a First Nations Resource Charge.

Under the optional system, Indigenous communities would collect payments from energy and mining firms, which would receive a 50-percent refundable federal tax credit.

The First Nations Tax Commission proposed the charge as an alternative to one-off resource project negotiations.

Poilievre, in his speech to the AFN, framed the initiative as a means of ensuring Indigenous communities have more economic control, with “predictable funding streams that you can count on and borrow against for major capital projects.”

““The First Nations Resource Charge cedes federal tax room so communities will no longer need to send all their revenues to Ottawa and then ask for it back. It will also make resource projects more attractive to First Nations so they are more likely to go ahead,” Poilevre said.

“It’s ridiculous that the smallest governments must navigate the most complex negotiations” on economic and fiscal agreements for every proposed project in First Nations territory, said Chief Trevor Makadahay, Doig River First Nation

“We want to implement a charge like other Canadian governments to streamline business. The Resource Charge is going to provide the kind of revenues we need to have the water, health care, education and opportunities that every other Canadian takes for granted.”

The Liberal government in Budget 2024 announced the launch of the $5-billion Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program so that First Nations can buy equity stakes in resource projects. The government said more details would be released later this year. Canadian Press

*******************************************************************************************************************************

GenAI and data centres having increasingly negative environmental impacts

Development of generative artificial intelligence and a growing number of data centres are having increasingly negative environmental impacts, according to an article by Australian researchers in The Conversation.

Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, the amount of computational power used for AI is doubling roughly every 100 days and is projected to increase by more than a million times over the next five years, according to one estimate.

A single query to an AI-powered chatbot can use up to 10 times as much energy as an old-fashioned Google search. Broadly speaking, a GenAI system may use 33 times more energy to complete a task than it would take with traditional software.

This enormous demand for energy translates into surges in carbon emissions and water use, and may place further stress on electricity grids already strained by climate change, said the article’s authors, Gordon Noble, research director, and Fiona Berry, research principal – both at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney.

Most AI applications run on servers in data centres. In 2023, before the AI boom really took off, the International Energy Agency estimated data centres already accounted for one percent to 1.5 percent of global electricity use and around one percent of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

For comparison, in 2022, the aviation sector accounted for two per cent of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, while the steel sector was responsible for seven to nine percent.

 Microsoft has significant investments in AI, with a large stake in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI as well as its own Copilot applications for Windows. Between 2020 and 2023, Microsoft’s disclosed annual emissions increased by around 40 percent, from the equivalent of 12.2 million tonnes of CO₂ to 17.1 million tonnes.

Meta also is sinking huge resources into AI. In 2023, the company disclosed its Scope 3 emissions had increased by over 65 percent in just two years, from the equivalent of 5 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2020 to 8.4 million tonnes in 2022.

Google’s emissions were almost 50 per cent higher in 2023 than in 2019.

Data centres generate a lot of heat, and consume large amounts of water to cool their servers. According to a 2021 study, data centres in the U.S. use about 7,100 litres of water for each megawatt-hour of energy they consume.

Google’s U.S. data centres alone consumed an estimated 12.7 billion litres of fresh water in 2021.

In regions where climate change is increasing water stress, the water use of data centres is becoming a particular concern. The recent drought in California, where many tech companies are based, has led companies including Google, Amazon and Meta to launch “water positive” initiatives.

These big tech firms have announced commitments to replenish more water than they consume by 2030. Their plans include projects such as designing ecologically resilient watershed landscapes and improving community water conservation to improve water security.

In Australia, when the researchers surveyed Australian sustainability professionals in July 2023, they found only six percent believed data centre operators provided detailed sustainability data.

Many IT managers also lack the necessary skills to adequately address these sustainability impacts, regardless of corporate sustainability commitments, the researchers said. “Education and training for IT managers to understand and address the sustainability impacts of AI is urgently required.” The Conversation

THE GRAPEVINE – News about people, institutions and communities

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce appointed Candace Laing as its new president and CEO, effective September 1, 2024. Laing brings over two decades of experience from both the private and public sectors. She joined the Canadian Chamber’s board of directors in 2019, was vice-chair from 2021 to 2022, and became chair of the board in 2022. During her tenure, she led governance reforms and modernization efforts. Laing spent ten years at Nutrien and its predecessor, PotashCorp, where she was a senior vice president and chief human resources officer and the vice president of sustainability and stakeholder relations. She will succeed Perrin Beatty, who concludes his 17-year tenure on August 30. Canadian Chamber of Commerce

David Vigneault announced he’s stepping down at a yet-to-be announced date as director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), after a seven-year tenure, and is leaving the public service altogether. In a statement, Vigneault said being CSIS director "has been a privilege" and "one of the most challenging and rewarding period[s] in my career." Vigneault's tenure has seen CSIS confront allegations of foreign interference by the Chinese and Indian governments – allegations which reportedly have led to tensions between security officials and the federal government. According to a report released in May by the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, CSIS and the prime minister's national security adviser clashed on the threat of foreign interference in 2021. CBC News

Toronto-based Swift Medical appointed Dwayne Sansone as chief executive officer and Stratos Davlos as chief technology officer. Swift Medical is an advanced digital health technology company focused on improving clinical outcomes in chronic and acute wound care. Sansone brings over 25 years of diverse and extensive experience to Swift Medical, including significant expertise in the healthcare industry. His career spans public accounting, Wall Street investment banking, senior leadership roles with top health insurance payors and serving as a managing director at Virgo. Davlos will lead Swift Medical’s technology strategy and steer the development of its cutting-edge wound care solutions. He is a pioneer in AI, data and software development with over 25 years of experience across a career including key roles at Apple, Reliance Jio, and IBM. A prolific inventor, Stratos holds dozens of patents in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Swift Medical

Vancouver-based Kovo HealthTech Corporation announced that Greg Noble stepped down as CEO, and the board of directors has selected Brenner Adams to succeed Noble as interim CEO. Kovo’s software helps healthcare providers digitally track and manage complex patient care registration, services, billing and payments in a seamless way. During his tenure, Noble led the company's public listing on the TSX Venture Exchange and oversaw several acquisitions and operational efficiencies that grew the company from $1.7 million to $10 million from fiscal 2019 to fiscal 2023. Noble has signed a long-term contract to provide M&A consulting services for the Company. Adams is an international executive with a robust background in business  development, marketing and product leadership who significantly impacted the healthcare industry during his tenure as chief innovation officer at Med USA. Kovo HealthTech Corporation

Brampton, Ont.-based MDA Space Ltd. announced the appointment of Karl Smith to the company's board of directors, as well as the appointment of Janet McEachern as interim chief financial officer. McEachern replaces Vito Culmone, who is leaving the company to pursue another career opportunity. Smith  joins the audit committee of the board and is expected to assume the role of audit committee chair following the next board meeting in August 2024. Over a career that spanned more than 30 years, Smith held a variety of executive roles within the Fortis Group, including as president and CEO of FortisAlberta, and president and CEO of Newfoundland Power. McEachern has been at MDA Space since 2020 and is currently the vice president, finance. MDA Space

Canadian-founded retail giant Faire, with Canadian headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo, named Thuan Pham as its new chief technology officer. A prominent engineering executive known for his leadership as CTO at both Uber and Coupang, Thuan will lead the engineering, data, and IT teams, and shape the company’s technical strategy. Prior to joining Faire, he spent 30 years building and directing teams at some of the most transformational companies in tech. Pham replaces Marcelo Cortes, co-founder and now-former CTO, who has moved to the new role of chief architect. Faire

Mississauga-based financial services company goeasy Ltd. announced that Jason Mullins will transition out of his role as president and CEO at year-end, and will remain as a director on the board. Mullins, who decided to step down, has been the company for 14 years, including nearly six years as president and CEO.  Alongside the board, he will participate in the selection of a successor and will collaborate with the new leader during a transition period. goeasy Ltd.

Montreal-based 123Loadboard, a freight-matching platform, announced the appointment of Eric Dowdell as its new CEO, effective immediately. He takes over from co-founder Greg Adourian, who has stepped down from his role as CEO. Dowdell brings a wealth of experience in the transportation and technology sectors. Most recently, he served as president of Comdata, a market leader in fuel cards, payment solutions, and POS technology for the trucking industry. 123Loadboard

Vancouver-based AgriFORCE Growing Systems, an intellectual property-focused agtech company, appointed seasoned turnaround advisor and corporate attorney Jolie Khan as new CEO. Kahn has an extensive background in corporate finance, management and corporate and securities law, most recently with Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. where she served as general counsel from 2019 to 2023. She represents both public and private companies, hedge funds, and other institutional investors in their role as investors in public companies. AgriFORCE Growing Systems

Toronto-based health tech company Lifeist Wellness Inc.’s appointed Andrea Judge as vice-president operations of Lifeist and CEO of Mikra Cellular Sciences, one of its portfolio companies, effective immediately. Judge brings a wealth of experience in sales, marketing and executive management to Mikra. She started her professional career in marketing at Red Bull and advanced through a series of increasingly senior positions in the medical aesthetics industry. Mikra is a biosciences and consumer wellness company developing and selling products for cellular health. Lifeist Wellness Inc.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer named Peter Kyle as secretary of state for science, innovation and technology. Canada and the U.K. are already collaborating on quantum research and innovation, and have previously committed to closer cooperation on artificial intelligence. Kyle will lead those files, and also help implement Labour pledges to implement 10-year budgets for key R&D institutions, support diverse business models to bring innovation and new products to the market, and double onshore wind energy, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind energy by 2030. The Labour government also has pledged to ensure the long-term security of its nuclear power sector, including with new nuclear power stations and small modular reactors, and remove planning barriers for new datacentres. Govt. of the U.K.

Assiniboine College received a $500,000 donation from the Anthony Matlashewski Charitable Foundation to support the college’s new Mechatronics Engineering Technology (Robotics and Automation) program. This donation will contribute toward the purchase of teaching robots and equipment for the program. Assiniboine plans to attract students interested in careers in agricultural automation, robotics, precision agriculture and ag-tech development. Assiniboine said the three-year Mechatronics interdisciplinary diploma program, which combines mechanical engineering technologies and electronics, will launch in September 2025 in the college’s Russ Edwards School of Agriculture & Environment. Assiniboine College

Vancouver Community College (VCC) announced a new cybersecurity post-degree diploma program that will equip learners to defend digital assets. Students will develop their knowledge of and skills in cybersecurity fundamentals, privacy and security frameworks, risk communication, enterprise IT operations, evolving compliance standards, business communication and project management. Students can also participate in experiential learning through activities such as hands-on labs, analyses of cybersecurity breaches and a capstone project. VCC said program graduates will be prepared for careers such as cybersecurity analysts, security auditors, risk analysts, cybersecurity controls assessor, business information security officers, and policy/compliance analysts. The program will start in Fall 2024. VCC

R$