Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship has had its Technology Access Centre grant renewed from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
“Renewal of our Technology Access Centre grant is a testament of our worth to industry partners across Canada,” Andrew Dunlop, associate vice-president of research, said in a press release.
“We thank our federal partners for this funding as we look to continue using applied research to solve industry problems, particularly around controlled environment agriculture.”
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The five-year, $1.75 million grant will grow and diversify the polytechnic’s Integrated Agriculture Technology Centre, serving as a public-facing applied research, consultation and problem-solving resource for agricultural producers in southern Alberta and beyond.
Technology access centres are federally designated, fee-for-service applied research hubs found across Canada. Lethbridge Polytechnic’s IATC is part of a network of more than 60 centres nationwide, each serving a specific geographic area with a focus on strengthening a significant industry to that region.
“(This) funding will advance genomics-driven agricultural innovation, accelerate health sector innovation and accessibility and strengthen critical minerals research for sustainable mining, among many other areas,” said professor Alejandro Adem, president of NSERC.
“By supporting research that fuels technological progress and economic growth, this investment ensures impactful collaboration between partners, benefiting industries, communities and Canadians alike.”
Established in 2020, the IATC provides expert technical support, training and applied research services to Alberta’s controlled environment agriculture sector. Clients range from small- to medium-sized producers, food processors, ag-tech companies, communities and nonprofits.
To learn more about the IATC, or to request support as a small- or medium-sized agricultural enterprise, visit www.lethpolytech.ca/iatc.
