Montreal, Quebec – 22 March 2017 – FPInnovations’ President and CEO, Pierre Lapointe, today welcomed Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s commitment to create innovation superclusters as a driving force to build the Canadian economy. In his budget, Minister Morneau announced an investment of up to $950 million over 5 years to support business-led innovation superclusters that will enhance Canada’s competitiveness globally by focusing on highly innovative industries. In addition, Minister Morneau announced significant support to increase the use of wood as a greener substitute material in infrastructure projects and to encourage the development, demonstration and adoption of clean technology in the natural resources sector.
“FPInnovations welcomes the Innovation Superclusters and Clean Tech programs. As the leading Canadian forest sector innovation organization, we are looking forward to working with officials and develop proposals that meet and surpass expectations in regards to innovation de-risking and scaling-up for our sector”, said Mr. Lapointe. “This budget announcement will further facilitate the collaboration between research institutes, colleges and universities, governments, and industry and result in sustainable jobs to rural economies, many of whom are dependent on the forest sector.”
Quick Facts
- Disruptive technologies developed by FPInnovations in collaboration with its partners include the world’s first pilot plant production of nano-crystalline cellulose, world’s first commercial scale production of cellulose fibrils and the development of a lignin extraction process as a new bioproduct from pulp and paper mills.
- Innovation and applied research has been used successfully to develop clean technologies to reduce air pollutants by 52% and water pollutants by 70% by the forest sector since 2005
- FPInnovations produced the game-changing construction and design guides for mid-rise and tall wood buildings and has been as the forefront of scientific research influencing national and international codes and standards.
- Innovative clean technologies currently in development include TMP-Bio, a technology to be installed in underutilized pulp mills to convert hardwood chips to non-food sugars and lignin that in-turn can be used to create sustainable biochemicals.
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About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit world leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector’s value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations’ staff numbers more than 500. Its R&D laboratories are located in Québec City, Montréal, and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada. For more information about FPInnovations, visit: www.fpinnovations.ca.
Contacts:
| Terry Knee
FPInnovations Communications Director 514-442-1598 |
