Government of Canada invests in innovation in Saskatchewan to bring leading-edge products and technology to market

Jan 24, 2022

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) provides funding of $1.3 million for innovation and job creation

REGINA, SK, Jan. - Driven by innovation and backed by a community of supporters, Saskatchewan is home to a rapidly growing tech sector, which includes many start-ups that are capturing national and international attention.

Today, the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, announced an investment of $900,000 to support Regina's new Agtech Accelerator, and an additional $400,000 to support Jobbox Software Inc. (Jobbox) as they expand functionality and markets for their technology.

Canada's first venture-backed Agtech Accelerator was established by Economic Development Regina (EDR), Cultivator powered by Conexus and Emmertech. The Accelerator supports early-stage agtech companies to scale-up and grow by providing critical access to resources, programming and capital investment. The Accelerator builds globally competitive agtech start-ups and supports a long-term vision of further solidifying Regina and Saskatchewan as a global agtech hub that is focused on the agri-food value chain. It is a key part of EDR's agriculture and food strategy, which builds on regional strengths and unique assets, while reducing barriers to growth.

Jobbox, also supported by Cultivator, has built an innovative platform, ServiceBox, to assist field service companies to manage their business workflow digitally in real time. The Government of Canada is delivering additional investment to this growing firm to support further economic growth and innovation. This support will enable Jobbox to expand its platform and increase sales and marketing of its services throughout Canada and the United States.

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Video: Exploring Precision Data in Swine Production - Dr. Janice Siegford

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms.

“Precision livestock farming data can support producers, veterinarians, certifiers, and consumers by enabling improved monitoring, prediction, and decision-making across the entire production system.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Janice Siegford / janice-siegford-24318839 is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Her expertise in animal welfare, neuroscience, and zoology supports research on pig behavior, stress resilience, and precision livestock farming. Her work explores early weaning, genetics, and stakeholder perspectives on technology adoption to improve pig care, health, and productivity. Learn more from Dr. Janice Siegford on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.