OTTAWA, ON - Canada's small businesses are driving innovations to help develop efficient, sustainable and cost-effective solutions to ensure the economy remains competitive and well-positioned for the future. Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, and the Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Minister of Agriculture announced a total of $950,000 in funding for 4 small-businesses under the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program in order to help safeguard Canada's food, plants, and animals.
The Government of Canada is committed to investing in innovation that supports small businesses in their efforts to develop new or improved tools, technology, methods and processes for the benefit of Canadians, the environment, and our economy. This funding will allow businesses to respond to unique challenges, including the detection of marine biotoxins, foot-and-mouth disease vaccine matching, and detection of granulomas for tuberculosis surveillance.
To do so, the following four businesses have received funding:
- Bioimaging Research Solutions Inc. (Guelph, Ontario) has received $150,000 to develop an automated tool that will scan specific lymph nodes within the carcass to identify tissues at higher risk for presence of bovine tuberculosis.
- Silk Way Services Inc. (Toronto, Ontario) has received $150,000 to use advanced diagnostic imaging systems to identify tissues at higher risk for presence of bovine tuberculosis.
- Shaddari Inc. (Montreal, Quebec) has received $350,000 to apply artificial intelligence in determining the best vaccines to use during a foot-and-mouth outbreak of the disease.
- Sensoreal Inc. (Montreal, Quebec) has received $300,000 from to complete a prototype for a rapid screening device that can be used to detect paralytic shellfish toxins found in Canadian coastal waters. Upon completion of the two year phase, the business will have opportunities for bringing this innovative portable device to the market.
We recognize the importance of cutting-edge research and technology to provide businesses the opportunity to grow while ensuring Canadians have access to the high-quality food and products they need.
ISC challenges provide an opportunity for greater business-research collaboration between Canadian small businesses and the Government of Canada to advance science and innovation, and support evidence-based decision-making to safeguard Canada's food, plants and animals.
Source : Newswire.ca