More than $8.3 million through PrairiesCan will enable Alberta businesses and communities to commercialize and adopt innovative clean technologies
With access to abundant raw materials and a skilled workforce, Alberta is a leader in the natural resources and energy industries. As global markets increasingly look for more sustainable ways of doing business, innovators across Alberta are responding by advancing technologies that benefit both the economy and the environment. The Government of Canada is committed to helping Alberta's innovative communities and businesses succeed-contributing to the country's prosperity and quality jobs for Albertans.
Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced more than $8.3 million in federal funding for 13 projects aimed at advancing clean technologies in Alberta's energy and natural resource industries.
Key priorities areas include:
Scaling up the Energy Transition Centre in downtown Calgary
PrairiesCan funding of $2 million will enable the scaling up of the Energy Transition Centre in Calgary to increase the number of clean tech businesses receiving support, expand programming, and enhance collaboration among industry, academia, and investors.
This new funding builds on PrairiesCan's previously announced investment of over $2.1 million to establish the Centre as hub for Canada's largest energy companies to collaborate with clean energy start-ups, innovators, and investors.
Advancing Alberta's hydrogen sector
An investment of over $1.5 million for two projects is enhancing regional capacity and collaboration in the hydrogen sector:
- $1.5 million will help establish the Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub to grow the hydrogen economy in the Calgary area while better connecting existing hydrogen hubs in Vancouver and Edmonton.
- $50,000 will support a study to investigate opportunities related to a regional hydrogen hub in the Grande Prairie area.
Together, these projects will accelerate investment in Alberta's hydrogen economy, enabling businesses to capture global market share in the rapidly growing hydrogen sector.
Powering Indigenous communities
Six projects totaling over $1.6 million will contribute to the study of suitable alternative energy sources to supply power to Indigenous communities across Alberta. Projects will advance the study of large-scale battery storage systems needed to support renewable energy solutions, investigate the feasibility of repurposing underutilized spaces into large-scale solar photovoltaic farms, and identify the most suitable renewable energy sources that work in Alberta's Indigenous communities.
Bringing Alberta-made innovations to new markets
Repayable funding of $1.8 million will enable Calgary-based FulcrumAir to expand operations. FulcrumAir's innovative robotic devices increase safety, productivity and efficiency when installing or maintaining power lines. This funding will enable the company to increase sales of its UAV and robotics-based power line construction and maintenance solutions in the United Sates, Australia, and European markets.
Enhancing training and connections in the natural resources sector
More than $1.3 million for three projects will advance clean technology innovations for use in the natural resource sector:
- Over $157,000 for AquaAction will help launch the Prairies AquaHacking Challenge for young professionals and students to turn their innovative ideas into market ready, demand-driven freshwater technology solutions.
- $735,000 for the Pathways Alliance is helping establish a mentorship program that enables leaders in Alberta's small- and medium-sized businesses to connect and share knowledge to advance their innovative clean technology solutions.
- Over $462,000 for ROA Gateways Corporation is enabling the launch of a digital marketplace where businesses can directly connect with and sell clean technology products and services to organizations operating in the natural resources sector.
Creating jobs and working toward a prosperous Prairie economy
Today's investments support approximately 240 jobs and position Albertans to capitalize on opportunities in traditional and emerging energy-related sectors.
In line with the principles of the Government of Canada's Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, these investments are about collaborating on initiatives that build on local priorities, and capitalize on regional strengths to support a sustainable and prosperous net-zero future.
