The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, today announced $163 million to establish 11 new Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECRs). Advanced Applied Physics Solutions, Inc., (AAPS) a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of TRIUMF, was selected as one of the winners. The CECR award will contribute $14.95 million over 5 years to pursue major discoveries and bring them to the marketplace.
AAPS is incorporated through TRIUMF’s Technology Transfer Division. Tech Transfer’s head Phil Gardner will direct the new centre, which will come into being on March 31, 2008. AAPS will focus on commercializing TRIUMF-developed technologies with several partners including D-Pace, THALES Corp., University of British Columbia, Canadian Mining Industry Research Organization, and the China Institute of Atomic Energy. AAPS will initially focus on technologies for laser production of diamond-like foils, superconducting mini-cyclcotrons, and a novel liquid xenon-based PET imaging scanner.
“Today’s announcement marks a milestone in Canadian research history,” said Minister Prentice. “The technologies, therapies, services and products generated by these new centres will help improve the well-being of all Canadians while positioning Canada at the forefront of priority research areas. As we stated in our Science and Technology Strategy, this Government is committed to encouraging these exciting, multidisciplinary partnerships between the private, academic and public sectors.”
The CECR Program is a key element of the Federal Government's Science and Technology Strategy. The Program supports the operation of commercialization and/or research Centres that bring together people, services, and infrastructure to maximize the benefits of the government's investments in skills and research and to encourage greater private sector investment in science and technology. This year’s competition saw 110 eligible applications submitted in the Letters of Intent Phase. Eleven finalists were identified in the last round, four of which are based in British Columbia.
For more information, please see the press release from Industry Canada.