The project is a collaborative effort with regional and community partners, who ensure the benefits of this project are more widespread through the western region. This project aims to provide the scaffolding to spark long term transformational change in the western Newfoundland region, a goal which will require all project partners to play a pivotal role. Partnerships for the Centre of Research and Innovation include CBPPL, GC, CNA, and the City of Corner Brook. Benefits are expected for all partners involved, including CBPPL, the two post-secondary institutions, and the City of Corner Brook.

 

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited (Kruger)

CBPPL continues to be a significant employer and industry in Corner Brook and the western region; however, international competition, declining demand for newspaper production and limited innovation and research has challenged its economic footing. Additional challenges such as the rising cost of disposal of waste products and the increasing expectation of environmentally sustainable practices and products motivated the establishment of the Centre of Research and Innovation collaborative partnership project with the goal to secure the place of the mill as a significant regional employer and industry into the future.

 

The City of Corner Brook

The City of Corner Brook is located on Newfoundland’s west coast. The City’s Council comprises 1 Mayor and 6 Councillors and is a legislative body representing the citizens of Corner Brook. The Executive Team led by the City Manager is responsible for carrying out City Council’s policies.

City Councillors and staff have partnered with Memorial University on several projects related to the economic development and sustainability of Corner Brook, including the running of a semester-long "City Studio" class jointly held at GC and at City Hall. The City of Corner Brook is supportive of the Centre of Research and Innovation project and is hopeful that its actualization will be beneficial for the economic and social wellbeing of the city (Jim Parsons - Mayor of City Council).

 

College of the North Atlantic

Along with Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus, the College of the North Atlantic is one of two public post-secondary institutions in the western Newfoundland region and a major contributor to the workforce development and training for both CBPPL and the wider Corner Brook. CNA’s Corner Brook campus has been integral to the development of the proposal through its development of the training and research components of the project. CNA faculty and staff are very familiar with the training needs of the mill through curriculum such as its Millwright program, and on this basis, the institution aims to further enhance the training capacity of the mill by developing programming to support succession planning for skilled mill employees, expand skills development and training in new trades related to innovation, and run training programs out of the new Innovation Centre building. CNA has contributed significant time and resources to the Center’s planning process to date and will continue to be a major partner in the project.

 

Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Over the last 10 years, GC has significantly increased its capacity to become a high-level producer of research, development, and entrepreneurship around provincial agriculture and food studies. By increasing the number of faculty positions, academic programs, business development and entrepreneurship support and adding the building of environmental and agricultural labs, the campus is well positioned to support the research needs of the agricultural sector of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Together with CNA, GC plays a significant role in the planning and implementation of the research, innovation and training components of the Centre of Research and Innovation Project. Grenfell is responsible for funding student interns to assist their faculty with research on CBBPL by-products. Student interns’ work is overseen by faculty of the Boreal Ecosystems and Agricultural Sciences program (BEAS) and faculty of the Environmental Policy Institute (EPI) of the campus. Due to a lack of laboratory facilities at CBPPL, analysis of research samples requiring laboratory equipment takes place at Grenfell Campus. Grenfell will also be involved in developing student training opportunities as they are needed.

                             

Funding Agencies

The Centre of Research and Innovation project received funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency of Government of Canada (ACOA), the Provincial Government Departments of Industry, Energy and Technology (IET), Immigration, Skills and Labour (ISL), and Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture (FFA), the City of Corner Brook, Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. (CBPPL), Emera, as well as Mitacs, and CleanTech internship programs. A total of $8.9 million was invested by three levels of government and Emera to support the development of all three components of the project. Additionally, the Mitacs and CleanTech programs provided internships for Grenfell students to support the research component of the project.

 

Centre for Research and Innovation Building Funders

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is the Government of Canada’s agency responsible for assisting businesses in the four Atlantic provinces by providing the resources and information they need. ACOA provides business advice and guidance, business information services, financial support for the businesses to be more competitive, innovative, and productive.

ACOA is one of the major contributors to the Centre of Research and Innovation Project. The agency invested $1.8 million to the project to redevelop the CBPPL’s Human Resources building to house the Centre for Research and Innovation.

 

The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology

The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology (IET) is the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s agency responsible for innovation, economic development, and diversification in the province. The department works towards creating a competitive environment in NL to support the private sector and businesses, as well as the mining, energy, and technology industry.

The Government of NL provided funding in the amount of $306,208 from IET’s Regional Development Fund toward the research program.

 

Emera

Starting as a single electric utility in Nova Scotia, Emera is currently an energy leader in Canada, the US, and the Caribbean, with more than $32 billion in assets in 2019 and approximately 2.5 million utility customers. Emera has a historical and long-term strategy to safely deliver cleaner, affordable, and reliable energy. Emera is making investments in cleaner and renewable energy sources. Therefore, Emera supports innovation and entrepreneurship programming in Newfoundland and Labrador with significant funding contributions.

Emera contributed $1 million to the Centre of Research and Innovation Project to develop the Innovation Centre in the city of Corner Brook.

 

City of Corner Brook

The City of Corner Brook has been one of the key supporters of the Centre of Research and Innovation Project. The City of Corner Brook contributed $50,000 to support the development of the Innovation Centre in downtown Corner Brook.

 

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. (CBPPL) is one of the partners of the Centre of Research and Innovation Project. Grenfell  and College of the North Atlantic (CNA) are working with CBPPL on the research program and training initiative. GC and CBPPL are designing a joint research program to drive incremental innovation at the mill by improving competitiveness through increased use of by-products. CNA and CBPPL will work together to further enhance the training capacity of the mill.

CBPPL has invested $150,000 in funds toward the research component of the project. In addition, CBPPL provided the former HR building across from the mill to support the establishment of the Innovation Centre.

 

Centre for Research and Innovation Research Funders

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is the Government of Canada’s agency responsible for assisting businesses in the four Atlantic provinces by providing the resources and information they need. ACOA provides business advice and guidance, business information services, financial support for the businesses to be more competitive, innovative, and productive.

ACOA is one of the major contributors to the Centre of Research and Innovation Project. ACOA contributed $400,000 to the development of the research component of the project.

 

The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology

The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology (IET) is the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s agency responsible for innovation, economic development, and diversification in the province. The department works towards creating a competitive environment in NL to support the private sector and businesses, as well as the mining, energy, and technology industry.

The Government of NL provided funding in the amount of $679,682 from the IET’s Regional Development Fund to renovate CBPPL’s Human Resources building for a new applied research and innovation centre in Corner Brook.

 

Mitacs

Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization in Canada, delivering research and training programs to increase the deployment of highly educated graduates into the private sector. Since its establishment, Mitacs has supported more than 20,000 research projects, trained more than 33,000 student and postdoc career-skills participants, and supported more than 3,600 international research collaborations.

Mitacs provided internship funding for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at Grenfell Campus, as part of the research component of the Center. Mitacs internships allow graduate students the opportunity to gain real-world work experience while being supported jointly by the program and an industry partner. The internships were offered to Master of Science (Master of Science in Boreal Ecosystems and Agricultural Sciences) and Master of Arts (Master of Arts in Environmental Policy) students. Overall, the internships contribute to strengthening the relationship between Grenfell and CBPPL for the benefit of both as well as for students.

 

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. (CBPPL), as a key partner of the Centre of Research and Innovation committed $150,000 in funds for the research component of the project.

 

The Agricultural Clean Technology Program 

Running from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2021, Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) is a $25-million program offered by the Government of Canada. The aim of the program is to support research, development and adoption of clean technologies via financial contributions and promotion of precision agriculture and Agri-based bioproducts. Clean Technologies aim to contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have a positive environmental impact. The Agricultural Clean Technology Program provided funding for the Centre of Research and Innovation Project to support its research component. The program also provided internship opportunities for Grenfell students to improve CBPPL’s economic competitiveness through research projects. More details about this research program can be found here.

 

Centre for Research and Innovation Training Funders

The Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour

The Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour (ISL) is a Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s agency that ensures that the province has the required talent and skills to drive economic growth. Through a spectrum of programs, services, and supports, ISL aims to create a favourable climate for economic growth, competitiveness, and prosperity in NL.

The Government of NL contributed $5.3 million via ISL to the Centre of Research and Innovation Project to support an employer-sponsored training program to be developed and delivered by CNA.