CME names 2010 Regional Innovation Award winners

Mississauga — Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) announced the winners and finalists of the 2010 Regional Innovation Awards for new technology.

Energy and related industries took the majority of the top spots. In the Atlantic/Nunavut region, for example, SHIFT Energy Inc. of Saint John, NB provides energy management consulting services for commercial buildings. The company promises at least a 10% cut on total energy bill in year one with a potential to save up to 40%. Flakeboard Company Limited of St. Stephen, NB and Marport Canada Inc. in St. John’s, NL were finalists in the region.

Similarly, Toronto’s Cavet Technologies Inc., winner of the Ontario region award, designs and manufactures the LumiSmart ILC – an intelligent lighting control system used to cut energy costs of florescent lighting. A.O Smith WPC Canada, Fergus and Chinook Mobile Heating & Deicing Corporation, Smiths Falls took the runner-up spots in Ontario.

Corvus Energy's lithium-based batteries boast four times the energy density of lead acid chemistries.

On the energy storage side, Richmond, B.C.-based Corvus Energy won in the BC/Yukon region for its patented NMC chemistry lithium ion batteries that the company says provide up to four times higher energy density compared to lead acid batteries. Energy Aware Technology Inc. of Vancouver and Richmond’s Star Solutions International were finalists for the region.

While not strictly an energy company, Boreal Laser Inc. of Spruce Grove, Alberta won first prize in the Western Canada region. The company develops and manufacturers its line of GasFinder products, laser-based gas detection technology used to monitor hazardous or toxic gas in industrial applications. Regina’s Ground Effects Environmental Services Inc. and Westward Industries in St. François Xavier, Manitoba were also recognized as finalists by the awards.

Medicago's non-infectous Virus Like Particles emulate the protein structure of viruses.

The Québec region had the strongest showing with four companies recognized for their innovation, lead by Québec City-based Medicago. The vaccine development company uses Virus-Like Particles (VLP) – non-infectious protein shells engineered to emulate the appearance of a particular virus—to develop vaccines that stimulate the immune system. In addition, the company uses plants as a protein source, avoiding the manufacturing problems associated with egg-based production. Axium Inc. and Marquez Transtech, both in Montréal, and Val d’Or-based Manufacturier Minier CMAC-Thyssen Inc. secured finalists spots as well.

The 2010 Regional Award for New Technology recognizes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for their innovative excellence in the development and application of innovative new technologies across Canada. NRC-IRAP’s Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs) work with SMEs across Canada to help increase innovative and technological capacity.
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