CHAR Technologies is a cleantech company specializing in biocarbon development. They produce a proprietary activated charcoal-like material called SulfaCHAR that removes hydrogen sulfide from gas. SulfaCHAR, once used for the gas cleaning application, has further use as a sulfur-enriched biofuel for industrial and agricultural purposes. Although CHAR Technologies is well-integrated in the agricultural sector, its…
Significant time, talent, and financial resources are required to perform military and defence research and development projects. Bringing innovative ideas through to working prototypes can be an intensive process, and crossing the commercialization hurdle to finding a first-buyer can be even more difficult. Fortunately, Canadian government procurement programs exist to help technology firms work through…
The AgriInnovate Program is a Canadian government funding initiative that helps businesses commercialize and/or adopt innovative agri-based products, technologies, processes, or services that are new to the sector. It offers 0% interest non-secured loans with repayment starting once a project is complete. This helps agriculture and agri-food businesses purchase advanced technologies now and pay back…
Autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies are advancing at an incredible pace. Only a short while ago, connected and autonomous vehicles were thought of as being a long way from market readiness, but now it appears that they’re only a few years away from public roads. While there are still hurdles to overcome, governments and businesses must…
Sleeman Breweries Ltd. is Canada’s third-largest brewery. With facilities in Guelph, Ontario, Sleeman brews over 20 different brands year-round, including Sleeman, Sapporo, Unibroue, Okanagan Spring, and Pabst Blue Ribbon. The brewery creates premium lagers and ales that are incredibly popular in Canada and are also sold internationally. Recently, Sleeman Breweries Ltd. was awarded $422k in…
Environmental and business sustainability may seem like two very different and disconnected topics. Until recently, it’s been possible for businesses to ignore environmental sustainability in favour of traditional production methods that were more cost-effective. But with so many new technologies emerging that are environmentally sustainable and deliver superior results, companies must shift their mindsets and…
Four Halton Region food and beverage processors have recently been announced as recipients of government funding through Growing Forward 2 Ontario. Each business accessed funding to offset a portion of costs related to technology upgrade projects; as a result, these successful applicants are expected to significantly improve productivity and competitiveness. The Growing Forward 2 Ontario…
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is a federal-provincial-territorial suite of government funding programs for food producers and processors. While some programs are available to businesses across Canada, others only provide support to specific provinces. These programs provide support to enhance what was previously available through the Growing Forward 2 initiative. A stream of CAP, the…
Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry is a top contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To help create a more sustainable and productive industry, food and beverage processors must be willing to invest in new technologies that reduce GHGs created throughout the production process. Although it can be expensive to integrate new equipment and/or processes, such…
Dr. Oetker is a German-based producer of baking ingredients, desserts, and frozen pizzas. The company operates in over 35 countries, with production facilities in 15, including Canada. It maintains a dominant market share here in Canada; as of 2017, Dr. Oetker’s frozen pizzas accounted for one of every three pizzas sold domestically. Until 2014, Dr….