At the Canada Foundation for Innovation, we invest in the infrastructure that enables researchers and students to push the boundaries of knowledge and turn ambitious ideas into transformative ventures. These entrepreneurial minds, nurtured in the cutting-edge labs we support, are forging a prosperous future for Canada.

Our nation's innovation landscape is powered by a new generation of talented individuals who are not only acquiring high-demand skills in state-of-the-art facilities but also leading initiatives that improve health, build safer communities and drive economic growth. This new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs embody Canada's potential to be globally competitive and resilient.

As we navigate an evolving global economy, supporting the work of research-driven entrepreneurs has never been more critical. Government of Canada investments through the CFI are empowering the next generation to stay in Canada, to thrive here and to make a lasting impact on society.

Carleton's New Lab Revolutionizes Accessibility
Carleton University's Abilities Living Laboratory (ALL) transforms lives with cutting-edge innovations, uniting some of Canada's brightest minds from science, engineering, design, health, social sciences, and the humanities.

Together with stakeholders, they co-create community systems that enable a fully inclusive Canada, as envisioned by the United Nations' #Envision2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

This state-of-the-art facility supports the development of new technologies, bringing in people with disabilities, professionals, and researchers to refine initiatives that empower people to lead fulfilling lives. More than just a basic, utilitarian approach to accessibility, it's about enabling full participation in all aspects of life, including leisure, culture, and community.

Embracing the "Nothing about us, without us" philosophy, ALL ensures people with disabilities play a central role in shaping accessibility research and the future of inclusion.

The AI Hub at Durham College's mission is to empower Canadian companies to harness artificial intelligence to bolster their competitiveness. Founded in 2017 - a pivotal time for AI research in Canada - the AI Hub became a Technology Access Centre in 2023, underscoring its critical role in helping companies navigate the rapidly evolving landscape to effectively advance AI literacy, adoption and commercialization. With over $5 million in leveraged investment, to date, the Hub has supported more than 150 companies in adopting transformative AI solutions.

Our team of technology leaders, developers and students deliver best-in-class AI services to help traditional sectors integrate AI for competitive advantage and to support innovative companies in commercializing AI solutions. As a partner in the journey toward an AI-driven economy, the AI Hub serves as a vital resource for companies seeking to unlock the potential of artificial intelligence, fostering growth and innovation across Canada's diverse industries.

For the past five years, Humber Polytechnic’s Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (Barrett CTI) has been a beacon of innovation, collaborating to tackle real-world business challenges using advanced automation, robotics, augmented and virtual realities, and prototyping labs. One notable project involved using 3D scanning and printing technology to improve the life of an alumnus with limited hand mobility due to Lupus.

In its living labs for mechatronics, automation, and advanced manufacturing, students gain hands-on experience with leading companies in mobile technology, sensor technology, robotics, additive manufacturing, and digital technologies. By partnering with Barrett CTI, companies gain access to cutting-edge resources and fresh perspectives, fostering a mutually beneficial environment for growth and success.

The Barrett CTI is part of Humber’s Centres of Innovation (COI) Network, which unites faculty, students, community and industry partners to solve complex, real-world problems in critical areas, including Creative Business Innovation, Innovation in Health & Wellness, Entrepreneurship, and Social Innovation.

Dr. Farhan Ghaffar, of Lakehead's Orillia campus is dedicated to improving banked blood storage systems.

To keep these products sterilized, they need to be irradiated with gamma- or X-rays to prevent transfusion-associated graft versus host disease (TA-GvHD) and other infections. Medical staff rely on colour sensitive tags to determine the minimum level of radiation received by blood bags and related products stored in sterilization chambers. However, there is no way to tell the maximum level received. His innovative solution is a technique that clearly counts the exact levels of radiation received, consisting of a complete radio frequency identification (RFID)-based tag.

Dr. Ghaffar's biomedical system solution will help medical facilities to reduce waste to save more human lives.

The technology is being developed with Canadian industry partner, Best Medical Canada Inc., and expects its practical implementation to happen in Canada soon.

Located at McMaster University, the Canadian Neutron Beam Laboratory (CNBL) is open for business. Built to advance neutron beam research in Canada, the facility will ensure scientists from Canada and around the world have access to these versatile and irreplaceable tools for understanding materials. Neutron beams are an essential tool for materials research and innovation. They penetrate deep into dense materials like metals, making it possible to visualize the interior of an object at the atomic scale without physically damaging it. The McMaster Nuclear Reactor is currently the only facility in Canada with neutron beam research infrastructure and one of only seven in North America. Leveraging existing infrastructure at McMaster in addition to new instruments, the CNBL will support research and development in a wide range of fields – including clean energy technologies, superconductors, materials for advanced manufacturing, biomaterials for understanding and combating disease, and quantum materials that could enable breakthroughs in information technology devices.


Neutrons Canada – an independent organization of 15 leading Canadian universities and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories advancing research and development with neutron beams – are close partners with McMaster in developing national neutron beam science infrastructure.

Niagara College, Canada's No. 1 research college, continues to evolve its applied research offerings in sectors of importance to the nation, including sustainable, environmentally sound options for growing food with less waste, in any locale.

We are currently completing construction of a cutting-edge research greenhouse, the new Horticultural and Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC) greenhouse at Niagara College's Daniel J. Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This new facility will feature controlled temperature, humidity, lighting and CO2 in various growing environments, five individually contained bays, dedicated horticulture and postharvest laboratories, and a vertical grow room. With its opening in 2025, Niagara College is actively seeking technology, innovation and product validation and development projects.

Ontario Tech University accelerates energy research and innovation through initiatives like its new Hydrogen Commercialization and Demonstration Centre, in partnership with Hydrocool, a start-up focused on sustainable transport solutions. Building on insights gained from Project Arrow, the build of Canada's first electric concept vehicle, the university's Hydrocool collaboration centres around developing and validating a hydrogen-powered transportation refrigeration unit. Hydrogen fuel is emerging as a clean energy alternative, and Ontario Tech's role in the prototype build, testing, and demonstration of refrigeration technology showcases its commitment to advancing the green economy. Ontario Tech's powerful combination of thought leadership and cutting-edge R&D facilities like the ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel, supports real-world innovation that's sustainable and scalable. The Hydrocool partnership emphasizes the university's mission to create impactful research that fuels the future of clean energy technology. The door is always open for new partnerships involving the commercialization of hydrogen energy solutions.

To prepare the workforce of tomorrow, RRC Polytech is committed to supporting industries and communities in Manitoba in the adoption of the digital technologies - automation, additive manufacturing, AI and robotics - driving Industry 4.0.

The Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics recently introduced the Centre for Automation and Manufacturing Technology Transfer (CAMTT) to address critical skills gaps, foster innovation and enhance the province's global competitiveness. CAMTT provides a gateway to the College's facilities and talent that helps partners harness emerging technology and reduce their labor market challenges by collaborating on applied research projects to:

• Develop human-robot collaboration systems to enhance worker safety and efficiency
• Explore new materials and techniques for additive manufacturing
• Employ computer vision systems and AI to detect defects and conduct quality inspections
• Develop robotic systems for material handling and transportation within factories
• Implement sensors and data analytics to enable predictive maintenance

RRC Polytech - Industry's gateway to applied research for 20 years and growing stronger!

The Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences (SCILS) supports cutting-edge research and innovative applications relevant to experimental and in-depth analysis in the fields of analytical chemistry, molecular biology, biochemistry and cosmetic science. The centre addresses business-driven challenges and technology development opportunities faced by Ontario's life sciences sector and personal-care/cosmetics industry. Last year, Seneca opened a dedicated applied research lab for SCILS. This 3,000-square-foot laboratory increases Seneca's applied research capacity, enabling more collaboration with industry partners to develop and test new products, while accessing in-demand wet lab space and equipment. The lab's features include a biosafety level 2 containment room, specialized storage for controlled substances and a GMP-certifiable clean room. These features combine the skill and experience of SCILS researchers to create a unique innovation hub, allowing Seneca to better serve the research and commercialization needs of Ontario-based, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Sheridan's Centre for Applied AI (CAAI) is at the forefront of research in the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) across several industries including health care, telecommunications, cybersecurity and retail. An integral part of Generator at Sheridan, CAAI's researchers are advancing innovative and real-world solutions in AI for industry and community partners. A recent collaboration with Korah Ltd. and the Canadian Neonatal Network showcases CAAI's specialization in AI that delivers meaningful impact. Every year, about 15,000 critically ill newborns in Canada are admitted to 31 Level 3 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Newborn health and survival often depend on the timely transfer to a NICU. "Find My Bed" explores the use of AI as a tool to quickly identify the best hospital for transferring critically ill newborns to ensure they receive timely and appropriate care.


The Centre for Applied AI (CAAI) works closely with industry and community partners to advance innovative solutions and generate real-world impact. Pictured is Dr. Tarek El Salti, CAAI researcher, collaborating on research with a Sheridan student.

As the limits of our urban infrastructure systems are tested and challenged, sustainable solutions like the ones created by Toronto Metropolitan University's Dr. Elsayed Elbeshbishy are needed. With successful research into anaerobic digestion for green bin waste or pulp and paper waste to capture useful gases, Dr. Elbeshbishy is now leading a team of researchers from 16 partners to address one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) worldwide - wastewater. This first-of-its-kind project will employ a combination of novel methods to measure methane and nitrous oxide, including computer simulations, ground and drone sensors and aircraft and satellite imaging. Synthesizing this data will provide researchers with a better understanding of the inconsistencies in the different collection methods to create more accurate tools for measurement. With improved data collection, municipalities will be able to create efficiencies and reduce emissions for a more sustainable future.

An innovative solution developed by a research team at the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval (CRCHUQ-UL) aims to enhance brachytherapy treatments for cancer patients. Led by Université Laval's Professor Luc Beaulieu, the team created a multi-criteria algorithm capable of analyzing thousands of dose distribution scenarios in seconds. Utilizing advanced GPU-based technologies, researchers can assess the impact of increased doses on tumors and surrounding organs, enabling personalized treatment plans that balance therapeutic efficacy and organ preservation. This breakthrough, described by Professor Beaulieu as a major step in radiotherapy optimization, promises to reduce side effects and improve patient quality of life. Over 500 professors conduct research at Université Laval's renowned affiliated health centres, including the CRCHUQ-UL, North America's largest francophone health research centre, placing Université Laval at the forefront of addressing urgent health issues worldwide.

Five years ago, the University of Ottawa opened a brand-new campus in Kanata North, becoming the first postsecondary institution to set foot in Canada's largest tech park. Since its inception, the campus has experienced significant change - from doubling in size two years after opening, to launching the Smart Connected Vehicle Innovation Centre in 2021, opening a second campus space at Hub350 in 2022, and substantially growing its number of partnerships and collaborations over the past half decade. Over this time, uOttawa has proven to be a reliable partner for companies looking to expand their R&D efforts and impact through research collaborations, access talent through internships, and even leverage millions of dollars in funding they might not otherwise have access to. Over the past 5 years, uOttawa has partnered with well over 60 companies in Kanata North, generating significant impact through its R&D partnerships in the tech park and has seen firsthand the amazing possibilities that can be created by bringing industry and uOttawa together.