Sheridan Receives Federal Funding to Partner with Local Industry on Innovative Research

Government of Canada Supports Innovation and Growth in Southern Ontario

For Immediate Release: October 14, 2010
Oakville, Ontario

Terence Young, MP for Oakville, today announced new Government of Canada investments in Sheridan College that will allow the school to work closely with small- and medium-sized businesses in southern Ontario to bring new products, practices and processes to the marketplace faster.

“Sheridan College is already a leader in the Oakville community,” said MP Young. “With this announcement, Sheridan becomes a partner with business and government to lead the economic recovery from one of the worst recessions we’ve had in years.”

Under the $15-million Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative, Sheridan College will receive $750,000 to partner with small-and medium-sized enterprises in southern Ontario on activities such as applied research, engineering design, technology development, product testing, and certification.

“This funding announcement recognizes the important role that colleges like Sheridan can play in local economic development,” said Jeff Zabudsky, Sheridan’s President and CEO. “We look forward to working with local industries on innovative solutions that will help to drive business development in our community.”

The Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative is a direct result of feedback from business leaders, academics and community leaders from across southern Ontario, who suggested FedDev Ontario take a leadership role in addressing the gap between research and commercialization.

FedDev Ontario was created as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to support businesses and communities in southern Ontario. Now in its second year of operation, the Agency is launching a number of initiatives to create a Southern Ontario Advantage and place the region in a strong position to compete in the global economy. These initiatives are designed to support businesses and other organizations through partnerships and investments in skills and training; innovation; research and development; and increased productivity. To learn more, please visit www.feddevontario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505.