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Corner Brook will soon be home to a centre that will support research and development, business diversification and a stronger culture of innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

The proposal for the Centre for Research and Innovation was developed between 2018 and 2019 and it was successful in landing a total of $8.9 million. The project will embark on a major renovation and research initiative thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, the Provincial Government departments of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Advanced Education, Skills and Labour and Fisheries and Land Resources, the City of Corner Brook, as well as and Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. (CBPPL), Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, and the Corner Brook Campus of College of the North Atlantic (CNA).

The $8.9 million includes $5.3 million in Provincial Government funding to support an employer-sponsored training program to be developed and delivered by CNA. A further $2.9 million is being invested to enable Memorial University to complete the redevelopment of the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited Human Resources building to house the Centre for Research and Innovation. This includes $1.2 million from ACOA, $1 million from the Emera Entrepreneurship/Innovation Funding, $679,682 from the Provincial Government’s Regional Development Fund, and $50,000 from the City of Corner Brook. In addition, ACOA and the Province are contributing more than $700,000 to research and development projects – $400,000 from ACOA and $306,000 from the Province.

"This project will be a catalyst for sustainable regional development for the western region of Newfoundland by strengthening collaboration between industry, post-secondary institutions, government and community partners," says Jeff Keshen, vice-president (Grenfell Campus) Memorial University. "We want to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, create sustainable industry processes and products, support local and regional agriculture activities and provide research and internship opportunities for graduate students at Grenfell Campus."

The centre, which will be housed in a vacant building provided by CBPPL will support local and regional economic growth through innovation, research and training, and will serve as the hub of the regional innovation system.

There are three related components to the project:

Grenfell graduate students are at the heart of the research initiatives that are underway as part of the overall initiative. Under the close guidance of faculty researchers, these students are exploring ways to divert waste products from the pulp and paper industry in a way that fosters agricultural innovation in Newfoundland. This research is undertaken from the perspectives of natural and social sciences.

Regional and community partners are critical to this initiative, which aims to provide the foundation to spark larger, longer-term transformational change in the western Newfoundland region. Key stakeholder groups, such as Western Newfoundland Entrepreneurs, the DIY Society, the City of Corner Brook and Qalipu First Nation, have been consulted and will play a role in future programming. Additional research partnerships with businesses in the western region have also been confirmed, including with West Valley Farms, Anaconda Mining, Hammond Farm, and New World Dairy.

Key outcomes for the Centre of Research and Innovation will include infrastructure and capacity building, research and development, entrepreneurship and innovation, education and skills training and growth in the agricultural and forest sectors. Benefits are expected for all partners involved, including CBPPL, the two public post-secondary institutions, the City of Corner Brook and community sectors locally and throughout the province. This project will also act as a catalyst for continued communication and collaboration among all stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable growth and innovative practices.