Government of Canada invests in first-of-its-kind project in B.C. to help businesses create more value and less waste
Summary
Funding will enable experts at the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus to work with local companies to create new bioplastics and save materials from the landfill by using them in new innovationsKELOWNA, BC, Nov. 16, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is supporting initiatives that build a clean and prosperous future. That includes helping B.C companies lower their environmental footprint while creating jobs.Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) announced $1.04 million in funding to the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus (UBCO) to help local businesses implement cutting-edge circular economy practices.In a circular economy, nothing is waste. The circular economy retains and recovers as much value as possible from resources by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, repurposing, or recycling products and materials. "- The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada"UBC Okanagan researchers are creating leading-edge solutions for the complex challenges faced here in the BC Interior and around the world, such as how to reduce waste and create new value from existing materials. It has more than 65,000 undergraduate and graduate students at its two major campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna.The circular economy program is supported by UBCOs Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute, a multidisciplinary research hub that fosters collaboration between local, national and international research and development organizations.In August 2021, the Government of Canada launched PacifiCan, a new federal economic agency dedicated to British Columbians.For further information: Contacts: Haley Hodgson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), [email protected]; Ben Letts, Senior Communications Advisor, Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), [email protected]; Nathan Skolski, Associate Director, Public Affairs, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan, [email protected]