The Government of Canada is helping to strengthen Thompson Rivers University’s (TRU) research and development innovation and technology commercialization capabilities through federal funding toward research infrastructure.

Federal funding of $954,000 was announced for two projects at TRU today by Betty Hinton, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification.

“Thompson Rivers University is an important centre of learning and applied research. This funding will help TRU students, faculty and industry access the essential infrastructure needed to research, develop and commercialize sophisticated new technologies,” said MP Hinton. “These projects will benefit the University, and support knowledge creation and innovation in Kamloops and across British Columbia.”

The first project will see a federal investment of $621,000 toward the purchase of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment that will be used to train students and carry out applied research with industry. The new equipment will also provide analytical chemistry support to firms in various industry sectors in B.C. including mining, forestry, agriculture, nutraceuticals, and industrial biotechnology.

The second project involves a federal investment of $333,000 to purchase equipment for the University’s creation of a new Centre for Innovation in Ranching, Range and Meat Production. The equipment will be used to facilitate research and development to help ranchers, producers and suppliers adopt new technologies that support sustainable ranching practices.

“Western Economic Diversification’s significant support of these two projects will enhance TRU’s ability to support industry in the Interior of BC, fostering innovation leading to new products and enhancing business productivity and competitiveness through improved processes and relevant training. TRU is pursing the sustainability of the cattle industry as a strategic research direction to help working ranches maintain profitability, and the NMR will have important applications for businesses across the spectrum,” said TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Roger Barnsley.

TRU has demonstrated strength in maintaining linkages between trades, technology and academic programs. TRU serves a broad geographic region with two campuses, one in Kamloops and the other in Williams Lake, and includes a strong distance and open learning capacity. Research is an important and growing component of the university’s priorities, with a strong focus on community-based applied research and knowledge transfer.

“We are encouraged by this generous investment by Western Economic Diversification because it honours the excellence of our faculty and students in conducting ground-breaking research. The new facilities and analytical tools enabled by WED greatly expand the capacity and potential of TRU and our region for discovery, innovation and invention in predictable ways, and ways we cannot even imagine,” said TRU Associate Vice-President Dr. Nancy Van Wagoner.

Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with various provinces, industry associations and communities to encourage diversification of the western economy, as well as to represent the interests of the West in national decision-making.

Contact:

• Kathy Liu, Communications Advisor, Western Economic Diversification Canada
  (p) 604.666.7542
• Dr. Nancy A. Van Wagoner, Associate Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies, Thompson Rivers University (p) 250.371.5586/828.5410