Bringing Minds to Market: Harper Government Invests in Auto Innovation

WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 20, 2012) - The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, today announced six new projects supported by the Automotive Partnership Canada initiative. The projects advance research and development (R&D) in Canada's automotive industry by supporting new technologies that will provide lighter material alternatives for cars and significantly enhance battery efficiency for vehicles. Peter Braid, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Waterloo, was at the University of Waterloo to celebrate the grant the institution received through this initiative.

"Our government's long-term goal with Automotive Partnership Canada is to support and maintain an innovative Canadian auto sector," said Mr. Braid. "By investing in automotive R&D, not only do we support discoveries that lead to greener, better-performing vehicles, but we also create jobs and strengthen our economy."

These university-industry partnerships will receive almost $34 million in total project support. This includes just under $19 million in funding through the Automotive Partnership Canada initiative and nearly $15 million from industry and other partners. These partnerships will be supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and National Research Council Canada (NRC).

A research team led by Dr. Michael Worswick of the University of Waterloo received $3.7 million to develop and test multi-material lightweight automotive structures. The goal of this project is to develop manufacturing and testing methods to reduce vehicle body weight by as much as 50 percent while maintaining safety. The industrial partners for this project are 3M Canada, Cosma International (a division of Magna International Inc.), Huys Industries Limited, Meridian Lightweight Technologies Inc., and Natural Resources Canada's CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory.

"Canada's scientists and engineers are well positioned to provide the automotive industry with the expertise needed to maintain a strong and sustainable automotive industry," said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier. "These most recently announced projects will contribute to the evolution of new materials and technologies that will benefit both the automotive sector and consumers."

"Through our investment in state-of-the-art facilities, we are supporting research-driven economic growth and helping to create jobs in Canadian communities," said Gilles G. Patry, President and CEO of the CFI. "Working with federal partners, the Canada Foundation for Innovation is helping one of Canada's key industries thrive in a global marketplace."

"The National Research Council is committed to working with Canada's auto industry to make it internationally competitive," said John McDougall, President of NRC. "This initiative underlines NRC's support for developing a sustainable and viable auto sector in Canada."

Announced by the Government of Canada in April 2009, Automotive Partnership Canada is a five-year, $145-million initiative that supports collaborative R&D and pushes the Canadian automotive industry to greater levels of innovation. As this is an industry-driven initiative, automotive companies provide both financial support and essential in-kind contributions to ensure the research projects' success.

Other previously funded Automotive Partnership Canada research focused on the development of a battery pack thermal management system for hybrid electric vehicles, more efficient systems for lightweight wheel production, enhanced performance catalytic converters, improved fuel cell technology and improved automotive manufacturing workplace design and ergonomics.

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports some 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows in their advanced studies. The agency promotes discovery by funding more than 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 2,000 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

A backgrounder is available at the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/BKG_inda0320.pdf