BC NDP MLA Joan Phillip says funding will create jobs and strengthen economy in Vancouver
BC New Democrat MLA Joan Phillip says funding for local agritech projects and training will create new jobs and strengthen the local economy in Vancouver.
“There’s a lot of brilliant work underway to make sure B.C. continues to have access to good food and good jobs,” said Joan Phillip, MLA for Vancouver-Strathcona. “Projects like Maia Farms’ are paving the way to new and innovative foods that will feed families and help both the technology and agriculture industries grow.”
In Vancouver, six projects and training opportunities represent a total investment of $1,141,000
- Chambertrust Management International Inc. – $395,000
- Terramera Inc. – $371,000
- Maia Farms – $331,000
- Perkins & Wills Architects – $67,000
- Pacific Regional Society for Soil Science (PRSSS) – $9000
Nineteen local projects and opportunities around BC are being supported by a $15.5 million combined investment from the province, B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI), and industry. Projects include helping companies scale up technology and work with B.C. farmers and agriculture experts to deliver more solutions and opportunities to strengthen the B.C. agricultural industry. These projects are expected to help upskill more than 800 people through new training, and lead to 194 new jobs, in addition to growth for businesses, producers, and processors.
This work is part of the StrongerBC Economic Action Plan that is helping address climate change while making the agriculture industry more sustainable and resilient, and these projects and training opportunities help fulfill these goals.
A backgrounder follows.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/32023
Backgrounder:
- ChamberTrust Management International Inc. (CTMI) in Vancouver received $395,000 to develop a high-security data system for the agritech sector with features like IP protection, auto-notarization, and private data uploads. CTMI will partner with Storm Computing on their project.
- Terramera Inc. in Vancouver received $371,000 for a project to test Exosect, a natural wax encapsulation technology, for greenhouse crops and pests that is expected to optimize biocontrol applications and improve crop health. Terramera Inc. is working with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) and Catalera Biosolutions on their project.
- Maia Farms in Vancouver is receiving funding for two projects. One project receive $248,000 to develop alternative proteins for food manufacturers using agricultural feedstock. This project will validate the use of Canadian crop waste and other feedstocks like pea flour to produce mushroom-based proteins for commercialization. Maia Farms is partnering with the National Research Council Canada and Kova Consulting Group Inc. on this project.
- Maia Farms will also have a $83,000 project to develop standard operating procedures (SOP’s) for regulatory compliance, commercial processing and packaging optimization. The project will also develop an SOP for small-scale, food-safe mycelium processing and packaging. Maia Farms is partnering with BioFoodTech and Dickinson – Wright on this project.
- Perkins & Wills Architects Co. in Vancouver received $67,000 for a project to develop modular designs for integrating urban farming and waste-to-resource systems in residential buildings, supported by a comprehensive knowledge report. Perkins & Wills Architects Co. will partner with the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) on their project.
- The Pacific Regional Society for Soil Science is hosting an Agrology Data Seminar series to enhance data interpretation and communication for resource management. This project received a $9,000 investment.