Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for FedNor Guy Lauzon announces a $500,000 FedNor investment for Innovation Initiatives Ontario North (IION) to develop a regional network for innovation and commercialization Monday at Canadore College's Commerce Court campus.

FedNor News Release

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Stormont – Dundas – South Glengarry MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for FedNor, Guy Lauzon, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Minister for FedNor, today announced a FedNor
investment of $500,000 in support of Innovation Initiatives Ontario North (IION) for the development of a regional network for innovation and commercialization.

“Today’s announcement reinforces the vital role FedNor plays in the future prosperity of Northern Ontario,” said Parliamentary Secretary Lauzon. “Through FedNor, the Government of Canada will continue to create strategic alliances which will help create jobs and bolster the economy of Northern Ontario.”

“The Government of Canada is making strategic investments to create partnerships which will help strengthen Northern Ontario’s economy,” stated Minister Clement. “I am confident today’s announcement will help make Northern Ontario a better place to live, work, play and visit.”

FedNor funding will allow IION to help partner organizations identify opportunities that will connect them with private industry to help bring their ideas to market. IION’s vision is to firmly establish itself as a gateway for innovation and commercialization with the public-private sector partners, primarily in the areas of bioscience and medicine, bioproducts from renewable and sustainable sources, and environmental technologies.

Barb Eccles, President of the IION Board of Directors and Manager of Technology Transfer at Lakehead University, has said that the hardest part of her job until now has been putting academics together with private industry. “FedNor support will allow us to establish a network that will support countless organizations across the North,” stated Eccles. “We want to find more entrepreneurs, more researchers, more people in Northern Ontario who have innovative ideas but need some extra help in getting them to the market.”

By supporting regional initiatives through its programs and services, FedNor is opening doors and building futures for a prosperous Northern Ontario.

To find out more about FedNor, visit us at:
http://fednor.ic.gc.ca

To find out more about IION, visit us at: http://www.iion.ca

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