The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) welcomed the announcement by Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains that Protein Industries Canada (PIC) was selected as one of the five supercluster hubs stimulated by the Canadian government. The five finalists will share in $950 million under the federal program to foster innovation and job growth. CCC chair David Dzisiak, representing PIC and Dow AgroSciences, and CCC president Jim Everson were present for the announcement in Ottawa.
“We are very excited for canola’s involvement in this pan-Prairie initiative to drive innovation in plant-based protein to help feed a growing world,” says Everson. “Innovation in canola protein will secure Canada’s place in the growing global plant-based protein market and create significant economic activity.”
PIC is an industry-led alliance of over 120 private-sector companies, academic institutions and other stakeholders across Western Canada aimed at fully developing the potential of plant-based proteins from crops such as canola, pulses, grains, hemp and flax. PIC’s work will focus on improvements and opportunities in four areas: crop breeding, crop production, value-added processing and export development. The federal funding supplements roughly $400 million of cash, in-kind commitments and venture capital support that PIC has already secured from its members.
The CCC plays a leading role in developing the key projects across the canola value chain, including genomics and breeding for functional proteins, data-managed production systems to optimize protein production in the plant, and novel manufacturing, processing and food formulation.
“Canola is a remarkable story of Canadian innovation, and today’s announcement sets the stage for that to continue, focusing on the potential for canola protein,” says Everson. “We congratulate the federal government on a wise investment in this project and look forward to the exciting opportunities it will create for Canadian agriculture and our nation’s economy.”
For more information on the PIC plan, visit proteinindustriescanada.ca
