PrairiesCan is investing $899,500 into the Prairie Polytechnic Innovation Network Accelerating Commercialization for Local Ecosystems (P2INACLE).

A network of leading Prairie polytechnic institutions — including Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech), Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnic, Red Deer Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology — P2INACLE will drive social, economic and technological innovation across Western Canada by providing businesses with access to facilities, equipment and research expertise.

Led by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, P2INACLE will launch its first pilot with the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) this spring. The pilot will bring together polytechnics and industry partners from across the Prairies to develop a collaborative network that will fund and work on applied research projects.

The goal is to identify challenges and develop innovative solutions for the mining and minerals sector in Western Canada.

“Success on the Prairies has always been built on cooperation. That’s why our government is supporting P2INACLE — a partnership bringing Prairie polytechnics together to turn research into practical solutions,” said the Hon. Terry Duguid, Minister for PrairiesCan.

“By working together to tackle challenges in the mining sector and beyond, P2INACLE is driving economic growth, creating quality jobs, and setting a new standard for how applied research can empower communities far beyond the Prairies.”

IMII is a hub for expertise and innovation in Saskatchewan’s minerals industry, driving change and creating solutions. With PrairiesCan support, P2INACLE researchers — along with IMII and their partners — will come together in Saskatoon this month to launch the collaborative applied research network.

In May, P2INACLE researchers will join mining and minerals industry professionals at IMII’s IDEATE 2025 event to learn about the challenges faced by the mining industry. At this event, P2INACLE members will team up with industry on various applied research projects.

“We are excited to be part of the P2INACLE pilot project, a significant step forward in fostering innovation and collaboration within Western Canada’s mining and minerals sector,” says Al Shpyth, executive director of IMII.

“This initiative will address key industry challenges and harness the collective expertise of polytechnics and industry partners across the Prairies, driving both economic growth and technological advancements. We look forward to the impactful solutions that will arise from this collaborative effort.”

The partnership with IMII will promote cross-disciplinary collaboration focused on industry needs and solutions. Through P2INACLE, industry will also have increased access to high-quality personnel and trainees, facilitating the implementation of new innovations.

“The P2INACLE initiative aligns with RRC Polytech’s areas of strength in clean tech, digital technologies, value-added agriculture and natural resources. We believe our efforts in this cross-prairies partnership … will help Canada’s mining and minerals sector to be globally competitive,” says Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Executive Director of Research Partnerships & Innovation at RRC Polytech.

“P2INACLE enhances opportunities across the value chain by leveraging the collective capabilities of state of the art infrastructure, research expertise and talent at our prairie polytechnics.”

Manitoba-based partners and businesses are invited to reach out to RRC Polytech’s Research Partnerships & Innovation department to learn more about P2INACLE and how they can connect with the College’s expertise.

P2INACLE aims to drive economic growth and diversification through collaboration. It acts as a catalyst for regional prosperity by providing streamlined access to resources for industries, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and larger businesses.

By leveraging the expertise and facilities of each polytechnic, P2INACLE offers tailored solutions for commercialization and diversification, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange. Areas of expertise include clean technologies, digital technologies, value-added agriculture and natural resources.

RRC Polytech has been chosen to lead a national network of post-secondary institutions and collaborative partners to bring more academic research ideas to reality, support Indigenous business and drive economic growth.

As part of a national innovation strategy to increase entrepreneurship and research commercialization across Canada, the College has been awarded $24.1 million in federal funding over five years through a Lab to Market grant — becoming one of four network leaders to share in a total investment of $95.3 million.

Administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), this is the largest tri-council grant ever awarded to or led by a college in Canada.

“For over 20 years, RRC Polytech has been solving industry problems and training tomorrow’s future leaders through applied research, and today we are honoured to continue to build on our strengths as a polytechnic and lead this collaborative, nation-wide network through the largest ever tri-council investment in a college,” said Fred Meier, RRC Polytech’s President and CEO.

“Our shared goal is to find solutions for the challenges that all Canadians are facing. This network combines the unique abilities of researchers at colleges and universities and connects them directly with industry and community to accelerate innovation.”

The College-University Lab to Market Network for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization spans eight regional hubs from B.C. to Nova Scotia and brings together 38 post-secondary institutions, along with other collaborators — including RRC Polytech’s Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah, one of three Indigenous hubs.

The support of Indigenous business growth is a foundational objective. Tailoring mentorship and resources to support Indigenous entrepreneurs while ensuring all research respects the principles of OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access and Possession) is a shared goal that differentiates this network from other proposals that were considered.

Another unique element is including both colleges and universities, as they traditionally take a different approach to research. The network is designed to maximize the strengths of all contributors.

“Canada is home to world-class researchers, who generate ground-breaking technologies and innovations, and they need support to successfully commercialize their work,” said the Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Through these networks, researchers will receive the support they need to bring their innovations to market, benefiting communities from coast to coast to coast.”

Canadian researchers continually make discoveries with extraordinary potential across all sectors of the economy and society, but additional guidance and support is required for their ideas to become the next great products and processes.

The infrastructure and expertise in industry-facing applied research found at Canada’s colleges and polytechnic institutions is critical for translating university-led academic research into innovation for the market and community users.

“This investment is a significant step in supporting Canadian researchers by giving them the tools, resources and support they need to turn their ideas into real-world solutions,” said the Hon. Terry Duguid, Minister of Sports and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, who was at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus to make the announcement.

“By connecting academic research with industry, we are helping to create new opportunities for innovation and economic growth across Canada.”

The new network will provide researchers with what they need to transfer scientific, social and service innovation to market or to community users. This support includes the sharing of best practices, digital resources to enhance awareness and knowledge of commercialization processes, mentorship and business coaching, financial assistance and access to an established Canada-wide network of Technology Access Centres.

RRC Polytech’s strong reputation for collaboration, central location and commitment to deepening partnerships and Truth and Reconciliation made it a natural fit to lead the network — another first, considering its size and scope.

“The college, university, community and industry partners in this initiative are the links in a chain of innovation and entrepreneurialism,” said Dr. Jolen Galaugher, RRC Polytech’s Executive Director, Research Partnerships and Innovation.

“By working together to ramp up productivity through the commercialization of Canadian research and IP, we’ll enhance our global competitiveness and positively affect all aspects of life for Canadians — economic, social or environmental.”

The Lab to Market initiative provides stable, long-term funding for all disciplines within the natural sciences, engineering, the social sciences, the humanities and health. RRC Polytech will immediately begin building capacity to lead its network of participants dedicated to fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that accelerates the economic and societal impact of Canadian research.

“Lab to Market grants bridge the gap between research ideas and their translation into economic and social innovation,” said NSERC President Alejandro Adem. “I can’t wait to see the results that will emerge from this new initiative.”

Co-applicant institutions:
British Columbia Institute of Technology, Cégep de Sherbrooke, Cégep de Thetford, College of the North Atlantic, Humber Polytechnic, Lethbridge College, Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology, MacEwan University, Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, Mount Saint Vincent University, New Brunswick Community College, NorQuest College, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnic, Nova Scotia Community College, Olds College, Red Deer Polytechnic, Saint Mary’s University, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Selkirk College, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University College of the North, University of Alberta, University of Lethbridge, University of Manitoba, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, University of Waterloo, Western University, Yukon University

Collaborating partners:
MTA, NorthForge, Mitacs, Polytechnics Canada, Tech Access Canada, C2R2, Applied Pharmaceuticals Innovation, Edmonton Regional Innovation Network, CARIN, Calgary Innovation Coalition, Innovation Saskatchewan, Cultivate by Conexus, Synchronex, Axelys, Springboard Atlantic, Atlantic Colleges Atlantique

RRC Polytech welcomed Manitobans to the Notre Dame Campus today, as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of its Research Partnerships & Innovation (RPI) enterprise.

A gateway to applied research since its establishment in 2004, RPI connects industry and community partners with RRC Polytech’s comprehensive array of facilities, technology and expertise in collaborative projects that bring innovative ideas to life.

As part of the event, guests toured RRC Polytech’s research labs and areas, saw demonstrations of its leading-edge technology and engaged with faculty, professional research staff and students to learn how applied research projects connect all areas of the College and are driving our province into the future.

“As Manitoba’s polytechnic, RRC Polytech is committed to creating change through innovation and using the knowledge and tools that we offer to benefit our communities and the industries that our graduates will soon be leading,” says Fred Meier, RRC Polytech’s President and CEO.

“Applied research projects drive progress while providing students with invaluable experience through work-integrated learning. We’re eager to build on the incredible success stories we’ve shared with our partners over the last 20 years and to explore new opportunities to find solutions for real-world challenges.”

With 135 researchers and more than 600 students directly involved annually, along with applied research training enabled by research infrastructure in more than 60 courses, RRC Polytech is consistently named a top research college in Canada.

The College’s three NSERC-funded Technology Access Centres (TACs) and other various research facilities and resources are focal points for advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration and accelerating commercialization — with thousands of square feet of space to develop, test and create solutions to support small, medium and large enterprises and communities.

“We are proud to support RRC Polytech’s wide range of critical applied research projects because their creative collaborations with industry and community build on the strengths of the region and further diversify Manitoba’s economy to create opportunities for everyone,” says Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and PrairiesCan.

“Polytechnics not only train the workforce of tomorrow but also support businesses with access to state-of-art facilities and by providing guidance on the research and development of new processes and products in various stages of technology readiness levels. Twenty years is a tremendous milestone, and we look forward to their future successes.”

Projects range from the development of the world’s first all-electric tundra buggies for Frontiers North Adventures in Churchill and the testing of cold spray technology to repair aircrafts with StandardAero to supporting CancerCare Manitoba during the COVID-19 Pandemic and studying the Abecedarian Approach in child care to partnering with Opaskwayak Cree Nation to develop food products for their community, just to name a few.

In its 20 years of existence, RPI has driven Manitoba forward economically, environmentally, socially and culturally – positioning the province for success in a globally competitive environment.

“RRC Polytech’s two decades of helping small- and medium-sized enterprises in Manitoba grow and evolve through applied research that spurs innovation is cause for celebration,” says Hon. Mike Moroz, Minister of Innovation and New Technology.

“As a former educator, I also commend how the College includes students in research activities — while they learn. Technology and innovation shape all facets of our society and economy; we need workforces and communities that are fluent and confident in this environment and that learning begins in the classroom.”

The applied research administered by RPI and conducted across all programs is foundational to RRC Polytech’s identity — a polytechnic is defined as an institution that fuels business innovation with applied research expertise. Applied research projects drive economic growth by helping to effectively and affordably solve problems for industry and communities, across all disciplines and sectors, as new products and processes are created.

To date, RPI has completed thousands of projects for clients and continues to expand its areas of specialization to:
• Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics
• Cleantech with focus on EV and building efficiency
• Health, nutrition and social sciences with focus on culinary research and food innovation
• Early childhood development research
• Enabling adoption of digital technologies including AI and automation

“The emerging technology we’re helping to develop amplifies the growing interconnectivity between all sectors, so the future of applied research is dependent on taking a multidisciplinary approach,” says Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Director, Research Partnerships & Innovation at RRC Polytech.

“RPI is uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in strengthening Manitoba’s research innovation ecosystem through its strategic partnerships and by cooperating with other post-secondaries, regional and national research labs, government departments, and industry associations.”

RRC Polytech is the only post-secondary in Canada to deliberately group Research with Indigenous Strategy and Business Development (ISRBD) into one portfolio.

This ensures that our commitment to embed Truth and Reconciliation is always a priority and establishes that all applied research respects the principles of OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access and Possession) when working with and in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. It also creates natural overlaps that accelerate the ability to maximize Indigenous growth opportunities across the province.

“RRC Polytech has been demonstrating what is possible in Manitoba for 20 years. We want to thank our generous funders and supporters, and of course, all of our partners for trusting us to help achieve their goals by transforming their ideas into reality,” says Galaugher. “We look forward to building on those relationships as together, we’ll create a prosperous, sustainable and inclusive future for all.”

Health-care education at RRC Polytech enters a new chapter today with the opening of its new Interdisciplinary Health and Community Services Simulation Centre. This facility, the first of its kind in Manitoba, will begin training the province’s future health leaders in January.

The Simulation Centre is a groundbreaking interdisciplinary facility that will revolutionize health-care training in Manitoba. It’s the first centre in Manitoba to focus on nursing, allied health professions and community services, with 16,630 square feet of state-of-the-art learning space at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus.

“The Simulation Centre will maximize education opportunities and provide immersive and collaborative training for our health and community care programs,” says Fred Meier, the College’s President and CEO. “As one of the largest trainers of health-care professionals in the province, this is an exciting new frontier in how we can better train and prepare students to be confident in their careers and make an impact in our communities throughout the province.

“Simulation is critical, as it ensures students in all programs have access to immediate experiential training opportunities vital to graduation, gaining experience that helps better prepare them for the clinical environment and being job ready on day one.”

Using state-of-the art, high-fidelity simulation equipment and live actors to create small- and large-scale activities and mock scenarios, the Simulation Centre will provide students from 13 programs with real-world experiences that mirror the realities they will face in the workplace. These training opportunities will equip them to fill vital and in-demand career roles in Manitoba’s health-care system from their first day on the job.

The Simulation Centre was made possible through ongoing support from the Province of Manitoba, who this year invested over $6 million in funding towards the development, along with ongoing operating support – providing a total investment of over $12.5 million.

“This state-of-the-art centre is an example of the high-quality training that is offered right here in Manitoba,” says Renée Cable, Minister of Advanced Education and Training. “Bringing students together from different health disciplines allows our future health-care workers to get hands-on training that reflects the realities of their future workplaces.”

“Together with our partners at RRC Polytech, we’re ensuring that the future of health care in Manitoba is in good hands,” says Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care. “Innovative learning opportunities guarantee that future generations of health-care workers are well-equipped to offer top-quality care to Manitobans. I look forward to seeing how the Centre improves students’ education and how, as a result, Manitoba continues to be a top choice for folks wanting to study and work in health care.”

Designed with the future of health-care professions in mind, the Simulation Centre will continue to evolve alongside emerging technological and social innovations, as well as RRC Polytech’s commitments to reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion. The Simulation Centre was designed with Indigenous teaching and practices woven throughout. Each of the debriefing rooms are named after Indigenous healing plants, which are integrated through the Centre. The space also has an Elder’s Room and includes spaces for smudging and ceremonies.

The space was created to accommodate growth in these programs. It has the capacity to train up to 12,000 students each academic year, and up to six simulations can be run at a time in the various simulation spaces. The Simulation Centre is designed to replicate real hospital environments, including multi-patient rooms and an adaptable apartment space that supports a wide range of interdisciplinary scenarios.

The facility also includes a triage station for training health unit clerks, as well as an exam room designed to mimic a health-care practitioner’s space. Several flexible spaces with movable walls can be reconfigured to accommodate large group gatherings or simulations that require non-hospital settings.

Streaming and recording capabilities within the Simulation Centre will allow regional campuses to observe live simulations that can also be viewed in the large lecture theatre adjacent to the space. This will allow a larger audience to engage with and participate in the simulation experience.

Students will train with standardized participant actors to fill the role of patients. The Simulation Centre is also equipped with a diverse range of advanced mannequins, spanning from infant to older adult, to effectively simulate various stages of life.

The Simulation Centre will support new and existing students and provide opportunities for those currently in the workforce to upgrade their skills. A dedicated simulation educator will be available to support industry partners who wish to use the Centre. This educator will assist in developing simulations that align with learning objectives, provide exceptional student experience and uphold the highest standards in simulation.

Transformational gift — the largest in RRC Polytech’s history — positions the College to produce the talent and expertise vital to the continued success and growth of Manitoba’s creative industries.

For more than 70 years, creative thinkers have explored ideas and sharpened their skills at RRC Polytech. Today, a $15-million gift from the Schroeder Foundation paves the way for continued growth and opportunity in the creative arts for the College, its students and the province of Manitoba.

Creative industries are at the core of RRC Polytech, and they are growing in Manitoba thanks to a local talent pool that continues to thrive.

The Schroeder Institute of Entertainment and Media Arts has been created to support those industries — and the province — in reaching the next level in this period of growth by ensuring that a pipeline of newly skilled local talent continues to flow and fill crucial industry roles, while engaging more deeply with industry partners and undertaking exciting opportunities to foster innovation through applied research.

Manitoba is increasingly becoming more competitive in creative areas across the prairies, the country and beyond. More productions are being filmed in Winnipeg and throughout the province, and more creative businesses are opening their doors while local companies are making their mark beyond our borders. Local training and talent are crucial to the success of the businesses that choose to operate here, and that is where RRC Polytech — and the Schroeder Institute — come in.

“RRC Polytech and the Schroeder Foundation have a shared vision for the future and what we can make possible through education, collaboration and research,” says Fred Meier, the College’s President and CEO.

“The Schroeder Foundation’s decision to make this tremendous investment in RRC Polytech reflects that there are visionaries invested in our community who recognize the value of what we are doing here to support students on their way into careers in creative industries. This gift today will enable us to create so many more opportunities for Manitobans and our creative industries together.”

This partnership is a representation of the film-worthy story arc that the Schroeder family and RRC Polytech share — a history of humble beginnings leading to a path of advancing technology and industry, in Canada and beyond.

The Schroeder family and their foundation share the commitment to creating opportunity in Manitoba that RRC Polytech holds as a guiding principle.

RRC Polytech began as a small community college, and after almost a century of continuous growth and innovation, it is now a leader in producing creative talent that is ready to lead Manitoba into the future.

The College’s reputation in creative arts is the result of the relentless creativity and innovative teaching approaches that generation after generation of faculty and staff have brought to their programs.

This gift, and the creation of the new institute, further cements RRC Polytech as a trusted partner that industry can rely on to produce job-ready grads and support existing employees with opportunities to expand their skills.

The Schroeder Institute launches today with 12 core programs and continues to enhance its offerings. Two new programs — Animation and Entertainment Production Management — are poised to launch in the fall of 2025, while industry-informed micro-credential programs designed for current professionals to increase their skillsets will soon be added to the suite of offerings.

The Schroeder Institute is where students push the limits of their skills and build their networks and industry connections. They are taught by instructors with a wealth of industry experience who support them as they learn the skills necessary to break into careers in their chosen fields.

Developed with a 14-person advisory committee deeply entrenched in creative industries to guide programming, the Schroeder Institute will have an edge on what the industry needs.

“In my career in the film industry I have seen some incredible progress that is only going to continue,” says Carole Vivier, Advisory Committee Co-Chair and former CEO and Film Commissioner of Manitoba Film and Music.

“I have hired many RRC Polytech grads, and the possibilities that come from the creation of this institute are beyond exciting. I’m happy to be a part of bringing this to life and eager to see how the Schroeder Institute further supports and grows these industries in the years to come.”

The Schroeder Foundation is an ongoing partner of RRC Polytech, supporting student success through such initiatives as scholarships for their “Schroeder Students.” Now, this latest — and largest — investment of $15 million to ensure top creative-arts programming is a continuation of that support and legacy of giving in the spirit of furthering education.

“Maria and I grew up in Manitoba and will always be Winnipeggers. We believe in the work that RRC Polytech is doing to support students and the industries they aspire to be a part of,” says Walter Schroeder.

“We have lofty goals for the Institute. We believe it can attract creative sector industry partners — and students — from across Canada and around the world to Manitoba and Winnipeg, where they will discover the advantages of working, studying and living here.

“And we believe the Institute can create pathways for secondary learners — like the students we support through Sisler’s CREATE program — to accelerate their careers in their home province. We can’t wait to see these relationships grow with other Winnipeg high schools and we are excited to support the Institute.”

The Schroeder Institute will create a pipeline of newly skilled employees and foster deeper collaboration with industry. For the first time, RRC Polytech is creating an applied research program to foster innovation in emerging technologies in creative sectors.

The College’s ACE Project Space, alongside its Research Partnerships & Innovation team, will undertake projects aimed at establishing Canada’s leadership in animation, virtual production studios and user-experience testing.

Areas of applied-research opportunity within the Schroeder Institute are diverse and immense, from leveraging AI in media creation, to exploring how to best utilize immersive technologies like virtual or augmented reality in productions, and how to reduce the carbon footprint of production.

“Creative industries are thriving across the country, and Manitoba is proving that big things are happening in the heart of the prairies,” says the Hon. Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs. “This investment at RRC Polytech to support post-secondary education and our economies is welcome news.”

Creative arts contribute $1.6 billion to Manitoba’s GDP and comprise more than 3,400 businesses and 20,000 workers. The industry is now supported by the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit and the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit.

“I am thrilled to celebrate the launch of the Schroeder Institute, which will allow students to pursue their passions right here in Manitoba,” says the Hon. Renée Cable, Minister of Advanced Education and Training.

“My deepest gratitude to RRC Polytech for their unwavering commitment to student success and their leadership in fostering collaboration with community and industry partners.”

Headquartered in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, and located in the heart of the Exchange District, the Schroeder Institute gives students direct access to the creative core of Winnipeg, while they learn in state-of-the-art facilities with top industry-grade equipment and tools.

“This is an exciting time for Winnipeggers looking to break into creative fields,” says Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham. “From film production to video game design to the arts, Winnipeg is a hub for creative industries, and RRC Polytech is nurturing the talent that makes our city an attractive home for these companies and productions.”

“This gift from Walter and Maria through the Schroeder Foundation towards RRC Polytech’s comprehensive campaign, In Front of What’s Ahead, is a rare example of truly transformational philanthropy that uplifts our community, industry partners and students for generations to come,” says David Petis, the College’s Executive Director, Advancement.

“It demonstrates what is possible with the support of community partners who believe in the value of a polytechnic education and providing opportunities for young people looking to break into industries they are passionate about.”

RRC Polytech is once again a top research institution in the country, earning the 14th spot in Re$earch Infosource’s annual ranking of Canada’s top 50 research colleges, released last week.

“RRC Polytech makes innovation possible for our partners in industry and community — and every successful project builds trust in our technology, facilities and expertise,” says Jamie Wilson, the College’s Vice-President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development.

“Today’s rankings reflect the College’s growing reputation for consistency and productivity, which is driven by the work of our Research Partnerships & Innovation enterprise and at our three Technology Access Centres.

“They also reinforce that our approach of strengthening relationships with partners and funders across all sectors, driving alignment between stakeholders and valuing sustainability is accelerating applied research innovation here in Manitoba.”

In the 2022 fiscal year, RRC Polytech completed 170 applied research projects via 117 research partnerships — almost 60 more than the previous year — ranking it third in the Medium Tier category and fourth nationwide.

By maintaining its average of $7.4 million for a second consecutive year, Manitoba’s polytechnic also remains on par with the per-college provincial average of sponsored research income in Alberta, and only slightly behind Ontario’s.

As an added feature to its annual publication, Canada’s Innovation Leaders 2023, Re$earch Infosource also shines a spotlight on college-industry research income as measured by grants, contracts or contributions received from industry sources over the past five years, where RRC Polytech again showed a remarkably consistent annual average of just over $7 million from 2018-2022.

Applied research examples at RRC Polytech include a current partnership between the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace & Manufacturing and StandardAero, who are collaborating to test and validate that cold-spray technology could be effectively implemented in repairing aircraft components.

The College’s Vehicle Technology & Energy Centre continues to facilitate the shift to electrification and zero-emission fuel sources with projects aimed at expanding workplace charging capabilities; partnering with Seven Oaks School Division, Noble Northern and the Canadian Shield Foundation to develop a diesel-to-electric conversion kit for school buses; and building on the success of completed projects by repurposing batteries from Winnipeg Transit electric bus trials in storage systems on fast chargers also created on campus.

The most comprehensive example is From Lab to Table, a culinary research review in the form of a cookbook that shares the delicious outcomes of applied research conducted at the College’s Prairie Research Kitchen (shown above) since 2014, while also documenting the history of the only Technology Access Centre in Manitoba to blend food science and culinary arts.

From discovering and developing novel uses for pulse and soybean products to upcycling food industry byproducts and even embracing insects for protein, book is available to read or download at researchrecipes.ca.

“Celebrating the variety of products, techniques and technology that our researchers, staff and students have worked together with our partners to develop is as important as the volume of projects completed,” says Wilson.

“Because regardless of the size or scope of the project — from entrepreneurs in search of support to launch and grow their business idea, to established enterprises seeking advancements to propel them into the future, —we want everyone to know that in addition to training the workforce of tomorrow, RRC Polytech is also here to provide innovative solutions that elevate all Manitobans.”

A virtual connection between a patient and doctor sounds simple in concept. In execution, though, it’s a challenge from both medical and technological perspectives.

In Manitoba, that’s where QDoc comes in. The local startup has created a solution that’s taken off in the mainstream since its launch last year. And with software development help from RRC Polytech students along the way, co-founders Dr. Norman Silver and David Berkowits believe they have a service that is not only winning awards now, but is also set for rapid expansion in the near future.

Launched in May 2022, QDoc is an online application that connects patients to doctors in real-time. Thanks to a custom algorithm, patients can log in and request to see a doctor. QDoc then sends a message to doctors informing them that a patient is there to be seen, and the two can meet in an encrypted online appointment at a time that fits within both schedules.

Today, 90 doctors across several specialties are on QDoc, including general practitioners, emergency doctors, pediatricians, obstetricians and ophthalmologists. Silver says that annualized, QDoc is set to see 50,000 patients use their system in Manitoba alone in 2023.

“We’ve had great feedback,” he says. “From the individual patient side, it’s unbelievable to have access like that.

“Patients who may have had to drive hours to see a doctor, with QDoc that really isn’t necessary. Doctors can talk through things that are maybe more labour-intensive where the patient may otherwise need to go in, but all factors considered — could be a snowstorm, could be the middle of the night, could be a young kid in the equation — that kind of stuff, it’s much better to try something at home first.”

It’s also a service that answers an obvious need in under-served communities, which Silver (shown above) and Berkowits have leaned into at every step of the process. QDoc is operating in select First Nations communities in rural Manitoba, and in lockstep with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, they have provided tablets to Winnipeg’s most vulnerable so unsheltered people living downtown can virtually meet with doctors on QDoc for medical advice.

Programming of the QDoc application began in June 2021, and with tight timelines and many projects going at once, Silver and Berkowits reached out to existing partners at RRC Polytech to see if students would be available to assist on the software side.

Karen Kabel, Associate Dean of Creative Arts and Applied Computer Education at RRC Polytech, recalls her first meeting with Silver and how it set the path in motion to having students work on QDoc.

“I met Norm when he and his team were setting up the trailer on the Notre Dame Campus for COVID-19 testing — it was right as the pandemic hit and they needed space for testing as well as IT support,” says Kabel.

After running the testing site, Silver followed up to ask about the College’s ACE Project Space, an interactive workspace where students, entrepreneurs and other companies can collaborate to bring ideas to life. One of the outcomes of the ACE Project Space is to work with external industry clients to experiment with new ideas — which was the perfect fit for QDoc.

Students in the ACE Project Space led four projects for QDoc during its development, including building a scheduling assistant that created interconnections between the app and free time in doctor calendars, using optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically upload patient health cards directly into the application, and user testing of the online platform.

Kabel says the exciting technology in use at ACE Project Space lends itself perfectly to seeing how Manitobans will respond to a service like QDoc.

“We had a variety of people come into our user experience lab and go through a variety of tests of the application as customers and as medical professionals. The equipment shows where people struggle or have a good experience, through heat mapping and how eyes dilate while using the application.”

Berkowits, who was part of the team of in-house software designers working with students on development, was open-minded going into the collaboration and pleased with the results.

“It was new for us as a startup, and we had a lot of different projects we had to work in — many of them in parallel. So, at the time, ACE Project Space really worked well because it was easy for me to carve off a project that we were working on and have them be dedicated to it, manage it, and produce a final result. It’s great for companies that are starting up that need a proof of concept or a minimal viable product.”

Kabel agrees that this key differentiation of students leading a project, rather than joining staff and working within their structure, is one of the most rewarding aspects of being involved in the ACE Project Space.

“It’s as if they’ve been hired as a consultant. They’re the ones scheduling the meetings with QDoc staff, they’re the ones gathering requirements … as you watch the students from when they start, they grow as people, not just their technical and business skills, but they grow their confidence and how they present and talk to QDoc staff as individuals.”

Kabel says she has had students in the programs used by QDoc — which include Business Information Technology, Business Technology Management, and Information Security — return from a co-op and still look for that additional experience of working in the ACE Project Space because of the leadership benefits. She says the development projects have been an overall win for everyone involved.

“All the leaders within the College are very proud of our students and QDoc themselves. Dr. Silver and the team there have been great supporters of the College. He will come and speak with ambassadors from other countries and has always stepped up when we’ve needed help promoting our programs.”

Students have also joined the QDoc team as staff and will be key as the leadership team looks to expand in the months and years ahead.

“We want to expand in Manitoba and continue to grow here, creating more integrations and helping more people find the right care at the right time,” says Silver.

It began as a conversation between RRC Polytech and industry leader Dr. Gerry Price in Spring 2021 about the increasingly vulnerable state of manufacturing in Manitoba, and his question: how can we work together to advance the sector?

The journey to the answer — spanning two years of deep conversations with industry, government and other stakeholders — sets the stage for today’s announcement of the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics.

The news is anchored by a $10-million gift from the Price Family Foundation — the largest in RRC Polytech’s history — along with more than $3 million from the federal government and $4.86 million from the province for capital and program development, as well as ongoing operating costs. These three gifts bring the College’s comprehensive campaign, In Front of What’s Ahead, closer to its $60-million goal, with a current total of $51.5 million raised to date.

Today’s $17.86-million investment in the Institute will allow RRC Polytech to bridge critical skills and labour gaps in the sector, spur applied research activities within the sector’s many small-to-medium enterprise (SME) employers and foster an innovation ecosystem where industry-education partnerships shift the technologies disrupting the sector from threats to opportunities.

“As Manitoba’s polytechnic, RRC Polytech is strongly positioned to partner with stakeholders and help usher in a new era of opportunity for one of Manitoba’s most valued economic drivers,” says Fred Meier, RRC Polytech President and CEO. “We are expanding training opportunities and applied research in manufacturing, and it is only possible because of the vision and the commitment of Dr. Gerry Price and the Price Family Foundation, as well as the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba.”

The Manitoba chapter of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) recently reported that it had 2,130 job vacancies in the third quarter of 2022, citing a shortage of advanced skills that are not currently being trained in the province. The Price Institute will directly respond to the skills shortage by training new workers, and by upskilling and reskilling existing workers.

Scheduled for a phased launch beginning in Fall 2023, the Institute features a range of new programs and firsts for RRC Polytech, including:

• Two post-graduate diplomas (one in advanced manufacturing, one in mechatronics) that boost the annual graduate output of RRC Polytech’s engineering technology programs by 150 per cent.
• A project space to drive innovation and technology transfer in automation and manufacturing for SMEs and facilitate student-led research activities.
• Flexible, micro-credentialing options to upskill and reskill up to 1,000 employees each year, including Western Canada’s first offering of the internationally recognized and accredited Siemens Mechatronics Systems Certification Program (Levels I and II), which kickstarts phase one of the Institute’s launch this fall.
• Manitoba’s first Applied Research Chair in Advanced Manufacturing.

This transformational gift from the Price Family Foundation continues its legacy of student-focused support at RRC Polytech. Ahead of the announcement, the Price Family renewed its scholarships at the College for another five years, removing a critical barrier faced by many students pursuing education in engineering technology-focused fields.

“No matter the enterprise, the foundation of Manitoba’s success — past, present and future — is its people,” says Price, the Chairman and CEO of Price Industries Limited. “The more you create access to education opportunities, the more you empower the innovator that dwells within us all. This is an investment in Manitoba’s future learners and future leaders, which will have lasting benefits for generations to come.”

With donor support poised to remove barriers to education for generations of students, the federal government’s $3-million investment supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) will be used to prepare the space for students and to develop and deliver curriculum over the next three years.

“Investments in training and skills development will ensure Manitoba remains a leader in advanced manufacturing and will inspire the next generation of the workforce,” says Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan and MP for Saint Boniface–Saint Vital.

“Our government recognizes the importance of strengthening key clusters and industry priorities, starting with training and education. This funding from PrairiesCan will assist in the development of critical workforce skills through the Price Institute.”

The province focused its investment on funding capital, start-up and development costs related to the Institute’s academic programming, as well as its ongoing operating costs.

“As we work to integrate more and more digital technologies into manufacturing products and processes, there’s a complementary need for highly trained and skilled workers to ensure the sector’s success,” says Sarah Guillemard, Minister of Advanced Education and Training.

“The Manitoba government is pleased to provide ongoing support for RRC Polytech … to deliver the sophisticated training needed by Manitoba’s manufacturing workforce.”

The province’s $4.86-million investment will support technology and training for students, and will provide the College with increased capacity to train industry 4.0 professionals.

“Manufacturing is integral to Manitoba’s economy, with 7,900 job openings expected over the next five years,” says Jeff Wharton, Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade for the province. “Equipping workers with the skills for these in-demand jobs will ensure a steady workforce to keep pace with our economic growth and allow manufacturers to adopt the technologies essential to building and sustaining their businesses.”

Headquartered in the Skilled Trades and Technology Centre at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus, the new Institute will leverage the College’s wealth of teaching and research expertise, as well as the more than $35 million of cutting-edge equipment housed within its Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM).

It started as a way to reduce the gap between research and early childhood education.

Today, RRC Polytech’s Science of Early Child Development (SECD) initiative has impacted the work of early childhood educators (ECEs), both here in Canada and on a global scale.

“Over the past few decades, there has been an explosion of neuroscience research that has increased our understanding of early brain development,” says Dr. Rob Santos, Chair of the Research department in the College’s School of Health Sciences and Community Services.

“These discoveries show that how a child’s brain develops, even before birth, is influenced by the environment and experiences surrounding the child, setting the foundation of lifelong health, learning and wellness.”

SECD began as a partnership between RRC Polytech and the Atkinson Centre at the University of Toronto. Later, the Aga Khan Development Network provided funding to the College to adapt SECD and create an international edition.

The resource is what’s known as a “dynamic knowledge mobilization initiative” — essentially, bridging complex research on understanding early brain development and using that research in resources and courses that professionals and students can easily understand.

The SECD initiative includes four online “living textbooks,” which use a multimedia approach to share information. They include expert interviews, images, slideshows, websites, readings, questions for reflection, interactive games, activities, and videos of children, parents and caregivers.

In each of the modules, there’s an overview, a research section and links to practice that help make research practical for early childhood education students and anyone working with children.

Typically, it can take a number of years before research findings have an impact on practice. However, SECD has proven to be a flexible initiative that is regularly updated to keep resources current, engaging and informative.

The initiative — which originated with CD-ROMs — has kept up with advancing technology, with plenty of help from the College’s Emerging Media and Production department, whose members have played a big role in populating its multimedia archive.

Videos are now streamed, many with captions available in multiple languages. The SECD resources, including interactive learning and review activities, can be viewed on computers, tablets and phones.

“The quality of SECD videos and interviews has been a game-changer and is one of the features that is widely valued,” says Santos.

Over the last few years, a key milestone for SECD has been to expand open access to the resource. In the past, resources were purchased by students or faculty, but recently, provincial and territorial governments have reached out to make them available.

British Columbia was the first province to sign on for open access in 2016, followed by Manitoba in 2018. In the past year, SECD has become available in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Yukon.

Self-study professional development modules have also been developed recently and will be available to in provinces and territories offering open access to SECD. These short modules provide a guided, interactive way to explore specific topics within the resource.

Another recent expansion is a partnership with the government of the Northwest Territories to co-create a professional development workshop series for their ECEs using SECD.

Faculty from RRC Polytech filmed interviews with residents in October 2022, traveling from the southern part of the territory all the way up to Tuktoyaktuk. They are now creating final materials to be used for training throughout the territory.

Overall, SECD has grown significantly since its inception, which dates back nearly 25 years and was inspired by the work of Canadian researcher Dr. J. Fraser Mustard, an expert on the socioeconomic determinants of human development and health, and others with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

Early on, Mustard inspired and challenged people to translate research findings in a way that would allow those who work with children and families to understand and apply this information.

Staff and faculty at RRC Polytech shared his pervasive attitude, coming together to collaborate on an initiative that is now making its impact around the world, and has been received positively by the ECEs it was initially created for.

Survey responses show participants find SECD to be engaging, informative and helpful in their work — feedback that proves quite validating for the research team at the College.

“By empowering science into practice across Canadian provinces and territories, and around the world, for this most pivotal time in the life course — from the prenatal through the preschool years — the College’s SECD team and partners are literally helping communities to stay in front of what’s ahead for generations to come,” says Santos.

RRC Polytech is once again one of Canada’s top research institutions, as announced earlier this week in Re$earch Infosource’s annual ranking of the country’s top 50 research colleges. The College jumped three spots from last year’s 14th place position.

RRC Polytech ranks first in the prairies in the category Spotlight on College Research Activity – Medium Tier, and third for research partnerships nationwide. The College completed 93 applied research projects in the 2021 fiscal year.

“Partnerships are at the heart of everything we do at RRC Polytech,” says Jamie Wilson, Vice-President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development at RRC Polytech.

“We work with industry every day to come up with innovative, sustainable solutions to business problems. Thanks to the support from our partners in the community, industry and government, we can continue to make positive change here in Manitoba and throughout the country.

“This national recognition reinforces that ground-breaking work doesn’t happen in a silo. It takes a community of creative staff, students and industry partners to achieve the results that place us so high on this list.”

An ongoing partnership between RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen, Prairie Fava — a Glenboro, Man.-based food startup — and Big Mountain Foods, a Vancouver-based innovator of plant-based consumer packaged goods, that resulted in an award-winning product is just one example of the innovative collaborations completed in the last year.

Another is a recent building airtightness test at Gordon Bell High School completed by RRC Polytech’s Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC) that will help the high school reduce energy costs by 50 per cent.

“It’s a particular point of pride that many of our applied research successes focus on sustainable initiatives,” says Wilson.

“It’s important we utilize our technology and expertise to not only create impacts in industry, but to work towards a greener economy. I look forward to continuing working with our partners to make a difference in Canada’s applied research scene.”

RRC Polytech’s Research Partnerships & Innovation enterprise has operated out of the College since 2004, providing industry partners with applied research, technical services and training in areas that align with RRC Polytech’s expertise, resources and facilities, and with regional socio-economic demand.

For more information, visit rrc.ca/research.