Canadian Cleantech Innovation: Confronting Climate Crisis | Mentor Works
If you look up the term “Canadian Cleantech” on any search engine, you’ll quickly notice that there’s no shortage of daily news content covering the advancements, projects, and funding being funneled into cleantech innovation efforts currently in progress. This is mostly because, due to an influx of strong government funding support in recent years, a growing number of Canadian cleantech businesses are able to effectively research and develop viable solutions, such as products and processes, for various sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and automotive that advance towards a better, cleaner Canada.
The ultimate goal of clean technology innovation is to tackle the global climate change crisis by supporting worldwide efforts to reach net-zero emissions and reduce negative environmental land, water, and air impacts.
According to Export Development Canada (EDC), the global annual investment in cleantech innovation research and development was over $3 trillion in 2020, and Canada has created a strong reputation as a world leader in this innovative space by rising from 7th in 2014 to 2nd in 2021 on the Global Cleantech Innovation Index.
In December 2020, the Government of Canada introduced the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, committing Canada to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. It also includes a $15-billion plan with 64 measures intended to achieve key targets by 2030.
Canada’s Federal Budget 2021 also introduced even further funding support for Canadian cleantech innovation with a grand investment of $7.2 billion over the next seven years via the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
“Canada is home to a vibrant cleantech sector that punches above its weight, and our government is committed to supporting their important work. Canada’s cleantech companies are a critical part of our plan to reduce emissions and create economic opportunities across the country.”
– Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change
What is Clean Technology Innovation and Why is it Important?
Clean technology refers to the ongoing efforts to improve environmental outcomes, particularly in association with renewable energy production, by developing technology which reduces or removes all emissions and creates cleaner solutions for industries across the globe. These solutions aim to replace current processes that are contributing to the increase in fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions causing an elevated global temperature which in turn causes catastrophic events.
Scientists have long warned that if nothing is done to reverse the effects of climate change, humanity will suffer great consequences. In fact, we already are, and the evidence is even present in Canadian weather: longer heat waves, warmer winters, tornados, more wildfires raging across the country, and so forth.
The Growing Negative Outcomes of Climate Change
Tycoons, monsoons, food and water shortages, heat strokes, dying animals, malnourished humans, food production instability, fish stocks plummeting; these are just some of the many, many examples of why the absolute need for clean technology innovation is more important than ever before. To be quite candid, it should have been important more than 40 years ago when serious climate change warnings from scientists began to heavily increase in the 1960s.
If we fail to succeed with clean technology innovation efforts by the year 2050, scientists and leading experts predict that by 2100:
Hope and Action for a Cleaner, Better Tomorrow
Fortunately, hope is never lost, and Canada is at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis.
“Our government has a plan for a cleaner and stronger economy, and Canada’s cleantech innovators will help drive the transition to a low-carbon economy while maintaining and creating good, well-paying jobs for Canadians across the country.”
– Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
The best-case scenario for fighting climate change is now truly being sought after. If humanity is able to keep temperatures from rising past 2050 by introducing clean technology, completely substituting fossil fuels with renewable energy, and planting millions of more trees to purify the air, then we stand a chance at not only surviving as a species, but thriving.
What the World May Be Like in 2100 if Clean Technology Succeeds
Although most of us won’t be around to see the way the Earth takes shape a full century from now, it’s important to acknowledge how the steps being taken today can create a better future for our distant relatives, and how their lives may look.
If all goes well with clean technology innovation efforts before the year 2050, scientists and leading experts predict that by 2100:
“We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.”
– Barack Obama, Former US President
Examples of Canadian Cleantech Innovation: Projects and Solutions Leading Global Action Against Climate Change
Canadian Cleantech Projects Supported by the SD Tech Fund
There are countless examples of Canadian cleantech innovation projects currently in progress around the country. One of the biggest federal funding programs supporting these innovative research and development projects is the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Tech Fund.
The SD Tech Fund regularly provides funding to Canadian businesses working on positioning Canada towards a net-zero economy by 2050 through projects that accelerate healthier technologies creating cleaner air, soil, and water solutions.
With SDTC support, Canadian companies have generated over $2.7 billion in annual revenues, created 14,628 jobs, and brought more than 150 new cleantech solutions to market that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The following are just some examples of Canadian cleantech innovation projects supported by SDTC in the last year:
The SDTC invested over $1.15 billion in Canadian cleantech innovation in the 2020-21 fiscal year.
Innovative Cleantech Projects Supported by Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)
Another large-scale funding program focused on providing support for Canada’s leading cleantech innovators is the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). As mentioned earlier, the SIF is investing $7.2 billion over the next seven years to boost cleantech innovation solutions across the country.
The SIF offers up to 50% of project costs to eligible applicants with the purpose of promoting investment into activities that drive sustained productivity and economic benefits.
A prime example of SIF funding allocated towards cleantech innovation includes $415 million awarded for the development of a new vaccine manufacturing facility in Toronto. The project hopes that, in the event of a future flu outbreak not unlike the global COVID-19 pandemic, Sanofi’s new facility will be able to produce vaccines at population scale in a clean, safe, and effective way.
Canadian Government Grants and Loans Encouraging Cleantech Innovation
Along with the SD Tech Fund and the SIF, there are numerous other government funding programs, both federal and provincial, that are providing grants and/or loans for businesses to take on research and development projects to help advance innovative cleantech solutions.
Some other programs that may be of interest in relation to tackling climate change through clean technology solutions include:
Browse all available government grant and loan programs supporting Canadian cleantech innovation by visiting our CleanTech Funding Programs Page, and make sure to stay up to date on the latest news in relation to clean technology projects and funding programs by subscribing to our free weekly e-newsletter.