Small- and medium-sized health technology companies play a vital role in developing innovative solutions that contribute to the quality of life of Canadians of all ages and abilities, according to the government, who says that their technologies are pivotal in enabling older adults who prefer to age in place within their own homes and communities to stay healthy and active.
In a bid to support this notion, the Government of Canada is investing in initiatives that increase the capacity of Alberta’s health technology sector to continue bringing new ideas and applications to market.
Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, and Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, recently announced a federal investment of more $2.1 million for the Glenrose Hospital Foundation in Edmonton to accelerate industry applications for human mobility and home health technologies.
“Our government is proud to partner with the Glenrose Hospital Foundation to support the development of new technologies and solutions that improve the quality of life of Canadians and help ensure they can remain healthy, active, and mobile in their homes and in their communities,” stated Vandal.
“This initiative will further strengthen Alberta’s impressive and growing life sciences sector by providing local firms with more opportunities to commercialize their ideas, create jobs and bring their products to global markets,” he continued.
The capital is being directed toward the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital’s Research & Innovation program, which focuses on commercial applications of clinical research and in assisting industry with product design, validation, and access to clinical facilities.
The investment aims to support the hospital in acquiring equipment and develop a testing centre to support health firms across Alberta working to refine prototypes and devices such as wheelchairs, adaptive bikes, remote monitoring systems, and wearable technologies.
“We are entering a new age of human ability,” believes Glenrose Hospital Foundation CEO Mark Korthuis. “Technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, as is our ability to use these technological advances to unlock human potential. At the Glenrose Hospital Foundation, this is the core of our purpose.”
The hospital also intends to establish a province-wide network of companies, post-secondary institutions, and other organizations to bolster collaboration in advancing new technologies to market.
“We seek to foster innovative and leading-edge technologies to reimagine human ability and create new possibilities for Albertans,” said Korthuis. “The innovations that will result from this partnership have the ability to impact far-and-wide, fostering breakthroughs in human mobility, supporting ageing in place, and setting a new standard for patient care.”
According to Boissonnault, the investment is expected to lead to the creation of 35 jobs in Alberta’s growing health and medical technology sector as it assists 30-plus small- and medium-sized businesses.
“Our work with Glenrose Research & Innovation will bolster their capacity to refine and launch new products while putting our region and our province at the forefront of meeting global demands for innovative health and mobility solutions,” stated Boissonnault, asserting that “Alberta’s technology firms have the expertise, know-how and drive to bring new applications to market and transform the future of healthcare.”
The investment builds on PrairiesCan’s previous funding of over $1.8 million in 2019 for the Glenrose Hospital Foundation to expand its research and innovation capacity.
“Together, we have the potential to create and commercialize technological solutions that will improve the quality of life for patients in Canada and abroad,” says Dr. Lyle Oberg, who serves as executive board chair for Alberta Health Services.
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