Ontario’s Climate Change Challenge

GLOBE-Net, April 18, 2017 – Last week the Government of Ontario issued the following Challenge to local and international companies to develop the next generation of transformative clean technologies to help fight climate change:

“Transformative technologies drive change… whether evolutionary, revolutionary or disruptive. Ontario is seeking transformative technologies that offer cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions for manufacturing and industrial processes to drive systemic transformations across sectors, and position Ontario as a global leader in building a low-carbon future.”

It is a bold move that could have enormous implications for innovative technologies that could mitigate the impacts of climate change and strengthen resiliency.

“Challenging local innovators and inviting the best from around the globe to tackle greenhouse gas emissions is good for job growth and for our province’s economy, ” noted Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science.

“Most importantly, this initiative will improve the air we breathe and the water we drink for generations to come,” he added.

The Solutions 2030 Challenge encourages companies to develop breakthrough technologies that will help Ontario’s industrial plants reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, meet the targets set in Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan, and increase innovation and entrepreneurship in the province.

Ontario has provided support for the Solutions 2030 Challenge with proceeds from the province’s carbon market through the Green Investment Fund. The challenge will position Ontario as a global leader in building a low-carbon future while supporting job growth and strengthening the economy.

Eligible teams can apply through the Solutions 2030 online application portal by September 22, 2017. Selected teams will be awarded funding to take their transformative idea through prototype and demonstration stages in Ontario. International applicants are expected to establish a significant presence in the province and help Ontario meet its greenhouse gas targets beyond 2030.

The three-phase competition will evolve over a period of three years.

Phase 1 of the challenge will be evaluated on the concept and description of a team’s proposed technology and plan to market. To participate in Phase 1, the technology should be proven and the team should have a vision for large-scale implementation of their technology in Ontario by 2030.

The top eight teams will be invited to proceed to Phase 2 and will be awarded up to $250,000 each to support costs related to their participation.

Phase 2 of the challenge will require teams to build a lab-scale technology prototype in a controlled environment and will be evaluated based on prototype performance and the team’s vision to scale their technology to reduce GHG emissions by Ontario industry by 2030. The top four teams from Phase 2 will be invited to participate in Phase 3 and will be awarded up to $750,000 each to support costs related to their participation.

Phase 3 of the challenge will require teams to demonstrate their technology in partnership with an organization that has an industrial or manufacturing presence in Ontario. The grand prize will be awarded based on technology performance and the team’s technology commercialization plan. The top team from Phase 3 will be awarded up to $2 million to support costs related to technology commercialization in Ontario.

Helping businesses innovate while lowering greenhouse gas emissions is part of Ontario’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

“This challenge will be instrumental in developing breakthrough technologies that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in partnership with Ontario’s large industrial emitters,” he added.

More information on the Solutions 2030 Challenge and Eligibility Criteria are available here