In April econext will elect its Board of Directors for 2024/25.
econext‘s Board of Directors provide direction and support to the organization’s staff in their work to accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are a total of four (4) positions to be filled.
Interested individuals can contact econext’s CEO, Kieran Hanley, at kieran@econext.ca for more information about the nomination process. Nominees will be asked to provide (1) a photo, (2) a biography – 500 words or less, and (3) a statement as to their objectives for serving as a member of econext‘s Board of Directors – 250 words of less.
econext Directors must represent a voting member of the organization’s membership in good standing.
The deadline for nominations is April 22, 2024. Voting for director positions shall take place online April 24 – 29, 2024. Nominees will have an opportunity to speak directly to members at econext‘s 2024 Annual General Meeting and Industry Awards Reception taking place on April 26. Click here for more information on this event.
econext‘s 2024 Annual General Meeting and Industry Awards Reception is taking place on April 26, 2024.
Date: Friday, April 26, 2024 Location: Delta Hotel and Conference Centre – St. John’s
Annual General Meeting
The AGM portion of the meeting will take place at 2:00 and will feature a 2023-24 Year in Review, a look ahead to 2024-25, and an opportunity for members to ask questions and engage in discussion. Voting matters will occur online as to allow for maximum participation from members across the province, and will take place between April 25-30. For members interested in Board of Directors nominations, click here. This portion of the event is for members only.
Industry Awards Reception
econext will recognize and celebrate the winner of its 2024 Industry Awards in the following categories: Cleantech Innovation, Business Excellence, International Business, and Industry Champion. Awards nominations are due by March 29, 2024. To make a nomination, click here.
Registration
Tickets for this event are $22.63 for members and $38.61 for non-members. Click the button below to complete your registration.
Members will be provided a personalized access code (distributed on April 25) which will be used for the casting of votes through to 17h00 NST on April 30, 2024.
The Tides of Opportunity video series stemmed from a number of in-person events and real-time demonstrations where both students and skilled professionals could learn directly from industry leaders about available and emerging ocean cleantech careers in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This video spotlights econext member BioLabMate. BioLabMate is on a mission to eliminate single-use plastics from research labs and medical facilities through sustainable seaweed-derived bioplastic production. Follow along and discover how this plentiful and renewable cold-water resource could impact the future of plastics worldwide.
The Tides of Opportunity video series stemmed from a number of in-person events and real-time demonstrations where both students and skilled professionals could learn directly from industry leaders about available and emerging ocean cleantech careers in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This video spotlights econext member eDNAtec. Environmental DNA and advanced genomics technologies are being used to generate new information about our oceans. eDNAtec is leading the way to deliver unique insights about the health of our oceans, and our impact on wildlife.
Below are some highlights from the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial budget, delivered on March 21, 2024, relevant to green economy stakeholders. Click here to view the budget materials.
Tax Credits
Two provincial tax credits that can support cleantech adoption and production will continue, including:
The 20% ‘Green Technology’ tax credit (to help businesses with specific capital costs for green activities, such as equipment for energy conservation and clean energy generation and the efficient use of fossil fuels).
The 10% manufacturing and processing investment tax credit.
Green Transition and Innovation
Financing to assist businesses and research institutions pursue green economy opportunities will be funded again in 2024-25, including:
$13.7 million in funding for the Innovation and Business Development Fund.
$11.5 million for the Green Transition Fund.
$35 million to support economic development, with a focus on research and development, commercialization, investment attraction, and regional development – not specifically tied to ‘green’ but green activities eligible.
Net Zero
Investments to help decarbonize and reduce GHGs in the province, including:
$81.9 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while addressing energy affordability including support to transition homes from oil to electric heat.
$1.1 million for electrical vehicle infrastructure.
Climate Change Adaptation
Contributions to help acquire vital information for municipalities and planners:
$1.5 million for flood risk mapping.
Wastewater
Dedicated funds to assist in tackling wastewater challenges in NL, including:
$50 million over five years to support water and wastewater projects.
$650,000 for a permanent wastewater surveillance program.
Mining
Plus, investments to help the province continue to position itself as a leader in critical minerals:
$2.6 million to support implementation of the Critical Minerals Strategy to enhance the province’s competitiveness and attract private investment.
$1.7 million for the Mineral Incentive Program, including $1.3 million for Junior Exploration Assistance.
$1.6 million annually for a Labrador-specific geoscience program that supports exploration in frontier regions.
Also of note, a $72.4 million contribution is being made to the Newfoundland and Labrador Future Fund (revenues from one-time sources and non-renewables resources) bringing the total contributions to $358.8 million.
Do you know of an econext member that should be recognized for their successes?
econext is launching its industry awards program, celebrating the businesses, researchers, and professionals building the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador over the past year.
The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Awards categories include:
Cleantech Innovation
Business Excellence
International Business
Industry Champion
To see the awards categories and make your nomination, click the link below.
Newfoundland and Labrador is on the frontier of clean fuels development and production on a global scale. There are several projects being explored within the province that would be internationally significant in terms of their contribution in the fight against climate change.
These types of projects not only allow for Newfoundland and Labrador to make an important contribution to the world’s pursuit of net zero, but also create good jobs, business opportunities, and community investment here at home.
In partnership with the Economic Developers Association of NL, join econext CEO Kieran Hanley on April 12 for a webinar to learn more about the emerging clean fuels industry, explore the economic development considerations and opportunities that may present themselves, and understand what practitioners can do to prepare.
The Tides of Opportunity video series stemmed from a number of in-person events and real-time demonstrations where both students and skilled professionals could learn directly from industry leaders about available and emerging ocean cleantech careers in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This video spotlights econext member Scanmudring. Scanmudring’s specialized heavy-duty equipment and advanced technologies have made them the ideal partners for many marine companies operating in harsh subsea environments. They offer a range of services, from subsea decommissioning, to precision dredging. They also take sustainability very seriously, committing to becoming a Net Zero company before 2030.
Between March 1-3, 2024, the second econext clean growth Ideathon took place in partnership with Navigate Entrepreneurship Centre and Memorial University’s Centre for Social Enterprise.
Taking place in Corner Brook, the event saw 36 post-secondary students from Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus and the College of the North Atlantic compete to come up with solutions for reducing and/or repurposing waste material in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL).
The students, from many different disciplines, formed 8 teams. Each team worked together to develop their ideas which they pitched to a panel of expert judges. The students received mentorship and participated in workshops and networking throughout the weekend to help build their ideas. The top three teams walked away with prizes totalling $6,000. A Social Impact Award of $1,000, sponsored by the Centre for Social Enterprise, was also awarded to one team.
First-Place Winners
The first-place prize, sponsored by Hatch, was awarded to Team Waste Watchers (Dan Langdon, Riley Lockyer, and Ryan Whalen) who pitched a coordinated collection and processing of organic matter , and the sale of resulting fertilizing compost soil to suit agricultural demands.
Second-Place Winners
The second-place prize went to Team Green Revive (Andy Guilhem Awongue Nkada, Jemy Sara Joy, Soham Savant, Madison Organ, and Muhammad Zeeshan Siddiqui) who presented “Salt-ernative” – a de-icer alternative made from forestry and fisheries waste to reduce salt and its harmful effects. Green Revive were also the winners of the Social Impact Award.
Third-Place Winners
The third-place prize, sponsored by TD Bank, was presented to Team Eco Souls (Bhashitha Konara, Marie Lopez Cruz, Poornima Wijerathna) who introduced “Eco-Rewards” – a gamified approach to recycling with tangible rewards for participants.
In addition to the prize sponsors, econext would like to thank its opening ceremonies sponsor, NL Workforce Innovation Centre; event sponsor, Fuel 4 the Future; and meal sponsors, Electronic Products Recycling Association and Memorial University’s Cenovus Centre of Excellence in Sales and Supply Chain Management.
The econext Ideathon was made possible through partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable, and with support from the Government of Canada.
More events will be taking place in 2024-25. If you are interested in partnering on a future event, please contact Chelsea Linfield at chelsea@econext.ca or Alex Rumbolt at alex@econext.ca.
econext is an association that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador and works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
Navigate is a champion of entrepreneurship in western Newfoundland, providing business coaching and support to the local entrepreneurial community and to students, faculty, staff, and alumni of MUN Grenfell Campus and CNA Corner Brook Campus. Learn more at https://navigatesmallbusiness.ca.
Since its official launch in 2017, the Centre for Social Enterprise has established itself as a hub of social enterprise expertise and activity with a wide network of collaborators and partners both within the province and beyond. Learn more at https://www.mun.ca/social-enterprise.
The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization bringing together some of Canada’s largest companies and leading post-secondary institutions. Since 2015, BHER has worked to harness the strengths of Canada’s business and post-secondary education sectors to build opportunities for young Canadians, boost innovation and drive collaboration. Learn more at www.bher.ca. Visit our WIL Hub for ways to explore, invest in and create quality WIL opportunities.
Newfoundland and Labrador is expecting significant growth in its clean energy industry. However, there are anticipated challenges in finding enough skilled workers to meet the demand. To proactively address this, a plan is needed. econext is seeking consulting services to develop a strategy to attract and retain a diverse workforce that will help usher in NL’s clean energy future.
Download the RFP via the link below. Note that this page will be used to post any questions received and answers provided up until the submission deadline.
