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.
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.
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.
econext is congratulating the Multi Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) on the re-launch of its Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund (SWMIF).
“Newfoundland and Labrador’s geography and demographics creates challenges for the management of waste,” said Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext. “Innovation is required to find new ways to address these challenges in effective and economical ways.”
The SWMIF offers financial support to innovators who are advancing sustainable waste management in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This year the program was increased from $15,000 to $50,000 in non-repayable funding for successful applicants. “This adjustment to the program will help to inspire and support bigger ideas,” said Hanley, noting that the innovative solutions developed in NL can be exportable to other jurisdictions facing similar challenges.
“It is important to look at these challenges as being green economy growth opportunities for our province,” said Hanley. “What’s good for the environment can also be good for business.”
econext is currently surveying commercial and industrial operators across to the province to understand how it can help them pursue innovative circular economy opportunities. “We are encouraging businesses in NL to tell us about their waste streams so that we can do better to help,” said Hanley. Business can fill out the short survey at https://econext.ca/econext-asking-nl-businesses-to-reach-out-about-their-solid-waste-streams/.
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.
econext is highlighting a recent agreement between World Energy GH2 and the Government of Canada as an important step in the growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean energy industry.
“World Energy GH2’s Project Nujio’qonik aims to be Canada’s first commercial-scale green hydrogen facility,” said Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext. “This agreement helps to cement confidence in the extraordinary opportunity this province has around clean energy.”
Last week Export Development Canada (EDC), on behalf of the Government of Canada, and World Energy GH2 signed definitive agreements in connection with a CA$128M credit facility to support the development of of the project through to its financial close of its long-term financing.
“We applaud EDC for using the tools that it has at its disposal to support clean energy development in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Hanley. “With supports like these, our province will solidify Canada’s position as a leading supplier of clean energy and technology to the world.”
The Government of Canada’s news release can be found here. World Energy GH2’s news release can be found here.
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.
econext is encouraging businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador with an interest in pursuing collaborative research and development projects with German partners to get in touch.
A near-term opportunity to obtain funding for joint innovation is available through the “Canada-Germany 2024 to 2025 collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals”.
Working together, the Government of Canada and the Government of Germany aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to companies from Canada and Germany who wish to perform joint R&D leading to technology commercialization focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in all technological and application areas which have strong market potential.
econext is looking to assist interested NL companies explore this program. In addition, econext is anticipating other opportunities for collaboration between NL and Germany and is keen to hear from businesses in NL with an interest. Please contact econext CEO Kieran Hanley with your interest at kieran@econext.ca.
Do you have an innovative idea that you would like to explore that combines reality capture and/or digitization with the wind / hydrogen industry?
Get in touch with CNA’s Reality Capture and Digitization Technology Access Centre (TAC), which can provide:
Expertise to determine the technical and economic feasibility of new products, processes, and services
Short-term R&D and prototype development assistance
Access to cutting-edge technology
Impartial scientific, technical, and business guidance
Don’t miss out on the upcoming funding opportunity for Interactive Visits with the TAC network! For just $250, you can access 20 hours of innovation support!
Reach out to our Applied Research team (ar@cna.nl.ca) for assistance with the application process and to explore solutions tailored to your business needs.
econext is congratulating Braya Renewable Fuels on a significant milestone achieved this month – first commercial production of its renewable diesel product.
“This is a major milestone for Newfoundland and Labrador which is positioning itself to be a global energy transition and clean fuels leader,” said Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext.
Braya Renewable Fuels operates the Come By Chance Refinery which has been retrofitted to produce renewable diesel – a product that can directly displace traditional diesel with much lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This fuel will support the energy transition by decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy-duty transport, aviation, and heavy industry.
Image courtesy of Braya Renewable Fuels
Hanley said econext expects the milestone to be one among many in the years ahead. “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,” he said, referring to a series of wind-to-hydrogen projects that are in various stages of development.
“These types of projects not only allow for Newfoundland and Labrador to make an important contribution to the world’s pursuit of net zero GHGs, but also create good jobs, business opportunities, and community investment here at home.” Hanley said it is notable that many of the proposed projects are located in rural areas of the province and present great opportunity for rural revitalization in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Hanley said that the province has a number of competitive advantages from untapped renewable resources, geography and port infrastructure, available land and water, and more which position it for success in a world that is quickly moving to address GHGs.
“Braya’s project is the first to achieve commercial production in Newfoundland and Labrador; we congratulate those with the vision to develop and invest in this project.”
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.
