Read the official news release from the Government of Ontario.

The Honourable Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation, announced today that $900,000 from the Government of Ontario’s Campus-Linked Accelerator program (CLA) will be allocated to support innovation at Queen’s University.

The regional announcement, which took place at Queen’s, also included representatives from the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Algonquin College.

“Queen’s has committed to increasing opportunities for experiential and entrepreneurial learning, both on and off campus.” says Daniel Woolf, Principal and Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s. “This investment not only supports that commitment – it also acknowledges the strides we have already made, not to mention that great things that can be achieved when government, business and academia come together around a common goal.”

The funds allocated to Queen’s will allow the university-based Queen’s Innovation Connector and campus-based accelerator to partner with Launch Lab, Kingston’s regional innovation centre, to increase regional youth entrepreneurship activity.

“Students from all faculties participate in innovative and entrepreneurial activities using state of the art equipment, technology and resources across campus.  Queen’s supports innovation and entrepreneurship by facilitating students’ access to the resources, networks, programs and mentors they need to collaborate and transform ideas into products, services and organizations that make a difference in the world,” says Greg Bavington, Executive Director of the Queen’s Innovation Connector (QIC) and professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “The CLA funding we’ve received today will further strengthen our innovation and entrepreneurship programming, setting Queen’s apart from other universities in Ontario.”

Funds will also be used to establish best practises in the Queen’s-Kingston entrepreneurship ecosystem.

As part of the Ontario Youth Jobs Strategy, the Ontario government will invest $20 million over two years in the in CLA program to build on world-class innovation and entrepreneurial programs. Ontario will also provide over $5 million over two years through the On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities programs to support academic institutions that are committed to entrepreneurship on their campuses.

“Helping young entrepreneurs is another example of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy at work,” says Minister Moridi. “These programs will help harness their ideas, their vision and their enthusiasm and turn them into jobs for today and for tomorrow. Their innovative spirit will build Ontario’s future.”