News Release

GRAND FALLS (GNB) – The provincial and federal governments are investing a combined $2.158 million to improve research infrastructure and industrial services at the Grand Falls Centre of Excellence in Agricultural and Biotechnological Sciences at the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) site in Grand Falls. The funding is provided through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund.

“This infrastructure investment shows that our government values the benefits a state-of-the-art facility can bring to a post-secondary institution and its community,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Donald Arseneault. “We are proud to partner with the Trudeau government to support our entrepreneurs and communities in this capacity, by providing them with such an important socio-economic development tool.”

The investment is intended to modernize the centre, support those who use it, and increase research and development capacity at the CCNB site in Grand Falls. The project will also improve the environmental sustainability of the centre, which has a unique capacity in biofuel research.

The provincial government is investing $1,262,500 while the federal government is contributing $895,500.

“Investments to improve the environmental sustainability of research and innovation infrastructure and industrial services align with the Government of Canada’s climate-change objectives,” said Tobique-Mactaquac MP T.J. Harvey. “‎We are happy to partner with the province to invest in a state-of-the-art facility at CCNB in Grand Falls.”

Harvey attended for federal Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains.

The Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund aims to enhance and modernize research facilities on Canadian campuses and improve environmental sustainability. Through the fund, the federal government will provide $49.3 million, the provincial government will invest $35.2 million, and universities will contribute $14.1 million in several projects, which will result in a total of $98.6 million being spent on university and college infrastructure in New Brunswick. It is expected that additional investments will bring the total amount received by colleges and universities in New Brunswick to $111 million.

“CCNB warmly welcomes today’s announcement, as the improvement of infrastructure at the Grand Falls site will greatly help us continue our activities in research and industrial services,” said Liane Roy, president and CEO of CCNB. “Thanks to this investment, the highly qualified staff will have safer and more confidential research spaces, which will allow them to respond to the ever-increasing demand from businesses and to contribute more to our province’s long-term economic growth. I thank both levels of government. By providing this funding, they recognize the important role played by CCNB in the socio-economic development of the province.”