SD Tech Fund Accepting Applications

During Stephen Harper’s decade as Prime Minister, Canada lost 71% of its clean market share. Canada has a global reputation for being a natural oasis that is smart and sustainable, but the numbers don’t support the truth: Canada now ranks 19th globally for its production of clean technology.

The rise of the Canada’s liberal party indicates a transition towards environmentally significant and economically beneficial sectors, namely clean energy, clean water, and energy efficiency. There is a growing market for clean energy technology, and Canada is well positioned to become a valued contributor to all of these sectors.

Their current plan involves investing an additional $200 million to help generate sector-specific strategies to drive innovation and clean technologies, specifically in the forestry, mining, fishery, agriculture, and energy sectors. This investments work with provinces, territories, universities, and colleges to offer a full range of support systems for developing clean technology. This includes research, development, and commercialization to help bring products to scale and export them around the world.

One specific government funding initiative helps business that want to address climate change, clean water, clean soil, and air quality—the SD Tech Fund. Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) offers this program to help companies answer and solve difficult questions about sustainable energy and waste management.

Eligible applicants

The SD Tech Fund supports Canadian companies that are already well established, or are in the process of becoming established. These companies must have a focus on developing clean technology innovation, and most of the development and demonstration work has to take place in Canada. This fund also accepts interested international contributors as consortium partners, but the head applicant must be a Canadian company.

Beyond this, all applicants must have a clean technology product that is well-developed, innovative, and has high potential for commercialization. It should be at the ideal stage of market development—beyond proof of concept, but pre-commercial. Applicants must prove how their technology is innovative.

Applicants must outline all of this information in a detailed business plan—this plan should highlight what the environmental and economic benefits are to Canada, and should include information regarding additional sources of funding beyond SDTC support. Also, all plans require one or more industry partner for eligibility.

Preferred projects

This fund supports technologies with a clear focus on supporting the environment and the economy simultaneously. There are currently five key focus areas in this regard:

Responsible natural resource development
Carbon-free power generation and distribution
Remote and northern community utility systems
Energy efficiency for industry and communities
Next generation technologies with long-term benefits for Canada
Any project under one of these areas should have its primary basis surrounding climate change, clean soil, clean air, and clean water.

Available funding amounts and eligible project costs

The average amount of government funding that business can receive ranges from $200,000 to $15,000,000. SDTC funds an average of up to 33% of project costs, and never more than half of eligible project costs. It is expected that applicants will contribute a portion of their own funding, including assistance from external partners.

There are a wide range of eligible project costs, including salaries and benefits, field testing services, contractual service costs, license fees and permits, travel expenses, laboratory and field supplies, shipping costs, translation costs, and capital items, amongst others.

If you want to learn more about the SD Tech Fund, get in touch with our team at INAC. Government funding can help your business in several different ways, but you need to secure that funding in the first place. We can help you get your application started today to get your renewable energy project noticed!

This post first appeared on INAC Services