ART FROEHLICH
CLEAR DIRECTIONS, EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES
It's a very exciting thing, for me and the directors of Alberta Innovates - Bio Solutions, to be on board as this very new and promising organization takes flight.
There's also quite a challenge, in that we have to explain what we're all about to producers and processors, research scientists and community leaders and all manner of other stakeholders that we hope are going to join us in this venture.
To put it simply, our job is to help Alberta's agriculture, forestry and food/health sectors get the R&D support they need to build businesses that can compete against anybody here or abroad. We will channel such funds as are available into work that promises to advance this aim, and also help people with a good idea make contact with other funding sources. We will act as a sounding board to bring the world's best ideas to Alberta, and to help Alberta companies take their own innovation to global markets.
Why do agriculture, forestry and food/health come under one umbrella? It's because they all draw upon biological resources that offer untapped potential for an astounding array of new high-value products. Common building blocks such as cellulose and starch provide opportunities to mix and match the incredible wealth of natural resources in Alberta, without taking away from traditional commodity uses for food, feed and fuel.
We are not reinventing the wheel. Ten provincially-funded agencies and institutes have established a platform on which to build. The change comes about because the provincial government saw that it was time to fold these many organizations into a smaller, more focused group of innovation leaders.
Working with the new Alberta Research and Innovation Authority, are four new innovation entities, namely Bio Solutions, Energy and Environment Solutions, Health Solutions and Technology Futures.
The government has asked us to build a stronger and more aligned provincial research and innovation system that will enable the system to focus on Alberta's strategic priorities. We will contribute to The Way Forward, Alberta's plan for a strong economic recovery and an industrial base that grows jobs and prosperity.
My most important message today is this: we will have to work together to achieve our objectives. We've been given a destination, but it's up to us to plan the route. We have an amazing amount of intellectual and innovative capacity on our Board, but success isn't going to come from a boardroom. We need to hear from and work with business, industry, academia, the research community, the operators in your fields and forests and labs, to reach our goals.
Please watch for regular updates through this website, and contact us at any time with your questions and ideas.