Today, the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister for PrairiesCan and Minister for CanNor, announced an investment of nearly $128,000 to support three innovative initiatives in Whitehorse.
Though each project serves a different purpose, they all exemplify ingenuity and creativity within their sectors. The impacts of these projects are broad, ranging from creating modular communications shelters, to supporting businesses interested in adopting artificial intelligence to help grow their business, to advancing physical and mental health, reconciliation and inclusivity.
Total Shelters - $54,500
CanNor invested $54,500 in this one-year project by Total North Communications, an integrated communications company that supplies and supports communications systems across the North, with a further $25,167 provided by the Government of Yukon and $29,500 from the proponent. The total cost of the project is $109,167. The project allows the organization to improve Total Shelter mobile units (Compods), which are used throughout the North and Northern British Columbia as data centres, fiber optics facilities, mountaintop communications sites, shop spaces and storage facilities. It also allows the organization to seek Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certification, which validates the knowledge and experience of security professionals.
Funding towards this project helps address the need for CSA certified shelters that can be used in harsh arctic environments across diverse sectors. More broadly, this investment supports the growth and diversification of the organization and enhances job creation and training opportunities for Yukoners.
North of AI - Business and Learning Accelerator - $45,000
CanNor invested $45,000 in year one of this three-year project by Yukon Tech, an organization of technology-driven companies, with a further investment of $45,000 from the Government of Yukon and an additional $60,000 from Scale AI. The total cost of the project is $150,000. This funding allows the organization to partner with Scale AI, Canada's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Supercluster, to develop a local business and learning accelerator focused on AI and supply chain management. This new program, North of AI, helps build capacity in Yukon's tech industry by supporting the creation of new tech start-ups and supporting existing businesses interested in adopting AI.
Funding towards this project enables small and medium Yukon businesses to reduce costs and increase efficiencies by incorporating AI into operations, and will position businesses for growth and expansion. Furthermore, North of AI prioritizes start-ups that are addressing supply chain management, which could lead to improvements for consumers across the North and beyond.
Content and Market Expansion for Gamified Active Learning - $28,433
CanNor invested $28,433 in this one-year project by Discovelo Inc., a social enterprise developing stress-management software designed to accompany stationary bicycles, with a further investment of $16,171 from Yukon University Innovation & Entrepreneurship and $15,402 from the proponent. The total cost of the project is $60,006. The project enables the growth and development of the gamified software, including a blueprint for developers and creative game designers as well as thematic content guidelines.
Funding towards this project supports a larger, more diverse content library that helps grow the relevance and popularity of this product. It also helps advance principles of inclusivity, reconciliation and sustainable development as the organization increasingly works with Yukon and First Nation partners to develop meaningful, culturally-relevant content.
