Benchmark Study on Green Buildings - Royal Architectural Institute ...

statement of work, detailed schedule. Total funding varies from $150,000 to $300,000 per
fiscal year (hence why it is not one of the OERD’s major programs). When funding
assistance results in the generation of profits or the increase in value of a business, the
business must repay the amount received or share the resulting financial benefits with the
government commensurate with its sharing of the risks.
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI):
Yet another Government of Canada program promoting research and technology
development is the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The CFI is an independent
corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. Its
mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research
hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and
technology development that benefits Canadians. With funding a major issue of all R&D
projects, the CFI exists to resolve this problem. Since it was created in 1997, the CFI has
been entrusted with $3.65 billion by the Government of Canada. The CFI normally funds
up to 40 percent of a project’s infrastructure costs which are invested in partnership with
eligible institutions and their funding partners from the public, private, and voluntary
sectors who provide the remainder. Based on this formula, the total capital investment by
the CFI, the research institutions, and their partners, will exceed $11 billion by 2010.
SME-IDEA:
The SME-IDEA program is a SME support program run by the Government of Canada. It
offers financial advice and assistance for the demonstration and commercialization of
environmental technologies, and caters to SMEs of fewer than 200 employees as well as
SME support groups, associations and agencies in the environmental industry in Quebec.
Eligible projects include: strategic studies and plans to develop environmental
technologies; adapting new technologies to meet market demands; technology
demonstrations; identifying and evaluating new technologies; studies on technology
trends/evolution; communicating results; and developing and implementing technology
marketing plans. Cost areas eligible for SME-IDEA funding include: consultant service
fees; direct payroll costs; certification and patent fees; rental costs for equipment and
premises; and event-organizing fees. Ineligible costs consist of capital expenditures and
expenses eligible for income tax credits and other research and development assistance
programs. SME-IDEA can finance up to 50% of a project’s total costs deemed coverable
by the program, up to a maximum of $1 million. All financing by the program must be
fully repaid within 5 years of project completion, although there is a grace period of 2
years following the completion of the project where payments need not be made.
Other government funding and service programs:
Other funding and service programs offered by the Canadian Government and not
described in detail in this report include programs from the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Industry Energy Research and
Development (IERD) Program, the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF), EcoAction, the
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and the Federal Economic Development
Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor).
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