The grant – awarded to MITACS, a Vancouver-based research network which creates and manages unique research and training programs – will enable B.C. graduate students and new PhDs to connect with businesses and apply their research to real-world challenges and attract top international undergraduate students to local universities.

“Research and innovation are key to economic growth in our province, and to providing jobs for B.C. families into the future,” Premier Clark said. “With this announcement, we are working with our partners to take great ideas from our university labs and turn them into excellent jobs, driving progress in every sector of our economy.”

The funding will create up to 300 new graduate internships through the MITACS-Accelerate program and 19 fellowships for recent PhD graduates through MITACS-Elevate, as well as foster better linkages between BC’s universities and some of the brightest international talent through the Globalink program.

Established in 1999, MITACS is a not-for-profit research organization which partners with government, universities and industry to recruit, train and retain graduate students in B.C.

“MITACS has far exceeded our expectations by connecting almost 1,000 graduate students with B.C. businesses and organizations to create innovative products and practices,” said Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. “Today’s investment will help build the highly-educated workforce we need to be a leader in innovation and commercialization.”

Through the MITACS-Accelerate program, Aaron Phillips, a graduate student in kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, is doing research to help commercialize a “smart” wheelchair for spinal cord injured people. Developed by SOC Robotics of North Vancouver, the chair takes the user’s blood pressure, heart rate and other feedback, combines it with information about the terrain, and provides extra help when needed.

“Support for this program is great for students, because we can put our research to use in the industries where we’ll find jobs after we graduate,” Phillips said.  “My work is helping people with spinal cord injuries or those who have had a stroke to actively engage in the community through smart-adaptive wheeling assistance that lets them be more active and independent.”

As a result of a unique partnership between the Chinese Education Council and BC’s universities, for the first time the MITACS Globalink program is expecting up to 20 undergraduate students to come to B.C. from China this summer. This is in addition to 28 of the brightest students from India who are expected to begin arriving here later this month.

“When these international undergraduates get a taste of the research going on at our world-class universities, B.C. becomes top of mind for graduate school,” said Advanced Education Minister Naomi Yamamoto. “Usually, these students look at universities like Harvard, MIT or Oxford – but after interning here, 85 per cent of them say they’re considering B.C. instead.”

Today’s funding brings the Province’s investment in MITACS to more than $14.1 million.

“MITACS programs improve retention rates of our most highly educated students by a phenomenal 20 per cent, and have protected probably $225 million worth of government investment in education in B.C. alone,” said Brad Bennett, Chairman of the MITACS board. “We thank the Province for continuing to invest in our work to make the most of B.C. talent and technology.”

The provincial funding announced today is expected to attract another $7 million from federal and industry partners. To date, government has invested $1.8 billion in research and innovation since 2001.

The funding for SeeKD will take the form of CN donating out-of-service railcars to Kidney Metals, an initiative of  KFOC, BC Branch  in partnership with ABC Recycling Ltd. CN has pledged $600,000 over a three-year period, which will enable the SeeKD program to support early identification and prevention of chronic kidney disease in communities across the country.

CN marked the announcement by presenting The Kidney Foundation of Canada with a cheque that represents the first year’s commitment to the initiative. “We are delighted to be part of such an innovative program that will help save so many lives across the country,” said Karen Phillips, vice president public and government affairs.

ABC Recycling, a leading metal recovery and recycling firm, amazed onlookers at its Burnaby operation when it “sheared” a CN railcar resulting in 30 tons of metal now destined to improve the health of Canadians at risk of developing kidney disease. “We are happy to be able to contribute our recycling expertise to help The Kidney Foundation save lives,” said ABC’s CEO, David Yochlowitz.  “We are proud of our involvement in both Kidney Metals and Kidney Car because we know from personal experience just how important kidney health is. Ten years ago I donated a kidney to my wife.”

Chronic kidney disease is defined as the presence of kidney damage, or a decreased level of kidney function, for a period of three months or more. As many as 2.6 million Canadians have, or are at risk of developing, kidney disease and many are not aware of their condition. SeeKD is targeted at those most at risk of developing chronic kidney disease such as individuals with diabetes, hypertension, evidence of vascular disease, a family history of kidney disease and/or who are over 55 years of age. Certain ethnic groups are particularly at risk, such as people of Aboriginal, Asian and South Asian, African and Hispanic descent.

 “Targeted screening programs have been shown to detect 93 per cent of all chronic kidney disease in the community,” says Dr. Joanne Kappel, who helped design the SeeKD program and who currently serves as chair of The Kidney Foundation’s Public Policy Council.

“We are delighted that CN has recognized the importance of the SeeKD initiative in helping to reduce the burden of kidney disease,” noted Lorraine Gerard, executive director of The Kidney Foundation’s BC Branch.

 Kathryn Richardson, national president of The Kidney Foundation, whose son received a living donor kidney transplant when diagnosed early with kidney disease, reiterated: “There is no cure for kidney disease, but disease progression can be stopped or prevented if detected early enough, making initiatives such as this new SeeKD program invaluable.”

To find out more about kidney disease and the importance of screening to assist early detection and disease management, or for a list of screening events in your region, visit www.kidney.ca.

The award recognized the generosity of employees at ABC Recycling’s operations in Burnaby, Surrey and Campbell River, who donated almost $26,000 that was matched dollar-for-dollar by ABC Recycling for a total of close to $52,000.  Of the 120 employees at the three locations, 65 per cent participated in the campaign.

“We are very proud of all our employees who donate to their communities through the United Way,” said ABC Recycling CEO David Yochlowitz.  “The United Way has become our ‘charity of choice’ with employees donating not only a portion of their pay, but also their time through the charity’s annual Day of Caring.”

Recipients of an Employee Campaign Loyalty Award must have an increase in employee contributions year over year for a minimum of five consecutive years.  With both employee and company contributions, ABC Recycling has raised more than $150,000 for the United Way in the past three years alone.

ABC Recycling Ltd. is one of British Columbia’s leading metal recovery and recycling firms.  Founded in 1912, ABC Recycling is a fourth-generation, family-owned business with operations throughout BC including Burnaby, Surrey, and Campbell River, with joint venture operations in Kelowna, Terrace, and Prince George.   Its success has been built on a foundation of trust, mutual respect and fairness.

To kick off National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week our client, ABC Recycling, is partnering with The Kidney Foundation of Canada to present a special once-in-a-lifetime concert with Susan Jacks from the famed trio The Poppy Family.

The Susan Jacks & Friends…for LIFE! benefit concert will be held on Sunday, April 17th at the Red Robinson Theatre.

Ticket prices are $50.00 for general admission or $150.00 for the VIP package that includes a champagne reception before the show, preferred seating and a meet and greet the entertainers afterwards. To reserve your tickets visit Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 280-4444.

‘Tis the season for company Christmas parties. We recently secured coverage for our client Bull, Housser & Tupper on CKNW and in The Province to discuss the liabilities employers face after the company Christmas party ends. Check out what BHT’s employment and labour relations lawyer Howard Ehrlich had to say in recent interviews.

To listen to the CKNW interview click here.

To read the full Province story click here.

Thank you to our generous donors for making the 2010 Feet First: Socks for the Needy campaign a success! In total we contributed 3,200 pairs of socks to First United Church Mission in Vancouver and Yonge Street Mission in Toronto.

Happy Holidays!

2010 Feet First: Socks for the Needy Donors

• Linda Bartz – Physician Information Technology Office
• Karen Bichin – ABC Recycling
• Perry Boeker – Red Rocket Creative
• Trevor Boggie – Corporate Insight
• Kandy Cantwell – Montridge Financial Group
• Mike Chisholm – Magnolia Marketing Communications
• Christy de Couto – National Speakers Bureau
• Ed and Katie des Roches – Plum Clothing
• Mark and Deborah Dibble – Location Caterers
• Chelsea Dibble – Contemporary Communications
• Harry Diemer – BC Safety Authority
• Doug Eakins – Chartered Accountant
• Patricia Fernandes – Abreast In A Boat
• Case and Jim Fletcher – Northwest Venture Developments
• Francine Gaudet – College of Registered Nurses of BC
• Deanna Geisheimer – Art Works BC
• Perry Goldsmith – Contemporary Communications
• Delia Jamieson – The Arthritis Society – BC/Yukon
• Dean Knoblauch – CIBC/Wood Gundy
• Jennifer Kuba – BC Safety Authority
• Trudy Lancelyn – Insurance Brokers of BC
• Ray LeBlond – Tourism BC
• Sandy Lowe – Abreast In A Boat
• Kathy MacRae – National Speakers Bureau
• Scott McCloy – WorkSafeBC
• Colin Moorhouse – Sebra Learning Corporation
• Andrew Robinson – The Sports Exchange
• Brett Sauder – University of British Columbia
• Carol Short – Abreast In A Boat
• Mark Simmons – ABC Recycling
• Kathie Taylor – Contemporary Communications
• The Quarterly Dinner Group
• Andrew Van Eden – Tsleil-Waututh Nation
• Gina Vesnaver – Contemporary Communications
• Mike Winters – Vancouver Financial Planning Consultants

To make a donation please contact Chelsea Dibble at cdibble@ccpr.com / 604.637.3045

Download the article (PDF File)

The awards, presented by the British Columbia Safety Authority, recognize individuals and organizations who demonstrate exceptional leadership, achievement or innovation in the promotion of safety in BC.

“We are proud to announce the 2010 award recipients,” says Harry Diemer, BCSA President and CEO. “Their personal dedication to the promotion of safe practices, procedures, behaviours and attitudes are great examples of the commitment needed to keep communities safe for us all.”

Recipients of the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Public Safety are chosen by the Safety Selection Committee, which includes a senior staff member of the BC Safety Authority and respected individuals in the safety field from seven other organizations.

2010 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Donald Dahr, WorkSafeBC – Lifetime Achievement Award

Throughout his more than 20 years at WorkSafeBC, Donald Dahr has dedicated himself to improving the safety of workers in the province. Dahr has worked tirelessly to influence industry leaders, launch provincial safety initiatives and tackle long-standing hazards and safety issues. With each challenge, Dahr has brought creativity, innovation and passion and is relied upon for his knowledge and experience as well as his diplomacy and inclusive approach. Dahr has led or partnered many significant safety projects including; Resource Road Demonstration Project, Stop Check and Correct Program, BC Faller Training Standard, TruckSafe and the BuildSafe conference, among others.

Bill Meechan, Meech Safety – Exceptional Contribution to Public Safety: Individual Award

Devoted to occupational health and safety for 27 years, Bill Meechan is described as a man with integrity and vision. Always believing that management creates a climate for either good or poor safety, Meechan became the face of safety at the Washington Marine Group (WMG) where he worked for 10 years. At WMG, Meechan was instrumental in changing the company culture towards safety by initiating the “33 to 3” campaign, which represented the lost time frequency at WMG when he arrived in 1999. Through his hard work, WMG achieved a 72 per cent reduction in the injury rate during his tenure.

BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association (BCRB)— Exceptional Contribution to Public Safety: Organization Award

Established in 1966, BCRB is the recognized advocate for infrastructure development. Working on behalf of its members and for the public good, the association promotes and lobbies for a balanced, safe transportation system that both sustains and promotes provincial economic growth. Over the years BCRB has spearheaded a number of programs to ensure both quality of work, safety of practices and continued development of employees, including the establishment of the Construction Safety Network.

THE AWARDS LUNCHEON

DATE: Tuesday, November 23, 2010
TIME: 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Vancouver Convention Centre (West)

Tickets to the event are $75 per person or $600 for a table of eight guests. A ticket order form may be downloaded from the BC Safety Authority’s website at www.safetyauthority.ca/events

The awards are made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors: WorkSafeBC (Platinum); Terasen Gas and Fortis BC (Gold); Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC, CSA Group, Teck Resources Ltd., (Silver); BC Association for Crane Safety, BC Construction Association, BC Hydro, Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC, Electrical Contractors Association of BC, Electrical Industry Training Institute, Justice Institute of BC, and Spectra Energy Transmission (Bronze); and Business in Vancouver – Employment Paper and Black Press (Media).

The BC Safety Authority mandates the safe installation and use of technical equipment. The BCSA also issues permits and licences, educates, and conducts on-site inspections in high-risk situations.

Media Relations

BC Safety Authority
778-396-2164
media@safetyauthority.ca

Sign up to receive an email alert when BC Safety Authority news is released.
Go to (http://www.safetyauthority.ca/user/register).

“My mandate has put me directly in touch with youth and taught me the profound link between their sense of civic engagement, their social initiatives and their ties to the arts” said Her Excellency. ” I have seen first hand how young people from coast, to coast, to coast, use the arts, especially the urban arts, as very powerful tools, how they reach out through the arts to address many challenges facing their neighbourhoods and communities and even save lives.”

Doug Black, chair of the Foundation, commented “The Michaëlle Jean Foundation will advance education by providing programs, dialogue sessions and workshops focused on the role that art and creativity have to play in stimulating and enhancing citizen participation, community vitality, youth engagement and youth empowerment. It will allow Their Excellencies, The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean and Jean-Daniel Lafond, to continue their outstanding work in promoting and celebrating the arts as an essential and precious resource.

Our mission: The Ottawa-based Michaëlle Jean Foundation uses art and creativity to encourage and support youth across Canada with the aim of stimulating and enhancing their civic participation and improving their well-being.

Our structure: Representatives from the arts, business and social development sectors from across Canada established the Foundation with the intention of crystallizing the Governor General’s legacy project with rural, urban and Northern communities across Canada. The Foundation will pursue its mandate through the active involvement of Their Excellencies, a board of directors, local communities and stakeholders from across the country.

Our actions: Stimulate and enhance citizen participation and dialogue through the use of arts and cultural activities; provide support for the development and implementation of community-based art and education programs that address social inclusion and civic participation; provide opportunities for mentoring and the facilitation of national forums.

The Foundation believes it is essential to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of these program initiatives. Fellowships will be provided in support of research in Canada on the themes of cultural mediation, art education and the impact of art on community wellness.

Through this new foundation, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean is proud to continue her commitment to the people of Canada.

English Media

Gina Vesnaver
Contemporary Communications
604-637-3041

French Media

Marie-France LeBlanc
(902) 430-6619