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Alberta Innovates (AI) is an
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
government
provincial corporation whose appointed Board of Directors is accountable to the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation and is responsible for promoting innovation in the province. AI was created from a variety of predecessor
research and development
Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...
organizations including the Alberta Research Council, the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and the Alberta Energy Research Institute.
History
Scientific and Industrial Research Council of Alberta (SIRCA)
In the early 1900s,
Henry Marshall Tory
Henry Marshall Tory (January 11, 1864 – February 6, 1947) was the first president of the University of Alberta (1908–1928), the first president of the Khaki University, the first president of the National Research Council (1928–1935), and t ...
, the first president of the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
, lobbied the
Alberta government
The Executive Council of Alberta (the Cabinet) is a body of ministers of the Crown in right of Alberta, who along with the lieutenant governor, exercises the powers of the Government of Alberta. Ministers are selected by the premier and typicall ...
to create an organization to promote research and development (R&D) in the province.
In 1921, the government created the Scientific and Industrial Research Council of Alberta (SIRCA). SIRCA was the first provincial R&D organization in Canada.
SIRCA's initial mandate was "
upportindustries in developing new research,
apout Alberta’s geological resources and
The_New_Trail,_the_
University_of_Alberta_
The_University_of_Alberta,_also_known_as_U_of_A_or_UAlberta,_is_a_public_research_university_located_in_Edmonton,_Alberta,_Canada._It_was_founded_in_1908_by_Alexander_Cameron_Rutherford,"A_Gentleman_of_Strathcona_–_Alexander_Cameron_Rutherfor_...
's_alumni_magazine,_October_1947_SIRCA's_mandate_was_to_support_economic_development_through_applications_of_scientific_and_engineering_expertise_and,_in_the_process,_improve_life_in_rural_and_urban_Alberta._It_would_document_Alberta's_resources_for_industry_through_technical_divisions_such_as_fuels,_road_materials_and_a_geological_survey.
Notably,_Tory_recruited_a_chemist,_Karl_Clark_(chemist).html" ;"title="iscover new commercial uses for things Alberta produced." Tory was the first chairman of SIRCA.
[The New Trail](_blank)
, the University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
's alumni magazine, October 1947 SIRCA's mandate was to support economic development through applications of scientific and engineering expertise and, in the process, improve life in rural and urban Alberta. It would document Alberta's resources for industry through technical divisions such as fuels, road materials and a geological survey.
Notably, Tory recruited a chemist, Karl Clark (chemist)">Karl Clark, as the first full-time research professor to lead SIRCA's road-building research division. Clark's research focused on the potential to use bitumen as a paving material and eventually lead to the development of the Athabasca oil sands, Alberta oil sands.
The City of Edmonton honored Clark as an Edmontonian of the Century for his process to separate oil from oilsands which is still in use today and for the impact it made to Edmonton who benefits from northern projects.
During this period, SIRCA also completed the first
geological survey of Alberta
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ea ...
.
Research Council of Alberta (RCA)
In 1930, the organization was renamed the Research Council of Alberta. However, during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, the province cut all funding for the organization and was instead supported by funds from the University of Alberta and the
National Research Council National Research Council may refer to:
* National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development
* National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome
* National Research Council (United States), part of ...
.
In 1943, the province began funding the organization again to help continue research on Alberta's oil sands with other areas also being researched with less support.
Alberta Research Council (ARC)
In 1981, the RCA was renamed again to the Alberta Research Council (ARC) and expanded its research focus beyond Alberta's oil sands. The organization also opened a new state-of-the-art research facility and headquarters in Edmonton in 1986.
Alberta Innovates (AI)
In January 2010, the provincial government merged ARC and other research and development organizations including the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and the Alberta Energy Research Institute to form a set of Alberta Innovates (AI) companies.
This new set of companies included four corporations: AI Technology Futures, AI Health Solutions, AI Energy and Environment Solutions, and AI Bio Solutions.
On November 1, 2016, AI consolidated the four corporations into one singular Alberta Innovates company with two subsidiaries
C-FER Technologiesan
InnoTech Alberta
In 2021, Alberta Innovates marked its 100-year centennial.
References
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Technology companies of Canada
Research institutes in Canada
Canadian companies established in 1921
1921 establishments in Alberta
Companies based in Edmonton