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Canada’s Premier Cleantech Destination

Peterborough wins big at Water’s Next Awards 2020 – “Cleantech Commons a premier destination for cleantech companies”, says PKED

Blog, Company News, News Releases June 16, 2020

Aclarus Ozone, a Peterborough-based ozone water system technology company and John Gillis, President of the Innovation Cluster: Peterborough & the Kawarthas, were both winners in their respective categories at June 11th’s 2020 Water’s Next Awards.

The awards ceremony took place at the annual Canadian Water Summit, a national summit on water expertise, management and technology innovation which took place virtually this year and brought together policymakers, researchers, and industry representatives to discuss the biggest issues in the sector.

Cleantech Commons executive director, Martin Yuill, announces the winner of the “Early Adoption” category winner at the Water’s Next Awards 2020 via Zoom on behalf of Cleantech Commons and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.

The Water’s Next Awards is a national awards program that honours the achievements and ideas of individuals, projects and technologies that have made significant contributions to the water industry across Canada.

Cleantech Commons, together with our friends at Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, jointly sponsored the “Early Adoption” category at this year’s awards ceremony.

Presenting the “early adoption” award via Zoom, Cleantech Commons executive director, Martin Yuill, described Peterborough as a “living lab for the water sector”.

Yuill told the conference that Peterborough has a “collaborative business & innovation ecosystem“, which, he said, “inspires & drives success for the cleantech ventures that call our region home”.

Aclarus Ozone, based in the Fisher Drive Business Park, was selected as the winner in the “Projects and Technology – Water Resources” category for providing a practical, affordable system for the complete treatment of rainwater and green roof runoff water for non-potable reuse without chemicals.

John Gillis, a member of the Peterborough Business Hall of Fame, was selected as the winner in the “Business Leader” category as a cleantech expert who is known for using his time and knowledge to give back to the cleantech community through his work with the Innovation Cluster.

Aclarus Ozone won in the “Projects and Technology – Water Resources” category.

Trent University’s Chris Metcalfe, an internationally recognized expert in water quality, was named a finalist in the “Academic Leader” category in recognition of his pioneering research into the effects of chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals, that are flushed into our waterways and become environmental contaminants.

Rhonda Keenan, President & CEO at Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED), told us that she is “thrilled that Peterborough & the Kawarthas continues to be seen as one of Canada’s rising cleantech and water technology centres thanks to innovative local companies, researchers and institutions who have helped develop a strong ecosystem here.”

John Gillis won in the “Business Leader” category.

Cleantech is one of the key investment sectors in the region and is a major focus for PKED’s investment attraction and business development efforts.

“An important part of our strategy includes showcasing the success that local companies have realized by locating in this region. We have done a significant amount of work over the past few years in partnership with Water Canada to position Peterborough & the Kawarthas, and Cleantech Commons at Trent University as a premier destination for cleantech companies, and this recognition of three local industry leaders further supports our position in this industry,” Kelly Jessup, Director of Marketing & Communications for PKED, told us.

See also: Cleantech Commons positions Peterborough as “a leader and cutting edge community”

Cleantech Commons: An engine of growth for clean technologies

According to Yuill, “Cleantech Commons is designed to host a cluster of growth companies, spin-out & startup ventures, and corporate accelerators & ‘innovation outposts’”: what he terms “a community of clean, green, low- & zero-carbon technology energy, environment & climate innovators & entrepreneurs” co-located with the academic & research expertise of Trent University and enhanced by the presence at Cleantech Commons of value-adding business support & incubation/ acceleration services.

Working with Trent University’s chemistry department, Carbonix, an emerging First Nation technology company, has developed a proprietary environmentally-friendly process to manufacture customizable and lower cost activated carbon using sustainably sourced feedstocks. Their proprietary process can convert large amounts of petroleum coke and boiler char – previously considered waste byproducts – into activated carbon.

“Clusters,” Yuill says, “help develop new & existing companies through innovation and contribute to economic growth & job creation”.

The businesses and research laboratories located at Cleantech Commons will help to significantly advance energy, environment and climate innovations that have both national and global impact.

Designed to tap into the region’s growing cleantech innovation ecosystem, Cleantech Commons will provide companies with access to the facilities, resources, knowledge, expertise and mentorship they require to:

  • Develop solutions that help reduce greenhouse gases,
  • Promote the use of renewable resources,
  • Contribute to a low carbon economy,
  • Reduce waste,
  • Develop new environmental remediation approaches and
  • Commercialize clean and green processes and products.

 

Location of Cleantech Commons

Offering a picturesque location adjacent to the main campus of Trent University on the banks of the Otonabee River, Cleantech Commons affords access to some 1,400 acres of land and over 30 kilometres of nature trails. Trent University boasts one of Canada’s most picturesque campuses.

Offering a picturesque location adjacent to the main campus of Trent University, Cleantech Commons is designed to be a point of convergence for academic and industry partners driving innovation in clean, green & low-carbon technologies, water technologies, contaminant analysis, agro-biotechnology and biomaterials.

With approximately 1,400 acres of land situated on the banks of Otonabee River and over 30 kilometres of nature trails, Trent University boasts one of Canada’s most picturesque university campuses.

The combination of lush forest, drumlins, wetlands, streams and open fields provides a unique learning and recreational environment that is used by students, faculty and staff and is fully accessible to members of the Cleantech Commons community.

Tenancy at Cleantech Commons

Tenants at Cleantech Commons will have access to Trent University’s researchers, students and facilities, including the Trent School of the Environment, Water Quality Centre, Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research, and the Inorganic Materials Research Laboratory.

Tenants at Cleantech Commons will have access to neighbouring Trent University’s researchers, students and facilities, including the Trent School of the Environment, Water Quality Centre, Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research, and the Inorganic Materials Research Laboratory.

Already, a number of future Cleantech Commons tenants are working with Trent researchers and faculty on various collaborative research initiatives.

Trent’s exceptional learning environment and academic performance have earned the University a ranking among the world’s best.

In the 2020/21 Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) Trent is ranked at number 32 out of 96 Canadian universities while placing 1,237 out of over 20,000 global institutions, up nine places from last year’s 1,248 place ranking and earning Trent a spot in the top 6.2% of universities worldwide.

In 2019 Trent built on its strong reputation as an environmental leader, ranking number five in Canada in the annual “UI GreenMetric World University Ranking”. (See: Cleantech Commons contributes to Trent’s improved Sustainability Ranking.)

Positioning Peterborough as a “leader and cutting edge community”

Cleantech Commons will build on this outstanding legacy – and will help position Peterborough as a “leader and cutting edge community” when it comes to building “a more sustainable and green future“, says Mayor Diane Therrien. (See: Cleantech Commons positions Peterborough as “a leader and cutting edge community”.)