North Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 27, 2019) - EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies Corp. (TSXV: EHT) ("EHT"), EHT Ag Tech ("EHTAg"), the sales and marketing division of EnerDynamic Hybrid Technologies Corp, Growratio Inc. ("Growratio"), and Canadore College are pleased to announce the first phase development of North Bay's Controlled Environment Agriculture Centre of Excellence.
The Centre of Excellence will create a multi-disciplinary ecosystem of organizations focused on the future of controlled environment agriculture, including biotechnology and genomics, advanced cultivation technologies and information systems, advanced processing and manufacturing, as well as innovative renewable energy systems to support the ecosystem.
"Canadore College's The Village is the only facility in Canada focused on collaborative interprofessional education and the integration of Indigenous, Eastern and Western wellness practices," said George Burton, president and CEO at Canadore. "It is a natural next step for us to foster the development of the ever-important and green economy. This is especially true for northern Ontario, where we will all benefit from the efficient production of nourishing food, plant-based-medicines, and natural material products. "
Burton goes onto say that the college will continue its commitment to environmental sustainability, economic viability, experiential learning, apprenticeship, applied research, entrepreneurialism, leadership and innovation through this partnership.
Three collaborative projects are in progress with Growratio:
- The development of a 10,000 sq. ft. lighting assembly and controls development plant is currently underway, which will utilize capacities from local business and employ approximately 10-15 people;
- A newly-created beverage company is also looking to establish a 100,000 sq. ft. plant within North Bay. Development is scheduled for the fall of 2019 with construction anticipated to begin in spring 2020. The plant will employ about 50 employees to start;
- A 25,000 sq. ft. building for the processing of biological materials to supply the pharmaceuticals sector is also projected to begin construction in spring 2020. The plant will begin with a workforce of 20 employees.
"We are pleased to be selected as the cultivation technology provider of choice for the Centre of Excellence," Paolo Pincente, CEO of Growratio. "The visionaries at Canadore College recognize that the current 'state of the art' in controlled environment agriculture is built upon legacy models and unsustainable processes. A new paradigm is required to meet the challenges of the future."
A fourth plant is also on the books for construction in spring 2020 in collaboration with EHT. A 50,000 sq. ft. factory for manufacturing agricultural grow units and modular housing for the northern Ontario market will employ close to 70 people in the first phase of its operations.
"Energy costs continue to rise and impact the profitability of controlled environment agriculture," said John Gamble, CEO of EHT. "Our technologies can eliminate much of these costs, enabling the year-round production of crops that would normally be transported long distances to consumers, or in the case of many northern communities, not be available at all."
A series of customized corporate training and postsecondary programs to develop a skilled labour pool for the plants is currently under development by Canadore College.