- $500,000 fund supports the Bell MTS Innovations in Agriculture Program
- Student-driven development of broadband Internet of Things (IoT) solutions to support growth in the essential agriculture
and agri-food sector of the economy
WINNIPEG, May 30, 2017 /CNW/ - Bell MTS today announced a
$500,000 contribution to the University of Manitoba's Front and Centre campaign to launch a visionary new
initiative: the Bell MTS Innovations in Agriculture Program, providing students at one of Canada's leading post-secondary
institutions with opportunities to develop Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for application in agriculture and food
services.
"As the Canadian leader in communications network and service innovation, Bell MTS fully appreciates the vital contributions
our country's top schools are making to technology design and development," said Stephen Howe,
Bell's Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President. "We're very pleased to work with the University of Manitoba to create this opportunity for students and faculty to develop new and better IoT
solutions for a sector that is a mainstay of Manitoba's economy and important to all
Canadians."
Enabling broadband access to real-time operational data of all kinds, IoT applications can help improve the production of food
resources through managing the location and performance of farm machinery, remote analysis of soil samples, field conditions,
seeding rate and crop health, and monitoring of storage and processing operations.
"The University of Manitoba thanks Bell MTS for their support in providing our students with
exciting new opportunities to develop and apply leading-edge technology solutions relevant to the agri-food sector," said
Karin Wittenberg, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. "Working on IoT solutions
within the agriculture, food and nutrition sectors not only offers our students a unique skills development opportunity that will
support their future career opportunities, it is critical to the advancement of our agriculture and food economy. It's a perfect
match and we are thankful for this visionary gift."
The University of Manitoba is one of Canada's top research institutions and the school's Faculty
of Agricultural and Food Sciences delivers specialized training each year to over 1,200 students representing the next generation
of leaders in agriculture, food and nutrition.
Agriculture plays a key role in Manitoba's economy. Agricultural production represents an
estimated 5 per cent of Manitoba's gross domestic product (GDP) and the sector accounts for an
estimated 33,000 jobs in the province.
The $500,000 in funding from Bell MTS will advance student, faculty and public understanding of
the potential for advanced communications in agriculture with mentorships, research funding, and access to new co-operative
education opportunities.
IoT refers to the real-time exchange of data between physical things. By connecting the physical world through fibre and
wireless broadband networks using sensors and other measuring and operational devices, IoT is transforming the way we live and
work.
Bell is helping Canadian businesses of all kinds transform with a range of IoT solutions, including top-ranked wireless and
fibre networks, hardware, data hosting and applications, which together can enhance performance measurement, operational
efficiency and overall productivity while creating new revenue-generating opportunities.
Bell invests almost $4 billion every year in network infrastructure expansion and research and
development, more than any other communications service provider in Canada. In 2016, Bell
partnered with Nokia on the first Canadian trial of fifth generation (5G) wireless technology, and in April announced the first
LTE wireless network in North America capable of delivering Quad Band LTE Advanced (LTE-A)
service, offering customers access to mobile data speeds of up to 750 Megabits per second, the fastest available.
Today's Bell MTS donation supports a pillar of Front and Centre, the campaign for the University of
Manitoba. With a fundraising goal of $500 million, this campaign is the largest
philanthropic investment in the history of the province. Outstanding student experience has been
identified as a priority that will ensure Manitoba's long-term economic, social, and cultural
vitality.
About the University of Manitoba
Founded 140 years ago and located in the heart of Canada, the University of Manitoba is
the region's largest and only research intensive university, offering over 100 academic programs to almost 30,000 students. The
University stimulates over $1.8 billion in economic activity in Manitoba, and is a leader in the province's knowledge economy. Students, faculty and staff are recognized
globally for their academic achievements, leading-edge research, teaching and innovation.
About Bell
Founded 137 years ago, Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing broadband wireless, TV, Internet and
business communication services from Bell Canada, Bell Aliant and Bell MTS. Bell Media is Canada's
premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out of home and digital media. To learn more, please visit
Bell.ca or BCE.ca.
The Bell Let's Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell
Let's Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace initiatives. To learn more,
please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Media inquiries:
Jeremy Sawatzky
Bell MTS
jeremy.sawatzky@bellmts.ca
204-391-2849
Sean Moore
U of M
sean_moore@umanitoba.ca
204-474-7963
SOURCE Bell Canada
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