Government of Alberta Announces $15M to Support Economic Growth and Talent Attraction through Mitacs  

 

Edmonton, AB — Today, the Honourable Rajan Sawhney, Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education, announced an investment of $15 million over three years to Mitacs. The funding will advance research and development efforts of Albertan companies and contribute to attracting and developing top talent.  

The new investment is for Mitacs’s domestic offerings, which connect post-secondary talent with enterprises to solve innovation challenges in key sectors. It will enable over 3,000 internships between 2025 and 2028 for Alberta’s university, college, and polytechnic students, as well as postdoctoral fellows. 

Recently, the province allocated another $1.05 million over three years to bring in international students from around the world for summer research internships through the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship and Globalink Research Award programs.  

The announcement reinforces the shared commitment of Mitacs and Alberta to create innovation-focused, work-integrated learning opportunities that boost productivity and drive economic growth. Through these internships, students and postdocs expand their professional networks and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges, while businesses explore new services, markets, and revenue streams. 

A 2024 Statistics Canada study revealed that Mitacs-supported companies experienced an average increase of nine percent in revenue, 16 percent in sales, and 11 percent in productivity over three years. Partner enterprises also saw an 18 percent rise in employment levels seven years after the Mitacs collaboration, whereas non-supported companies presented a reduction of five percent of their workforce in the same period. 

Quotes

“Hands-on learning is critical to helping students get the skills and training they need, and to prepare them for success in their careers. By working together with industry and the post-secondary system, we are ensuring students receive high-quality education while building the research and innovation labour force that the economy of the future will require.”

Honourable Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education, Government of Alberta

“Mitacs is honoured to receive this important investment from the Government of Alberta into innovation internships that will boost economic growth, productivity, and competitiveness across the province while supporting talent development and retention. We’re proud to contribute to strengthening Alberta’s advanced education and innovation ecosystems.”

Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs 

“Support from Mitacs, along with Alberta’s commitment to the program, has been key in helping me remain in the province to pursue my career after completing my postdoctoral studies and applying my research skills in a commercial setting. It allowed me to integrate into industry culture, build academic-industry collaborations, and contribute to the growth of the life science sector in Alberta.”

Dr. Siddhartha Biswas, Senior Research Scientist, API, and former Mitacs intern 

“Our productive relationship with Mitacs goes back seven years. Over that time, we have had eight fellows, of which four are now permanent employees. The projects have varied widely, and Mitacs support has enabled facility access and technology transfer from the University of Alberta. The additional training provided by Mitacs has made the fellows better performing employees, increasing the impact of their work, which is essential for our increasingly competitive global economy.”

Dr. David Antoniuk, CEO, Applied Quantum Materials Inc.

About Mitacs

As Canada’s innovation organization, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers with unrivalled access to talent, financial support, and the partnerships needed to turn ideas into impactful innovations. Through unique collaborations, Mitacs is driving productivity and positioning Canada as a global innovation leader.

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.

 

 

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