Glenrose Hospital receives $2.1 million for rehab tech

EDMONTON – Randy Boissonnault (pictured), federal minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of Dan Vandal, minister for PrairiesCan, announced an investment of more than $2.1 million for the Glenrose Hospital Foundation in Edmonton to accelerate industry applications for human mobility and home health technologies.

Federal funding is directed towards the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital’s Research & Innovation program, which focuses on commercial applications of clinical research and in assisting industry with product design, validation, and access to clinical facilities.

The investment will support the hospital to acquire equipment and develop a testing centre to support health firms across Alberta working to refine prototypes and devices such as wheelchairs, adaptive bikes, remote monitoring systems and wearable technologies.

The hospital will also establish a province-wide network of companies, post-secondary institutions, and other organizations to bolster collaboration in advancing new technologies to market.

Ultimately, these innovations have the potential to help transform the ability of people to age in place, carry out daily tasks, enjoy recreational activities and remain independent at home for longer and with more ease.

“Alberta’s technology firms have the expertise, know-how and drive to bring new applications to market and transform the future of healthcare. Our work with Glenrose Research & Innovation will bolster their capacity to refine and launch new products while putting our region and our province at the forefront of meeting global demands for innovative health and mobility solutions – keeping older Canadians at home longer,” said Boissonnault.

The investment is expected to lead to the creation of 35 jobs in Alberta’s growing health and medical technology sector, assist at least 30 small- and medium-sized businesses and leverage an additional $2 million in research and development investment over the next three years.

PrairiesCan funding is complemented by funding support by industry and additional not-for-profit partners. This collaboration is at the heart of the Government of Canada’s Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy.

The Framework was launched after extensive consultations with Prairie stakeholders, provinces, municipalities and Indigenous partners. It represents a new commitment for stronger collaboration between levels of government and sectors of the economy to grow a sustainable economy across the Prairies through actions aligned with the Framework’s five priorities:

• Growing key regional sectors, including natural resources, agriculture, and manufacturing;
• Effective movement of goods, people, and information;
• Expanding and capitalizing on clean electricity;
• Community economic development; and
• Economic reconciliation and inclusive growth.

This Framework is supported by dedicated PrairiesCan funding of $100 million over three years to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies.

“We are entering a new age of human ability. Technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, as is our ability to use these technological advances to unlock human potential. At the Glenrose Hospital Foundation, this is the core of our purpose. We seek to foster innovative and leading-edge technologies to reimagine human ability and create new possibilities for Albertans. The support of PrairiesCan will allow us to do just that. The innovations that will result from this partnership have the ability to impact far-and-wide, fostering breakthroughs in human mobility, supporting ageing in place, and setting a new standard for patient care,” said Mark Korthuis, president and CEO, Glenrose Hospital Foundation.