Post-secondary institutions will receive up to $9 million in the next three years for projects providing social, economic and environmental solutions for B.C. Projects will be supported in the areas of natural resources, the applied sciences, and engineering.

Funding is provided from the Natural Resources and Applied Sciences (NRAS) Endowment and are delivered by BCIC in cooperation with the BCFRST Foundation through two new programs:

• The NRAS Research Team Program supports accomplished B.C. researchers with projects that will provide substantial benefits to the province. This program encourages researchers from multiple disciplines to work together and engage students and other personnel through a high-calibre training and supervision program. Funding is provided for direct research-related costs for up to three years.
• The NRAS Private Sector Collaborative Program will increase partnerships between post-secondary institutions and the private sector. The program supports knowledge transfer and an industry-based training program for students and other personnel. Funding is provided for up to 50 percent of total project costs for up to three years.

United Express will offer increased frequency on the Victoria (YYJ) to San Francisco (SFO) flight effective March 29, 2009.  Service will now be offered twice daily, with a change in aircraft configuration.

The new aircraft will be a 50 seat regional jet, which will replace the 66 seat regional jet that operates currently.  The new jet will have 100% economy seating and will offer a more attractive schedule for those passengers wishing to connect from SFO to another destination.

United Express – Victoria to San Francisco Schedule:

“The new schedule will offer travellers greater choice when connecting to other destinations beyond San Francisco.  Inbound tourism traffic will also benefit from these new flight times as guests will have greater flexibility when booking their flights.” comments James Bogusz, Manager Marketing, Communications & Technology.

Vancouver Island Technology Park (VITP) is pleased to welcome Alberta Research Council (ARC) as its newest tenant. ARC has opened its first British Columbia-based office at VITP to access Victoria’s intellectual resources and expertise in water management, and to stimulate new opportunities for technology development and transfer across western Canada.

“I would like to congratulate the Vancouver Island Technology Park and the Alberta Research Council for their efforts in establishing ARC’s first BC-based research centre,” said Technology, Trade and Economic Development Minister Ida Chong.  “This announcement demonstrates the positive effects that can materialize within British Columbia’s technology industry when collaboration is encouraged amongst our provinces across Canada.”

ARC has a water management research and development team in Calgary, which has been focusing on ground and surface water monitoring, characterization and advanced management planning. Now, ARC will build on regional expertise and introduce a new capacity for emerging technologies, says ARC senior hydrologist and University of Victoria research professor Dr. John Gibson.

“We are using technologies such as isotope tracers, which will help manage and balance water supply needs for industry while maintaining a safe, secure and sustainable supply of water for people and the ecosystem,” says Dr. Gibson, who leads the water management research and development at the new ARC isotope laboratory.

ARC senior management will be welcoming its newest lab into the ARC family during a retreat to the facility, December 10 – 12. 

“We are delighted that the Alberta Research Council has chosen VITP as the location for their first British Columbia-based office,” said Dale Gann, Acting President, Vancouver Island Technology Park.  “We look forward to enhancing ARC’s relationships with our provincial government and our research-intensive university.”

The VITP location also provides ARC with access to a large number of B.C. government and university collaborators, and creates a more visible platform to seek industrial partnerships in B.C, the Pacific Northwest, and the Pacific Rim. “Having a high-tech water research team in Victoria will enable ARC to build regional, national and global partnerships,” says ARC vice-president of Life Sciences Shawn Gervais.

The lab provides new opportunities for graduate students seeking advanced training in isotope-based water sciences.

The ARC facility is currently investigating water eco-system issues such as the impact of the Fort McMurray oil sands on sustainability of lakes, rivers, and groundwater supplies in the region. Dr. Gibson says this research is an example of a successful program that has fostered long-term partnerships with both government and industry. “We hope to build new partnerships in B.C. and find sustainable solutions for western Canada,” he says.

About Vancouver Island Technology Park

The Vancouver Island Technology Park, a University of Victoria Enterprise, facilitates the growth of technology on Vancouver Island by providing physical infrastructure linking local, provincial, national and international resources with emerging or growing tech companies.  VITP is a highly acclaimed centre of hi-tech excellence for world class science and innovation.  Today, the existing 165,000 square feet facility is a proven model which is fully-leased to 29 hi-tech companies. VITP is home to 1,300 highly-skilled and educated workers who contribute in excess of $280M annually to the economy of British Columbia.

About Alberta Research Council Inc.

The Alberta Research Council Inc. delivers innovative science and technology solutions that meet the priorities of industry and government in Alberta and beyond.
Established in 1921, ARC is wholly-owned by the Government of Alberta and incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. ARC operates in five facilities throughout Alberta, serving the energy; life sciences, including agriculture, environment, forestry, and health and wellness; and manufacturing sectors. Visit us at www.arc.ab.ca.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA (December 08, 2008) Carmanah Technologies Corporation (TSX: CMH) today received the CanSIA “Solar PV Project of the Year Award”
for a grid-tied solar power system installed on the Jean Canfield Building in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. In accepting the award at the Canadian Solar Industries Association
(CanSIA) conference in Toronto earlier today, Carmanah CEO Ted Lattimore expressed his thanks on behalf of the entire project team, and commented on the global shift towards using
renewable energy technology to create healthier and more efficient environments in which to live and work.

At the Jean Canfield Building’s grand opening celebration this spring, the Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada had declared the 500-person facility “one of
the most environmentally friendly buildings ever constructed by the Government of Canada.” Complementing the building’s impressive list of environmental technologies and design efficiencies,
the Carmanah grid-tied solar power system uses a 636-square meter rooftop array to generate up to 111,000 watts of electrical power from the sun’s energy. A web-based interface displays
key system information — including the amount of energy produced and greenhouse gases avoided — online (www.solarforbuildings.com) and on a display screen in the lobby

As a complement to the building’s primary electricity supply, the grid-tie solar power system offsets the amount of power drawn from the grid and helps keep monthly power bills low,
all while reducing the building’s dependency on the electrical utility. According to Ron St. Onge, project manager with Public Works and Government Services Canada, the grid-tie solar power
system supplies approximately 8-10% of the building’s electrical requirements, helping to keep demand, and electricity bills, under control. “It requires virtually zero maintenance, and aside
from monitoring electrical production, it’s self sufficient,” said St. Onge. 

The CanSIA solar conference is held annually to help highlight opportunities, programs and achievements within the solar industry. For more information, visit CanSIA at www.cansia.ca,
or visit Carmanah at www.carmanah.com.      

A team of scientists at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver have made an important advance for breast cancer. Published this week in the leading medical journal, Nature Medicine, their exciting study shows that the normal female breast contains a population of breast stem cells – each being able to regrow a complete miniature, milk-producing mammary gland after being transplanted into a special type of mouse. Many investigators believe these normal breast stem cells are the culprits that start to form breast cancers. 

"We are excited to have developed an approach that, for the first time, makes it possible to detect the long suspected stem cell of the normal human breast", explains Peter Eirew, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in genetics at the BC Cancer Agency’s Terry Fox Lab and University of British Columbia. "I am very proud to have been successful in moving the field closer towards improving outcomes in breast cancer."

The study is also significant because it involved the development of a novel method for detecting human breast stem cells. First the cells are suspended in a gelatin disc and then the disc is slipped under the kidney capsule of mice that have no immune system. These mice can’t tell the human cells are foreign and so allow them to grow freely. It is remarkable to see that the human cells can then self-organize into little functional mammary glands fed by a blood supply that is provided by the mouse.

Dr. Samuel Aparicio of the BC Cancer Agency and co-author explains, "The long term aim is to figure out what makes normal breast stem cells tick and then use this information to see what may be high-jacked or distorted when these cells become malignant.

Says Dr Connie Eaves, Director of the BC Cancer Agency’s Terry Fox Laboratory, and senior author of the paper, "There is tremendous potential for this knowledge to accelerate the identification of better treatments for breast cancer, particularly the worst kinds."

Dr. Eaves is a recognized world authority on blood-forming stem cells but has also developed a major focus of work on breast cancer. The work now published on human breast stem cells follows a landmark study from her group in 2006 that identified a similar population of breast stem cells in the mouse. The presence at the BC Cancer Agency of a highly collaborative and top breast cancer research program was key to accelerating the translation of the mouse work to humans.

The research performed in Vancouver was made possible by support from the BC Cancer Foundation; Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC and Yukon; Canada Research Chair Program; Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance; Canadian Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute of Canada; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Canadian National Science and Engineering Research Council; Genome British Columbia and Genome Canada; the Canadian Stem Cell Network; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce; Terry Fox Foundation; and the US Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.

The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care.

The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to care at the BC Cancer Agency, throughout British Columbia. Your donations to the BC Cancer Foundation contribute to better cancer outcomes and higher standards of cancer care for all B.C. residents.

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 For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Jinny Wu
Communications Specialist, BC Cancer Agency
Tel: 604.877.6272
Toll-free: 1.800.663.3333, ex 6272