Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe announces FedNor money to support three organizations in upgrading their Artificial Intelligence services
The federal government has announced more than half a million dollars in funding to support three technology and AI (Artificial Intelligence) initiatives in the city.
Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe made the announcement at the NORCAT centre in Sudbury Sept. 29 on behalf of the FedNor minister Patty Hajdu.
The announcement will see $595,400 distributed to CircuitIQ (Electrical System Management) of Sudbury, to Waive (clinical administrators) of Sudbury and to Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (Technical Advisory Services).
Lapointe noted that as chair of the Northern Ontario Liberal caucus she was pleased to make announcements that contribute to making the North stronger.
“This is to ensure that all of us can thrive in an economy that is very much and increasingly becoming driven by technology and also by innovation. By helping them increase productivity, adopting new technology and fast tracking new products, we truly are fueling our innovation ecosystem, and we’re creating a strong and inclusive economy right here in the North,” said Lapointe.
She said $500,000 would be directed to CircuitIQ company to complete the late stage development and to commercialize its Live Powerline Mapping Tool (LPMT).
CircuitIQ Inc. said the tool creates easy-to-read circuit directories, labels every device, maps where each panel is, and provides a safety report to identify anomalies. The LPMT gives owners, managers, and workers quick, accurate information about complex power systems while eliminating breaker cycling and shutdowns.
CircuitIQ CEO and founder Luke Begley said he was pleased with the funding.
“Thanks to FedNor support we can take CircuitIQ to the next level by commercializing our new Live Powerline Mapping Tool. This cutting-edge technology will allow us to expand into new markets that can now include critical facilities such as hospitals and airports.
The Waive company is receiving a repayable contribution of $67,200 to help develop and commercialize an AI-driven automated form-filling tool to improve healthcare productivity. Once complete, the system will help leverage patient history from electronic medical records to autocomplete basic and complex forms such as disability tax forms, WSIB claims and diagnostic referrals, said the FedNor news release.
Tabassum Pasha, Chief Operating Officer at Waive, expressed gratitude to NORCAT and FedNor for its combined support.
“I am pleased that the Government of Canada recognizes the potential that our AI-driven automated form-filling tool holds in terms of its capacity to improve productivity across our health-care system,” Pasha said. “We are grateful that FedNor’s Regional AI Initiative will help us to get this product ready for market.”
The Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC) will be receiving more than $28,000 to develop and implement an AI strategic plan.
Provided through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP), this non-repayable funding will also support AI training and help over 50 First Nation communities adopt AI frameworks to help them enhance operational efficiency and accelerate economic growth, said the FedNor release.
OFNTSC executive director Melanie Debassige said the AI funding would strengthen the organization and its ability to serve its clients.
“Artificial Intelligence presents both opportunities and risks,” she said. “With FedNor’s support, OFNTSC is strengthening its own capacity by developing responsible AI governance within our organization. By doing this important work internally, we will be better equipped to deliver high-quality, secure, and innovative services that ultimately support and benefit the First Nations we serve.”
Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com.