The Navigate Entrepreneurship Centre will receive more than $.14 million to help foster a culture of innovation and business development in the Corner Brook area.
On Tuesday, Long Range Mountains MP Gudie Hutchings and Gerry Byrne, MHA for Corner Brook and Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, were among the key movers and shakers who attended a press conference where it was announced the federal and provincial governments would provide funding for construction of a makerspace and incubator for the Navigate Entrepreneurship Centre.
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is providing $874,161 toward the initiative, while the provincial government will contribute $1,425,320 in total funding with $203,962
coming through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation and another $87,375 coming from the Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.
A makerspace is a collaborative, community-based workspace stocked with tools and materials for people to experiment and create new things. The key concepts, although there are several variations of makerspaces, include collaboration, community and creativity. An incubator is a place to nurture, support and expand business start-ups.
Navigate is a partnership of Grenfell Campus and College of the North Atlantic in Corner Brook.
“By harnessing our collective skills, our talents and our ideas, this inspirational initiative speaks to the tremendous potential of post-secondary education to partner with government and the private sector to create a better future for us all,” Grenfell vice-president Jeff Keshen said.
The makerspace will be housed at Grenfell Campus, while the College of the North Atlantic would be home to the incubator.
“This initiative allows us to give support and assistance to those who wish to enhance their skills and develop business ideas in the region,” College of the North Atlantic’s vice-president Libby Chaulk said during Tuesday’s announcement.
Chaulk found it encouraging to see both institutions work closely with both levels of government in an effort to create a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit on the west coast and she’s looking forward to a stronger relationship with Grenfell as projects come to fruition over the next few years.
“When combined, our work compliments each other and acts as an improved means of creating a positive climate for successful economic growth and development than previously existed,” she said.
Hutchings believes the funding announcement will help both institutions in their desire to bring about new business ideas and generate economic growth in the Corner Brook area.
“We need to ensure that businesses can either climb out of or stay out of and avoid altogether that valley of death as they are growing,” Hutchings said.
