CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Conestoga named a finalist for Milton Chamber of Commerce innovation excellence award

Conestoga has been named as a finalist for a Milton Chamber of Commerce Community Excellence Award in the innovation excellence category. This recognition reflects the work of the college's Research and Innovation team and will be evaluated on organizational excellence, innovative practices and the impact of innovations in the Milton community.

"We are thrilled to be recognized as a finalist for this award. Conestoga's applied research and innovation activities encompass a range of research areas that align with the sectors and topics that are important to the communities we serve," said Dr. Michelle Chrétien, vice president, Research.  

"We help our partners innovate and bring new ideas to life by connecting them with faculty, researchers and students who possess the expertise required to address their research and development needs. Our research collaborations have helped partners throughout Canada, and within Milton, scale their business, expand their markets, address societal challenges and streamline their operations."

Among those collaborations is a partnership between Conestoga's SMART Centre and Magna International's Karmax Heavy Stamping division to provide access innovations such as digital twinning technology.

"The partnership has provided 26 students with the experience of working in an important industry in Milton, and has benefitted Karmax's operations by advancing their production processes and implementing efficiencies," noted Chrétien.

The Conestoga Food Research & Innovation Lab (CFRIL) also developed a partnership with Milton-based Pasqualino's restaurant to evaluate shelf-life stability and packaging options for a new product line.

Conestoga remains committed to supporting social and economic prosperity in the community. The college opened new Milton locations on Parkhill Drive and Steeles Avenue this year, offering programming across several academic schools. The college has also operated an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) location in the town since 2021.

The chamber's community excellence awards will be announced at a gala event in Milton on October 23.

Conestoga's Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship team brings together multidisciplinary expertise and state-of-the-art resources, and is home to seven applied research centres spanning science, engineering, business, and social innovation, with two centres focused on entrepreneurship and commercialization.

In 2023, Conestoga ranked as one of the top 20 research colleges in Canada by engaging with 100 industry and community partners, starting 133 new projects, and providing paid research work experience to over 200 students.