The Prairie Polytechnic Innovation Network Accelerating Commercialization for Local Ecosystems, known as P2INACLE, is receiving an additional $586,000 over two years from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) to advance Prairie innovation, building on an earlier commitment of nearly $900,000 announced last year.
These federal investments will support applied research to help unlocking new, real-world solutions that can be leveraged by the mining industry.
Administered by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, P2INACLE is an applied research network bringing together the expertise and state-of-the-art facilities of five other polytechnics across the Canadian Prairies - RRC Polytech, NAIT, Red Deer Polytechnic, SAIT, and Northwestern Polytechnic - to spark innovation, fuel economic growth and drive transformation across the region and beyond.
"Canada's new government is focused on helping Prairie businesses turn good ideas into real opportunities," said the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.
"This additional support for Saskatchewan Polytechnic through P2INACLE builds on our earlier investment and will help more businesses access the expertise, tools, and support they need to test new technologies, solve real-world challenges, and bring new products and processes to market. By supporting innovators across the Prairies, we are helping businesses grow, creating new opportunities for workers, and building a stronger Canadian economy for everyone."
"Saskatchewan and the Prairies have always punched above their weight, and our mining sector is a big reason why," added the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development. "Investing in P2INACLE means strengthening our mining sector and the good, local jobs it enables in communities large and small across the Prairies and across Canada."
The P2INACLE network partnered with Saskatchewan's International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) in early 2025 to launch its first pilot project. The initiative brought together research experts from the six polytechnics and industry partners from across Western Canada to identify challenges in the mining and minerals sector and begin developing practical, market-ready solutions.
Aiming to stimulate investment in Northern Manitoba, create Indigenous partnerships, and increase local employment, the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF) has also become a key partner.
In P2INACLE's first year, a total of eight mining-focused projects, ranging from drone-based geophysical surveying to innovations in safety and advanced manufacturing, were completed - delivering tangible results for industry and community partners.
"By leveraging polytechnic expertise, P2INACLE is a force multiplier," said Sabrina Kehoe, the network's navigator and manager from Sask Polytech. "P2INACLE is positioning itself as a catalyst for economic diversification, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses seeking access to specialized expertise and equipment. By streamlining collaboration and connecting partners, P2INACLE aims to turn applied research into real-world results more quickly."
RRC Polytech's Research Partnerships & Innovation (RPI) enterprise is the institution's gateway for industry to access its vast array of resources and now the P2INACLE network. One of the first successful collaborations through this initiative involved teaming up with EarthEx Geophysical Solutions Inc. and Sask Polytech to advance critical mineral exploration work in northern Manitoba - utilizing software engineering expertise at the ACE Project Space to create a tool to rapidly train computer vision models used in drone surveying.
In another P2INACLE project, Dr. Baltej Rupal, Research Chair at the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics joined forces with Red Deer Polytech's experts to explore how advanced manufacturing technologies, including cold spray, additive manufacturing and advanced welding, could enhance efficiency and performance in mining operations.
"The integration of capabilities across the west is critical to accelerating Canada's innovation economy across key sectors. PrairiesCan's support of our Prairie network aimed at supporting industry-driven innovation and commercialization projects is timely and important," said Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Executive Director, Research Partnerships & Innovation at RRC Polytech.
"P2INACLE is accelerating the access our industry partners have to expertise across a network of research centers and unlocking opportunities in sectors such as mining. Through partners such as the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund, the network is also increasingly focused on opportunities for Indigenous communities and northern economic growth."
Students are also seeing direct benefits from relationships established through P2INACLE. By participating in research projects, they're gaining exposure to partner polytechnics and potential employers - broadening their skills and experience so that graduates leave with practical, job-ready skills and connections to companies in need of emerging talent.
With renewed funding now in place, P2INACLE is set to expand its reach, deepen its impact, and translate its early momentum into lasting economic gains for Western Canada and beyond. The next phase will focus on scaling collaboration, accelerating commercialization and ensuring industry partners retain intellectual property as innovations move toward market.
About:
P2INACLE aims to drive economic growth and diversification through collaboration. It acts as a catalyst for regional prosperity by providing streamlined access to resources for industries, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and larger businesses. By leveraging the expertise and facilities of each polytechnic, P2INACLE offers tailored solutions for commercialization and diversification, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange. Learn more at P2INACLE.ca.
