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On May 4 & 5, NOVINOR Innovation welcomed experts, local companies and representatives of institutions from Abitibi as well, for an introductory mission.
This new entity is dedicated to propelling individuals and companies through knowledge, expertise, talent, research, innovation and networks of interest, in a collaborative approach.
Presentations by our guest experts were held throughout the day on May 4 at the Val-d’Or Public Market.
The day began with a presentation by Mr. Patrick Daher (Senior Project Manager for the International Investment Channel) from Investissement Québec.
Investissement Québec’s role is to accompany and support international companies in their efforts to establish and grow in Québec.
In concrete terms, Investissement Québec is:
- Be the main contact for subsidiaries in the preparation and management of their investment projects;
- Coordinate actions with subsidiaries with the regional IQ network, regional economic players and the various ministries concerned;
- Refer to all of IQ’s internal offerings: similar role to CAPs;
- Support the resolution of various issues: labour, environment, productivity, supply, export, energy/HQ, etc.
- Coordinate the financial offer of the Quebec government;
- Facilitate with different levels of government; MEIE’s main interlocutor for FDI projects;
- Assist in the preparation of applications to be submitted to the head office and liaise with the head office;
- Organize activities dedicated to the branches (Branch Forum and networking activities).
Then, we had the privilege to hear Mr. Ghislain Nadeau (Account Manager ENCQOR and Cybersecurity (PICQ)) talk about project financing with Prompt Innovation. What is their role then?
To develop and fund research and innovation partnerships in all areas of information and communication technologies (ICT), digital, artificial intelligence and microelectronics;
To develop and finance projects that unite companies, universities, technology transfer centers and public research centers in the development of new products, solutions and cutting-edge services;
Multiply the capacities of researchers and entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality, while strengthening local expertise, notably through workforce training and long-term wealth creation.
The presentations continued with Mr. Othmane Dayi, Ph.D. D. (science director) at InnovLog.
The Quebec Institute for Innovation in Logistics offers support services to Quebec companies for all traditional logistics functions as well as specialized logistics functions and advanced logistics functions with tools based on artificial intelligence and Machine Learning (predictive logistics).
The Quebec Institute for Innovation in Logistics (InnovLOG) is :
- A center of excellence and applied research;
- The only college technology transfer center (CCTT) recognized by the Quebec government and authorized by the MES and the MÉIE to act as a transfer center in the logistics field;
- An NPO member of the CCTT network (Synchronex) and affiliated with Cégep André-Laurendeau.
Their mission is to increase the performance of Quebec companies by strengthening their innovation processes that will allow the continuous improvement of their logistics functions.
- Dayi demonstrated InnovLog’s know-how in logistics management projects through concrete examples that are relevant to our reality in Abitibi-Temiscamingue and Northern Quebec.
In turn, the representatives of INÉDI (expertise and research in industrial design – Centre collégial de transfert de technologie (CCTT) of the Cégep de Lanaudière in Terrebonne) spoke about the evolution of virtual reality and its practical implementation in training activities at all academic levels.
The demonstration by Mr. Luc Taillon (business development) and Mr. David Duguay (Principal Investigator of the Holodec Virtual, Mixed and Augmented Reality Laboratory) was captivating!
They shared a tiny part of the potential for the development of virtual reality in education, if only as a means of motivating students.
This infectious enthusiasm won the hearts of the participants. Everyone agreed that “this is where we stand” now.
Finally, Mr. Laurent Ferrier, PhD (Head of the embedded system cell – Associate Professor at UQAC) of the Institut technologique de maintenance industrielle) presented the RFID technology used in the DoMiNo (Data in the Northern Environment) railway system: its adaptation to northern environments, the different versions and its performance.
It was an enriching experience and a great opportunity to discuss with representatives of a unique center of expertise in Quebec.
To conclude the day, delegates visited the Northern Mining Transit Centre located at the Val-d’Or regional airport.
The CTMN provides an efficient and relevant response to the transportation and logistics problems of mining companies developing in the Canadian North. However, we know that there is always room for improvement. Hence the importance of the discussions concerning the improvement of the traceability and inventory management processes between the CTMN manager, Julie Turgeon, and the invited experts.
The day of May 5th was also full of beautiful discoveries for our guests.
In the morning, they visited the facilities at the Goldex mine (Agnico Eagle). Everyone was pleased to have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the mining industry and learn about the technologies used and the opportunities to participate in process improvement through research and development in their respective fields of expertise.
A luncheon meeting was organized with the Member of Parliament for Abitibi-Est, Mr. Pierre Dufour, who spoke about regional issues and the strategic importance of the Novinor Innovation project for the economic development of Val-d’Or and Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
The penultimate activity was a guided tour of the Meglab company, which works, among other things, on solutions for electric mines.
This company has demonstrated its initiatives in research and development. Delegates were impressed by the ingenuity of the solutions developed over the years.
The visite ended at Abitibi-Géophysique.
Again, the invited experts were able to see the challenges, in this case, data surveys in remote locations. The guests immediately went into “solution mode” which led to an exchange of ideas that should develop in the not too distant future.