Government of Canada invests over $14 million to create jobs and grow economy across Greater Toronto Area

iF innovator, Able Innovations, is among the eight GTA businesses that received funding for business development and growth.

This media release was originally published by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) on January 10, 2023.

FedDev Ontario investment to help eight GTA businesses scale-up and create over 230 jobs
January 10, 2023 – Toronto, Ontario

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is a critical driver of the North American economy. The Government of Canada recognizes the vital importance of the region’s talent and businesses, which is why we continue to make strategic investments to ensure their long-term economic and job growth.

Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced over $14 million towards the scale-up and growth of eight GTA-based companies: Able Innovations Inc., BeWhere Inc., BlueDot Inc., Cognota Inc., Earth Boring Co., Mero Technologies Inc., Pentavere Research Group Inc. and Schlesinger Group Ltd. As a result of this investment, these companies will be able to grow digital and manufacturing solutions, move towards green operations, enhance data in healthcare settings and improve monitoring and tracking software, while also creating over 230 jobs across the GTA.

While in Toronto, Minister Tassi joined representatives at an event hosted by Cognota Inc. and Mero Technologies Inc. Cognota, is a Toronto-based software company that provides AI-enabled learning applications. The company’s LearnOps platform helps customers find new ways to manage strategy, intake, resources, processes and operational data in one place, in more efficient and low-cost ways. Cognota Inc. is receiving over $1.9 million, through the Jobs and Growth Fund, to grow and scale its first-of-its-kind learning software to pursue larger enterprise contracts, while also securing new sales and partnership opportunities in Canadian and U.S. markets. The project will create 16 jobs.

Mero Technologies Inc. (Mero), a Toronto-based sensor and analytics company, offers smart cleaning solutions for commercial buildings to help measure building occupancy and cleanliness, helping tenants return to work safely. Mero is receiving $1.5 million, through the Jobs and Growth Fund, to move forward with the commercialization of its smart cleaning platform, while also supporting made-in-Canada foot traffic and consumable usage sensor production and market expansion efforts into Western Canada and the U.S. The project will create 30 skilled jobs.

Details on projects receiving support can be found in the backgrounder.

Quotes

“Supporting Canadian innovators as they modernize and develop new processes, technologies and products to improve the way Canadians live and do business is critical. Today’s over $14-million investment from the Government of Canada for eight GTA businesses highlights our commitment to creating jobs, investing in clean technologies and growing the economy.”
– The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

“The Greater Toronto Area is one of the largest contributors to Canada’s overall economy largely due to our competitive and cutting-edge businesses, like the eight receiving funding. With investments in the tech, manufacturing and construction sectors, this announcement will not only support over 230 jobs, but will position our local economy for long-term, future success.”
– Han Dong, Member of Parliament for Don Valley North

“Growing a leading software company that is defining a new category is hard work and would be impossible without the support of our people, partners, investors and the contributions received from the Canadian Government. This funding will allow us to give back and do our part in growing the economy while creating new jobs. With this funding, Cognota is well positioned to accelerate its business plan and scaling its strategy.”
– Ryan Austin, Founder and CEO, Cognota

“The funding provided by FedDev Ontario’s Jobs and Growth Fund will be critical to our business scaling and reaching the heights we anticipate, as well as help usher in a new future for commercial real estate and commercial cleaning. Our made-in-Canada technology has the potential to make a significant impact in the commercial real estate industry, which has seen huge shifts in it since the effects of the pandemic.”
– Nathan Mah, Co-Founder, Mero Technologies

Quick facts

• The Toronto region is Canada’s largest financial contributor, accounting for 20 percent of the gross domestic product, and is home to more than 40 percent of the country’s business headquarters.
• Founded in 2015, Toronto-based Cognota Inc. is a software development company offering corporate Learning & Development solutions. The company has established partnership agreements with major companies, such as IBM, Telus and Relias Health, InfroPro Learning, and others to help power learning operations across the enterprise.
• Established in 2018, Toronto-based Mero Technology Inc. uses Internet of Things (loT) sensors to monitor consumables and gauge pedestrian traffic in large buildings, to support cost reductions and greening of building operations.
• Founded in 2013, Toronto-based BlueDot Inc. has built and commercialized an advanced, real-time, early-warning service that combines artificial and human intelligence to anticipate and manage disruption from the growing number of infectious disease threats appearing around the world. The company gained international recognition after detecting and warning its public and private sector clients of COVID-19, nearly a week before the World Health Organization, and for using its predictive modelling technology to accurately forecast its spread and impacts globally.
• Established in 2014, Mississauga-based BeWhere Inc. designs, develops and commercializes industrialized sensor hardware to track in real-time moveable assets and environmental conditions for the transport, construction and government markets.
• Established in 1947, the Mississauga-based Earth Boring Co. offers trenchless tunnelling and drilling services for greener and more efficient excavation of tunnels for sewer and watermain projects, mainly for municipalities and local government agencies, including Peel Region, City of Toronto, and Metrolinx.
• Trenchless tunnelling minimizes impact on surface habitats and reduces CO2 production by diminishing emissions from heavy construction equipment required to displace soil.
• Established in 2016, Toronto-based Pentavere Research Group Inc. is an award-winning developer of the breakthrough DARWEN™ AI engine which empowers clinicians and pharmaceutical partners to access critical, lifesaving information that is buried within large amounts of complex, clinical text data.
• Established in 2018, Toronto-based Able Innovations Inc. has developed innovative robotic technology that enables front-line healthcare staff to conduct safe and easy patient transfer solutions.
• Incorporate in 2021 following the amalgamation of AskingCanadians, Methodify and Delvinia Custom Solutions, Toronto-based Schlesinger Group Ltd. is a global marketing research company that specializes in qualitative and quantitative research data collection services.
• Since 2015, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has invested over $900 million in more than 1,280 projects in the Greater Toronto Area creating over 30,000 jobs and maintaining over 45,000 jobs.