The Aurora Research Institute (ARI), has received $69,562 to help it support manufacturing needs related to Covid-19, it said in a news release on Monday.
ARI is the research division of Aurora College.
The larger portion of the funding – $44,562 – came from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) College and Community Innovation Program (CICP) – Applied Research Rapid Response to Covid-19 fund.
The GNWT contributed a $25,000 grant for NWT small businesses making medical and non-medical products in response to Covid. The funds will also help businesses apply for Medical Device Establishment Licences (MDEL), which permits the importation or distribution/sale of a medical device in Canada.
"With this funding Aurora College’s Arts, Crafts, and Technology Micro-manufacturing Center (ACTMC) will address gaps that exist for NWT small businesses and residents in their endeavour to rapidly produce personal protective equipment and other Covid-19 related good to market," Aurora spokesperson Jayne Murray wrote in a news release.
"The project will address the lack of access to appropriate information, protocols, and training to deliver products to market safely in support of the effort to reduce the impact of Covid-19," she wrote. "This funding will enable ARI, ACTMC and their partners to better support Northern businesses as they innovate solutions for the north.