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| Alberta's Investment Newsletter |
Tax Climate Excellence
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has produced an index to gauge the competitiveness of provincial tax systems from the perspective of small and medium sized businesses. The index encompasses five major areas of tax; premiums and payroll taxes; corporate income taxes; property and capital taxes; personal income taxes; and sales and excise taxes. Alberta was the top ranked province. Since this ranking was completed, Alberta eliminated health care premiums, further improving the province’s tax environment. The elimination of premiums will return about $1 billion annually to Albertans and Alberta businesses for them to spend or invest as they see fit. |   |
Innovation Vouchers Program a Success
Alberta’s first round of innovation vouchers, totaling more than $5 million, has been awarded to companies from 24 communities across the province. The innovation voucher program helps businesses and entrepreneurs in the pre-commercial to early start-up stages of development make connections with supporting agencies and access professional expertise and services. There are two denominations of vouchers, to a maximum of $10,000 for smaller fee-based services, and to a maximum of $50,000 for more substantial technology development activities. The next call for innovation voucher applications is expected to take place in the fall of 2009 with awards being announced in early 2010. Preference will be given to businesses in emerging growth sectors such as clean technology, health, biotechnology and information and communications technology. | | |
COLD-FX Cold/Flu Remedy of the 2010 Winter Games
COLD-FX, which is designed to prevent and treat colds and flu by strengthening the immune system, has become the official Cold/Flu Remedy for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. COLD-FX is Afexa Life Sciences Inc.’s (formerly CV Technologies) lead product. Afexa Life Sciences, headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, was founded in 1992. The company developed, commercialized, and patented a proprietary technology, known as ChemBioPrint®. Utilizing its ChemBioPrint® technology, Afexa Life Sciences produces a selection of natural health products for health maintenance and disease prevention. | | |
| Developments at Alberta's Universities |
Solar Energy Breakthrough
The University of Alberta and the National Institute for Nanotechnology have engineered an approach that is leading to improved performance of plastic solar cells. The development of inexpensive, mass-produced plastic solar panels is a goal of intense interest because of the high cost and shortage of the ultra-high purity silicon and other materials normally required to produce solar cells. | | |
Electronic Mosquito
Electrical engineers at the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary have patented a device called the Electronic Mosquito. The Electronic Mosquito is a skin patch that could one day provide a less-invasive alternative for diabetics who need to take regular samples of their own blood. | | |
Banff Venture Forum 2009 - Opportunity in Adversity
Banff Venture Forum 2009, October 1 to 2, is Canada’s premier technology company financing event. The Forum is designed to showcase the hottest hi-tech companies from across North America, offer insight into key issues within the industry, provide a premium networking opportunity, and give companies a chance to learn from world-class professionals in the investment community. Featuring nearly 40 technology companies across three streams, Information Technology, Energy Technology and Life Sciences Technology, the Forum provides emerging technology companies with unparalleled visibility and an opportunity to present to leading venture capital and other private equity investors from across North America. | | |
New Investment Contacts
Our trade and investment team has been reorganized by geographic region in order to better serve our clients. For information on Alberta - US/Americas trade and investment initiatives contact:
Doug Cameron - U.S.
780-427-6702
doug.cameron@gov.ab.ca
Benigno Rojas-Moreno - Latin America
780-427-0794
benigno.rojas@gov.ab.ca For information on Alberta-Europe trade and investment initiatives contact:
Heli Carswell - Advanced Industries
780-427-6386
heli.carswell@gov.ab.ca
Patrick Mattern - Environment & Energy
403-297-8900
patrick.mattern@gov.ab.ca For information on International Financial Institutions or Alberta-Africa trade and investment initiatives contact: Shane Jaffer
403-297-6592
shane.jaffer@gov.ab.ca For information on Alberta trade and investment initiatives with China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, contact: Josephine Choi
403-297-8916
josephine.choi@gov.ab.ca For information on Alberta trade and investment initiatives with the regions spanning Southeast Asia to India, the Middle East and North Africa, and south to Australia and New Zealand, contact: Greg Jardine
780-427-6368
greg.jardine@gov.ab.ca | |
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| We thank the Alberta Government Library for their support in researching content for this newsletter.
ISSN 1918-5154 | |
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MAY 2009
Important notice
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