Canadian minister invites proposals under energy fund

Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver announced a call for proposals under the Canada-Israel Energy Science and Tech. Fund.

By SHARON UDASIN
Joe Oliver 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Joe Oliver 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver announced a call for project proposals under the Canada-Israel Energy Science and Technology Fund during a meeting with Israeli business leaders in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
For the past year, Oliver has been actively promoting collaboration between the two countries in the energy sector, pinpointing the potential synergy between Canada’s in-depth experience in natural resource regulation and development and Israel’s status as “a hotbed of innovation and technological activity,” as he told The Jerusalem Post during an interview last June.
Just four months after visiting Israel that month, Oliver received then-energy and water minister Uzi Landau in Toronto, during which the two leaders decided to launch a joint bilateral research fund on the subject.
“On a number of fronts – conventional and unconventional oil and gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency – there are tremendous opportunities for Israel and Canada to work together, share expertise, transfer technology and create jobs,” Oliver said.
The Canadian ministry committed to investing $5 million over the course of three years through its ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative project, while the Israeli government pledged to allocate resources based on individual project needs.
The two ministries are now officially calling for project proposals that address key challenges facing Canada’s energy industry and specifically focus on improving the efficiency and sustainability of the sector, according to the Canadian ministry.
Eligible projects can involve industrial and academic partners from both countries.
“This fund encourages the development of innovative energy technologies and processes, enabling the responsible development of unconventional oil and gas resources,” Oliver said.
“These projects will help create jobs, address shared environmental challenges and strengthen the economies of both countries.”
Oliver is currently in Israel with a delegation of Canadian trade professionals, meeting with Israeli business leaders and policy-makers in order to further investment and trade opportunities between the two nations, his ministry said.
“Canada is open for business, and we want to expand our trade and investment with Israel, creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians,” he said.