The federal government’s Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver, made a big announcement in Vancouver on July 14, 2011 (from the FPInnovations news release),

Canada’s  forestry  innovation  hub,  FPInnovations,  today  welcomed  Federal  Natural  Resources  Minister  Joe  Oliver’s  announcement  of  $25.5‐million  towards  the  2011‐2012  Transformative  Technologies  Research  Program  (TTP).  This  program  focuses  on  the  development,  adaptation,  and  deployment  of  emerging  and  breakthrough  technologies  relating  to  forest  biomass  utilization,  forest  biotechnology,  nanotechnology,  green  chemistry,  bio‐materials,  innovative  wood‐based  building  systems  as  well  as  information  and  communications  technologies.

“Today’s  announcement  extends  a  unique  industry/government  partnership  that  is  transforming  the  forest  sector  through  innovation.  This  announcement  will  help  build  and  strengthen  an  innovative  and  diversified  forest  products  sector  in  Canada.   That  is  good  news  for  job  growth  and  new  economic  opportunities  for  hard  hit  forestry  communities,”  stated  Alan  Potter,  Vice‐President  of  FPInnovations.

I have posted about FPInnovations and their nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) research previously. I was hoping that there might be some information about whether these funds will be applied to NCC research but no details were given.