LOOKNorth

:

Investing in remote sensing in a changing Northern Canada CCIC Workshop Whitehorse

January, 2012

LOOKNorth

• Designated Centre of

Excellence for Commercialization & Research

• One of 27 across Canada • Announced December 2010 • Launched January 2011

CECR Approach

• Centers that advance research and facilitate commercialization • Four priority areas: • Environment; • Natural Resources and Energy; • Health and Life Sciences; • and Information and Communications Technologies. • Bridging the gap between innovation and technology allowing

technologies to get to the market more easily

• Stimulating SMEs, generating jobs, positioning Canada as a

technology leader

• Creating partnerships, developing a network of government and

industry representatives

C-CORE Technical Areas

Remote Sensing Ice Engineering Geotechnical Engineering

LOOKNorth

Vision

• Promoting safe and sustainable

development of Canada’s northern natural resources

• Stimulate use of remote sensing technology

into the resource sector

• Support creation of wealth in Canada

How we go about doing that…

• Work with industry to understand their needs and info gaps – Mining, oil and gas, hydro-power,

shipping

• Potential for other sectors • Use remote sensing technologies to provide resource sector clients with relevant information to support decision making • Develop opportunities – Small business – Researchers – Northerners Courtesy of Diavik Mines

"Remote sensing is the science (and to some extent, art) of acquiring information about the Earth's surface without actually being in contact with it. This is done by sensing and recording reflected or emitted energy and processing, analyzing, and applying that information."

Remote sensing

Optical and Radar Comparison

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Optical 2m Panchromatic Formosat-2 3m SAR COSMO-SkyMed

RS Applications in the North

•

TRACS Program:

NRCan & GSC Project • Surficial sediment mapping using satellites • Land cover mapping in permafrost environments • Infrastructure risk assessment

River Ice Monitoring

• Monitoring sites throughout North • Knowing ice-build in terms of location(e.g., towns, highways); • Ice classification image showing river ice types; • Estimated ice thickness; and • Multi-date change analysis image

Sector Assessments

• Identifying and documenting industry challenges • Information needs over lifecycle – Interviews, workshops,

research

• Publish results in market reports • Funding different programs based on sector needs • Drives our activities

Technology Validations

• Investing in projects that validate a remote sensing solution to the resource sector client • Themed calls based on sector assessments • Linking SMEs with industry partners • Provide co-funding of 50% up to $200,000 for projects • Lead to operational utilization

• Understanding applications that are uncertain • Current themes:

-Iceberg deterioration/ lifecycles; -Oil spills in ice; -Iceroads/ allweather roads planning.

• Scan/evaluate potential technologies

R&D Program

Northern Outreach

• Northern Sector Assessment • Understanding political, regulatory and social environment • Identifying relevant stakeholder groups and their needs • Building partnerships, opening up opportunities in the North

Summing up

• Develop business opportunities – Resource sector information needs (industry,

government and community)

– Relevant R&D to address those needs – SMEs capable of supplying the solution • Co-fund technology validation projects – ≤ $200k (50%) of project cost, ≤ 2 years, etc • Getting other partners on board – Assessing opportunities in the North – Where there are needs connected to industry and

government

– Finding ways of bringing in new partners

Thank-you!

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 709-697-4804