Ottawa, ON – April 30, 2024 – Today the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) announced the recipients of the ninth annual Governor General’s Innovation Awards (GGIA). These awards recognize and celebrate exceptional Canadian individuals, teams and organizations for their excellence in innovation and their contributions in helping to shape our future and positively impact our quality of life.

The recipients of the 2024 Governor General’s Innovation Awards are:

Revolutionary ion-exchange membranes and Polymer for Clean Energy

Dr. Steven Holdcroft and Dr. Benjamin Britton

Steven Holdcroft’s world-leading research on anion and proton exchange membranes with Dr. Benjamin Britton’s scientific work and entrepreneurial foresight led to the discovery and commercialization of revolutionary clean energy materials. These materials unlock scalable green hydrogen generation technologies and meet hydrogen fuel cell targets, providing a major step-change in cost and performance.

Nominated by Universities Canada and The Royal Society of Canada. 

The Canadian Archeological Association Working Group on Unmarked Graves (CAAWGUG)

Dr. Kisha Supernant (Chair), Dr. Andrew Martindale, Dr. Lisa Hodgetts, Dr. Sarah Beaulieu, Dr. Adrian Burke, Ms. Micaela Champagne, Dr. Terence Clark, Mr. Stephen Daniel, Dr. Peter Dawson, Mr. Edward Eastaugh, Dr. Colin Grier, Dr. Scott Hamilton, Ms. Sarah Hazell, Mr. Joshua Murphy, Mr. William Wadsworth

The Canadian Archeological Association Working Group on Unmarked Graves (CAAWGUG) developed resources for those affected by the search for missing children and unmarked burials. CAAWGUG has served as an expert panel for Indigenous communities, acted as advocates for Survivors to government, guided private industry, and become a key public voice that has informed opinion and journalism.

Nominated by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

erthos – next gen biomaterials platform

Ms. Nuha Siddiqui, Ms. Kritika Tyagi

Erthos has emerged as a beacon of sustainable commercial innovation, surpassing conventional boundaries powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). This biomaterial technology fosters a global shift towards eco-friendly practices. With ground-breaking standards and a projected 70% carbon reduction, erthos sets a transformative benchmark for sustainable solutions, positively impacting the quality of life in Canada and beyond.

Nominated by BDC.

Bowhead Reach

Mr. Christian Bagg

Following a snowboarding accident, Christian Bagg recognized the limitations of existing assistive technology for people with disabilities. Fueled by his desire to independently enjoy nature, he designed the Reach—an adaptive bike tailored to enable individuals with disabilities to explore the outdoors independently. The Reach has benefitted people around the world.

Nominated by Ingenium.   

Research in Moral Development to Legal, Clinical and Healthcare Innovation

Dr. Kang Lee

Dr. Kang Lee’s ground-breaking research on childhood dishonesty has led to unexpected innovations in legal, clinical, and healthcare practices. His research has influenced diagnosis and treatment of children with behavioural problems; and his invention of a contactless technology for measuring physiological responses is now used by over 10 million people globally for health monitoring and research.

Nominated by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Inneo

Mr. Laurent Dallaire and Mr. François Bédard

Inneo is a revolution in the food world, being the first bacteriocin approved by Health Canada to eliminate bacteria from food. The team develops and produces innovative natural antimicrobials, offering a new generation of natural preservatives to ensure the naturalness and quality of food from the field to the grocery store.

Nominated by the Association for the Development of Research and Innovation of Quebec

(ADRIQ).

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2024 GGIA Selection and Assessment Committees

The GGIA Selection and Assessment Committees are composed of distinguished individuals chosen for their expertise in and breadth of understanding of the Canadian innovation ecosystem.

2024 GGIA Assessment Committee:

• Audra Renyi, (Committee Chair) Executive Director of World Wide Hearing Foundation, and GGIA Laureate 2017
• David Brown, Co-Founder and COO of Chinova Bioworks, Founder of MYCODEV Group and GGIA Laureate 2017
• Robert Luke, Chief Executive Officer, eCampusOntario
• Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director, Digital Economy, Technology & Innovation
• Donna Kimmaliardjuk, Cardiac Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
• Jennifer Altenberg, Coordinator of Learning Services for Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools
• Marcia Nozick, Founder EMBERS (the Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society)

2024 GGIA Selection Committee:

• Charles Deguire, (Committee Chair), Co-Founder and CEO, Kinova Inc. and GGIA Laureate 2016
• John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, RBC
• Julie L’Heureux, Director, Philanthropy and Community Relations, at Power Corporation of Canada

An event celebrating the 2024 GGIA Laureates will take place on May 14, 2024, at Rideau Hall during Canadian Innovation Week (May 13 to 17).

For media inquiries, contact:

Jill Clark
Rideau Hall Foundation
Jill.Clark@rhf-frh.ca
613-809-1480

About the Governor General’s Innovation Awards

Launched in 2016, the Governor General’s Innovation Awards inspire Canadians to embrace innovation and to emulate innovative, entrepreneurial risk-takers who have developed new or better ways of creating value and who are having a meaningful impact on our quality of life.

The Awards are given to individuals, teams and/or organizations whose innovations are:

• truly exceptional;
• transformative; and,
• positive in their impact on quality of life in Canada.

Each year, up to six award winners are identified through a two-stage, merit-based selection process. For more information on the awards visit innovation.gg.ca.

About the Rideau Hall Foundation

The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) is a non-political national charity that brings together ideas, people and resources to celebrate what is best about Canada. The RHF works closely with many partners, including the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, to meaningfully improve lives and foster the conditions for more Canadians to succeed and thrive. The RHF manages all aspects of the Governor General’s Innovation Awards.

Learn more about the RHF at www.rhf-frh.ca, and follow us on social media:

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