Our role

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is a not-for-profit foundation that finances and supports the development and demonstration of clean technologies which provide solutions to issues of climate change, clean air, water quality and soil, and which deliver economic, environmental and health benefits to Canadians. To do so, the Foundation draws from an investment fund of $550 million.

Our mission and mandate

SDTC was established by the Government of Canada in 2001 and commenced operation in November of that year. SDTC’s mission is to act as the primary catalyst in building a sustainable development technology infrastructure in Canada. The Foundation reports to Parliament through the Minister of Natural Resources Canada. We do much more than simply fund groundbreaking technologies. We work closely with an ever-growing network of stakeholders and partners to build the capacity of Canadian clean-technology entrepreneurs, helping them form strategic relationships, formalize their business plans, and build a critical mass of sustainable development capability in Canada.

There are many links in the innovation chain between research and commercialization. Two of the most critical—but traditionally undersupported—are development and demonstration. These are the critical stages at which technologies exit the laboratory and prove themselves in full-scale, real-world test situations. SDTC bridges the gap in the innovation chain by fast-tracking groundbreaking clean technologies through development and demonstration, in preparation for commercialization. We foster and encourage innovation and collaboration among private, academic and public-sector partners, and strive to ensure the dispersion of clean technologies in relevant market sectors throughout Canada.

Reducing the risk

One of SDTC’s chief aims is to de-risk clean technologies in a way that will ultimately attract downstream private-sector investment and open up opportunities for commercial success. We do this by employing a stringent due diligence process when selecting technologies to support, and by actively strengthening project consortia—requiring every project to involve representatives from the entire supply chain: researchers, product developers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and end customers. In all, 80 percent of our consortia are industry-led.

Building capacity

By assembling consortia of partners who strengthen one another’s go-to-market capabilities, SDTC helps build the capacity for innovation and success of Canada’s clean-technology entrepreneurs. Through our process we help innovators sharpen their market savvy, increase their ability to identify the economic and environmental strengths of sustainable development projects, and define the investment potential that their clean technologies ultimately represent to venture capital financiers.

Defining sustainable development

Sustainability is about doing all that we do today as societies and economies with three considerations in mind:

• Environmentally—ensuring that resources are not consumed faster than they can be replenished;
• Economically—supporting prosperity and growth; and
• Socially—respecting the values, culture and human needs of communities.

All of the projects funded by SDTC support these goals.

SDTC at a glance

Projects and funding

To date, SDTC has completed seven funding rounds and allocated a total of $169 million to 75 projects. That amount has been leveraged with an additional $446 million in funding from other project partners for a total project value of $615 million.

Market response

Since April 2002, SDTC has conducted eight calls for statements of interest (SOIs) and received 1084 SOIs from across the country — representing some $9.2 billion in project potential from more than 2,600 companies and institutions.

Leveraged financing

The ratio of industry-partner contributions to SDTC investment: approximately 2:1. Of those contributions, some 60 percent come from private sources.

Economic sectors of activity

SDTC-funded projects are active in all major Canadian economic sectors, including:

• energy exploration and production
• power generation
• energy utilization
• transportation
• agriculture, forestry and mining
• waste management

Technology areas

• SDTC-funded projects are relevant to some 57 technology areas.

Website: http://www.sdtc.ca/en/index.htm