In the next 20 years, worldwide demand for water is expected to be 40 per cent greater than current supply; a crisis in the making if the world does not act.  The Conference Board of Canada estimates the global market for water technology at more than $400 billion US per year and doubling every five to six years. 

As part of its Open Ontario Plan, the Ontario government introduced legislation in 2010 (Ontario’s Water Opportunities Act) that will build on Ontario's expertise in clean-water technology.  The Ontario government is working with colleges, universities and entrepreneurs to create even more Ontario jobs and attract even more clean-water expertise and investment to the province.

For Good Harbour Laboratories (GHL) of Mississauga, Ontario, this government support (especially for entrepreneurs) presents a great opportunity to be a significant contributor in addressing this global water concern.  GHL is well positioned as the key active agent in facilitating the development of new and exciting environmental technologies.  GHL’s staff of scientists and engineers have years of experience working in collaboration with small companies helping to design, build and test their new technology in preparation for the market place. As an independent, full service R&D provider, GHL is a cost effective solution for environmental entrepreneurs or smaller companies struggling to get their products into the commercial arena.

Dr. Greg Williams, Business Unit Manager of GHL shares the following: “The government has always done a good job of supporting research and this focus on the water sector is welcome news.  More research means a greater need for commercialization, which is not a traditional strength in our nation. Canada received a ‘D’ from the Conference Board of Canada in our last report card from them.  Good Harbour has a track record of commercialization and we can help innovative projects get to market.”  

Although GHL is still relatively unknown to the public, the company has proven experience as part of the Monteco family of companies and to date has worked on over 45 technology development projects of varying size and complexity.  GHL also has obtained 3 US patents and numerous international patents on technologies developed in house.  These patents form the basis of products that are currently available on the market.

The Ontario government’s mandate is to make Ontario the clean water capital of North America; a company such as GHL will be instrumental in making that happen by helping to develop and commercialize technologies today to take us there tomorrow.

Reference: The Conference Board of Canada report can be found at http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/innovation.aspx.