Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole, with the support of the City of Saint-Hyacinthe and the MRC des Maskoutains, today presented the broad outlines of the Agri-Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre project it wishes to see come to life in the technology park of the Cité de l’innovation agroalimentaire.
Designed to accelerate the commercialization of new innovations and support the emergence of agri-food technology companies, this infrastructure will take shape in spaces that Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole will acquire, as co-owner, on the ground floor of the new multifunctional complex planned for rue de la Marine. Construction of this new building, announced earlier this year, will be carried out by the developers Biophilia Développement Durable and Groupe Marcil.
Spanning 15,000 square feet, the Agri-Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre will house spaces fostering collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, and industrial and financial partners. It will notably include co-creation and networking spaces, shared laboratories accessible to user companies, as well as incubation spaces for startups wishing to occupy premises on a longer-term basis.
User companies of the center will be able to benefit from a range of business services and innovation support. The offering will be backed by strategic partnerships, ensuring a continuum of support covering all stages of technological maturity.
The proposed infrastructure and services aim to complement and consolidate the agri-food business support ecosystem already in place in the region. They will facilitate access to specialized services, expertise, and equipment available within the Agri-Food Innovation City through its major institutions such as the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the Quebec Institute of Agri-Food Technology (ITAQ), and Cintech agroalimentaire, but eventually also those offered elsewhere in Quebec. A federated digital platform will be established to pool these scientific and technological tools for the benefit of innovative companies in animal health or food processing.
“Led by Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole, this project was developed following a process that allowed us to consult nearly a hundred companies to clearly identify their needs regarding their innovation activities. It was also designed with a long-term perspective, with the firm intention of complementing, not duplicating, the infrastructure and expertise already in place within our institutions. The goal is, on the contrary, to create synergies, fuel their usage rates, and increase the collective value of the ecosystem,” stated Dr. Sylvain Fournaise, Director of Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole and President of the Agri-Food Innovation Partners Council.
The center’s activities will be structured around the “One Health” approach, emphasizing the interdependence between animal, environmental, and human health, particularly through healthy eating. This vision requires concrete collaborative innovation mechanisms that can transform ways of producing, consuming, and managing food resources, which the center will help to implement.
The realization of this project represents an estimated investment of $15 million, covering real estate acquisition, fit-out, acquisition of specialized equipment, and development of the digital platform. Its business plan has been submitted to the Quebec Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) with the objective of obtaining a financial contribution, which would be complemented by a $3 million private investment from Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole and its partners. The project’s presented orientations have already been deemed relevant by the ministry, and the interdepartmental analysis committee has already provided feedback aimed at refining it.
“We are pleased with the openness already demonstrated by the Government of Quebec towards this project, which is of great importance for consolidating the agri-food innovation ecosystem that the Maskoutain community has been striving to put in place for many years. This ecosystem has allowed our city to shine internationally and have a significant impact on innovation in the agri-food sector throughout Quebec. In this sense, the City of Saint-Hyacinthe strongly supports the project and is prepared to play a proactive role to ensure its realization,” specified the Mayor of Saint-Hyacinthe, Mr. André Beauregard.
The Warden of the MRC des Maskoutains, Mr. Simon Giard, also wanted to express his support for the project. “The MRC supports this project, given its unifying aspect across the entire agri-food sector, from farm to fork. It will undoubtedly have benefits for all the municipalities in our territory where the agricultural and food industry remains at the heart of economic activity,” he added.
The target opening date for the center is March 2028.
