The GREAT Institute and Network
Greenhouse Research Education And Training Institute
REGISTER NOW FOR OUR THU.MAR.25.2021 WEBINAR
Grand Challenges/Opportunities
in Canadian Controlled Environment Agriculture
Check It Out.
Now, perhaps more than ever, people are better understanding the importance of supply chains and food supply to national security. Greenhouses offer resilient, controlled growing environments capable of producing efficient, targeted, high quality yields. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) has a significant and expanding role to play in the Canadian economy. Ontario Greenhouse vegetable production alone is a billion dollar industry that has plans to grow at unprecedented rates over the next five years. The sector is rich with innovation and development. Growers, government agencies, NGOs, consutants, and academia have each contributed to moving Canada's CEA industry forward. While there are examples of inter-agency cooperation, no one agency exists that can act as a central hub for the research, dissemination, and knowledge translation - to put innovation into wide practice. A prospective GREAT Institute and Network would provide links for the coordination of CEA research opportunities and activities, but also the wider education of all CEA stakeholders (including the public). Such an Institute would leverage the expertise of grower, government, NGO, retailer, consumer, and academic members to train the next generation of CEA professionals for Canadian and wider global employment.
Overarching Objectives of the GREAT Institute.
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Enable the GREAT potential of Canada's Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Sector.
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Radically improve CEA Project Team Building through a redundantly connected GREAT Network.
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Create opportunities for Multi-institutionally Integrated CEA Training for domestic and international students.
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Capture the interest and passion of the Next Generation of Amplified Agriculturalists to drive foundational future growth of Canadian CEA.
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Educate the Canadian public on the critical value of CEA to National Food Security.
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Build the best brand for Exporting Unique Canadian CEA Expertise to the rest of the world.
Who Should Participate?
GROWERS
Weigh-in with what's important to you. Could a central institute for research, education, and training be useful/helpful to the sector? Do you see a different or better way forward?
This is your sector - participate and shape subsequent efforts in this theme.
GOVERNMENT
Hear what growers are saying. Contribute your own experiences with similar efforts. Provide inputs on how such an institute may help to reach stakeholders of government research.
NGOs
Could a central institute be a helpful conduit to deliver your members' research, education, and training mandates?
ACADEMICS
Offer your take on what education and training services could be offered by academic institutions.
How could this institute help connect researchers with other experts in the sector with shared interests?
The next GREAT Network webinar.
The Next
great
Network Webinar
THU.MAR.25.2021
1030hrs - 1200hrs
Grand Challenges/Opportunities in Controlled Environment Agriculture
GREAT Stakeholders will lead a spirited discussion to create an inclusive list of challenges/opportunities that should be tackled in the next 5 years to radically advance Canada's CEA Sector.
The GREAT Network Webinar Objectives.
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With a goal of increasing Canada's food security by substantially increasing domestic production of fruits and vegetables - participants will explore what major technical, economic, and social barriers need to be overcome to make major progress toward this goal by 2026.
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Inclusive lists of barriers and opportunities for innovation will be built - including radical re-thinking of conventional practices.
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Potential mechanisms for enabling/funding actions required for change will be sketched out.
- Next steps and next date for action will be set.
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Recent GREAT Webinars
Outcomes of Webinar 3: Education and Training in CEA.
Outcomes from the GREAT Network Webinar:
"Education and Training in Controlled Environment Agriculture"
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021.
1030 HRS - 1200 HRS
Outcomes of Webinar 2: GREAT Network - Who Does What and Where?
Outcomes of Exploratory Webinar 1
Outcomes from the GREAT Network Webinar:
"Who Does What and Where?"
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020.
1030 HRS - 1200 HRS
Outcomes of Webinar 1: Institute Concept Exploration.
Outcomes from the GREAT Institute Exploratory
Webinar 1
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020.
1030 HRS - 1200 HRS
Expert Commentary Was Provided By:

Dr. Justine Taylor
Manager
Science and Government Relations
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG)
Mr. Lucas Semple
General Manager
Under Sun Acres Inc.
Rising Sun Acres Inc.
Mr. Gene Ingratta
President and CEO
Allegro Acres Inc.
Mr. Peter Quiring
President and CEO
South Essex Fabricating Inc.
and Nature Fresh Farms Inc.
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