Loyalist College receives multi-year renewals of Health Canada licenses for cannabis research

Belleville, Ontario, October 15, 2020 – Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis (ARC) has received a five-year renewal of its federal license to conduct research under the Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations, and a three-year renewal of its license to conduct analytical testing. Loyalist’s ARC, which houses Canada’s only federally supported Technology Access Centre for natural products and cannabis, is a regional innovation hub for industry to access advanced instrumentation and subject-matter experts.

These renewals will support existing partnerships and foster the development of new collaborations with employers and academia to facilitate commercialization and transform research and development results into high-quality, consistent and safe products. The ARC also supports employers in building skilled workforces by providing Loyalist’s Bioscience and Cannabis Applied Science students with exceptional experiential learning opportunities, many of which turn into full-time employment. Students work on projects with both academic and industry personnel, investigating cannabis and a range of natural products covering extraction, isolation, formulation and advanced cultivation techniques.

In partnership with Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC) and other organizations, Loyalist supports the Bay of Quinte and larger natural products and cannabis sectors to generate regional socioeconomic benefits, and to provide opportunities for a new generation of innovators. Loyalist offers companies across Eastern Ontario a supportive, community-oriented platform from which to enhance their productivity, expand their reach and augment their competitiveness in the global market.

The rapid growth of Canada’s cannabis sector has increased demands for advanced technologies and expertise to facilitate work with small- to medium-sized licensed producers, to support method optimization, product development and testing. The ARC’s expertise in green extraction and analysis-based applied research reinforces the College’s leadership role in applied research initiatives around cannabis and commercially relevant natural products.

Quotes

“We appreciate Health Canada’s continued confidence in Loyalist’s ARC and are proud to be the first College with these multi-year license renewals. Loyalist currently has contracts or agreements to work with more than 25 organizations this year. These renewals help to extend our network to assist even more companies and drive innovation. With partnership growth comes enhanced opportunities for our Bioscience and Cannabis Applied Science students. They will be at the forefront of scientific developments which have the capacity to shape their bright futures.” – Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, Loyalist College President and CEO

“Our collaboration with the ARC has been instrumental in the development of VIVO’s internal capacity for the analysis of cannabinoids, and this has resulted in improved operational efficiencies, increased product consistency and advancement of new product development efforts. Through this unique working relationship, we are pleased to share and exchange different operational perspectives to help light the path for future research advancements in cannabis processing technology.” – Gary McMullen, President, Napanee Cannabis Co. (VIVO Cannabis)

“We came to the ARC focused on creating a completely organic, gluten-free and vegan snack consistently infused with a controlled amount of cannabis, where the smell of the cannabis was masked. The ARC successfully developed a product formulation that enabled us to not only move onto sensory evaluation, but also patenting. We could not have taken this key step forward without the expertise of the ARC, and the ease in doing business with them.” – Elizabeth Kizer, President, Exhale Into Health

About Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis

Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis is an innovation hub helping industry collaborate with academia to transform the results of research into high-quality, consistent and safe products, solving their applied research challenges and building their applied research capabilities. The ARC offers companies across Eastern Ontario a supportive, community-oriented platform from which to enhance their productivity, expand their reach and augment their competitiveness in the global market. In addition to income from industry partnerships, the ARC is funded through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program, as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) College-Industry Innovation Fund (CIIF).

About Loyalist College

Loyalist is Ontario’s Destination College, empowering students, faculty, staff, and partners through experiential, industry cluster-based education, training and applied research programs. The College provides job-ready graduates for, and knowledge transfer to, industry and the community. Of 2017-18 Loyalist graduates, 88.5 percent were employed within six months after graduation. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, the College is perfectly positioned between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Loyalist offers more than 70 full-time diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs in biosciences, building sciences, business, community service, health and wellness, media studies, public safety, and skilled trades. Continuing education options are available through LoyalistFocus.com, including hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, and through the College’s 100+ university transfer agreements. Loyalist is a key driver of social and economic health in eastern Ontario. It contributes 3.7 percent of the Gross Regional Product, representing $382 million annually to the regional economy – based on a March 2020 report by Emsi. For more information on Loyalist’s Belleville, Bancroft and Toronto campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit YoureGoingPlaces.com.

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Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing, Communications and Recruitment

Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistcollege.com, 613-969-1913, ext. 2536