Supporting education and careers in science helps ensure that Canada will have a workforce with the skills required to fill the jobs of tomorrow. With support from the federal government and the City of Fredericton, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) hosted the 62nd annual Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) in Fredericton this week.

“Our government is committed to supporting the development of skilled youth for the jobs of the future by encouraging enrolment in STEM. The Canada-Wide Science Fair highlights the abilities of some our country’s brightest young scientists, and provides students from across Atlantic Canada with an opportunity to learn from their expertise. By investing in this type of educational opportunity, we are laying the foundation for Canadians to become more competitive and succeed in the global economy for many years to come.”
-    The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA

“I’m thrilled to see our government’s support for the Canada-Wide Science Fair, and to see it hosted in Fredericton for the second time. Not only did it bring together some of Canada’s best young minds, but it also had a significant economic impact for our region as it attracted participants and visitors from across the country, effectively promoting our world-class local post-secondary institutions. This was a very exciting event and we are fortunate to have an institution of UNB’s caliber to host it.”

-     Matt DeCourcey, Member of Parliament for Fredericton and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

“We were pleased to welcome the 1000+ students and supporters coming to Fredericton for the Canada-Wide Science Fair with their winning science projects. The City provided a grant of $40,000 to the event. It is good for our tourism sector, and fits well with our Smart City status. It also gave us an opportunity to introduce the visiting students to our world-class universities and demonstrate the economic impact that can come from our entrepreneurial-minded innovation sector.”

-     Mayor Mike O’Brien, City of Fredericton

“Funding from ACOA and the City of Fredericton provided the necessary resources for Science East and UNB to bring the 2019 Canada-Wide Science Fair to Fredericton and inject an estimated $2.5 million into the provincial economy. It is through the shared vision of Science East and UNB that the fair provided local students a learning opportunity to experience interactive STEM Expo exhibits and inspire their genuine curiosity that will drive innovation in Canada for decades.”

-     Dr. C. David Desjardins, Co-chair for CWSF2019 and Chief Executive Officer of Science East

• The Government of Canada invested $155,000 towards the event through ACOA’s Business Development Program. This amount is non-repayable.

• The Business Development Program builds on the objectives of the Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to create well-paying jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it.

• The CWSF was also held in Fredericton in 2015.

Jennifer Houle
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-261-5534

Wayne Knorr
Communications Manager
City of Fredericton
506-460-2181

Paisley Sibbald
Communications Officer
UNB
506-453-5141