Corner Brook approves funding for regional research and innovation centre

The City of Corner Brook has agreed to provide $50,000 in the next five years to help fund the proposed Centre for Research and Innovation. The centre will be located in the former Corner Brook Pulp and Paper human resources building.
The approved request from Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, also asked the city to waive all taxes on the property, except for any commercial businesses that may eventually operate from there.
For the past several years, Grenfell campus, the paper company, and the College of the North Atlantic have been working to develop a regional innovation centre for western Newfoundland. Their vision includes applied research in the forestry sector, entrepreneurship support and commercialization, and training for mill employees.
The centrepiece of the project is renovation of the former human resources building on the corner of Mill Road and the Lewin Parkway.
The city aims to use the building as a location for City Studio, an experiential learning program it supports that is run by the Grenfell campus.
Corner Brook is currently funding a City Studio class at city hall for $5,000. This money can be reallocated as part of the city’s commitment to help fund the research and innovation centre project.
Preliminary cost estimates suggest the building renovation phase, including equipment and information technology needs, may approach $3.5 million. That amount is based on square-foot construction estimates and typical design and construction contingencies.
The prospective timeline for renovations involves the approval and tender processes occurring this calendar year, with construction activities anticipated to take place throughout 2020.