SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC
Prairie polytechnics unite to fast track mining innovation

An applied research network launched in January 2025 continues to bring together six leading prairie polytechnics to accelerate innovation in Western Canada's mining sector, tackling real-world industry challenges through rapid, collaborative research sprints.

The Prairie Polytechnic Innovation Network Accelerating Commercialization for Local Ecosystems, known as P2INACLE, brings together Saskatchewan Polytechnic, NAIT, Northwestern Polytechnic, Red Deer Polytechnic, RRC Polytech and SAIT to advance applied research and strengthen Canada's global competitiveness.

The latest P2INACLE applied research initiative, Innovation Sprints, resulted in four new projects focused on mining innovation. These will deliver actionable insights on industry challenges identified by IMII, provide foundational research to guide future initiatives and strengthen collaboration across participating polytechnics by mapping shared expertise and facilities. Each project runs from January to March 31, 2026, with up to $25,000 in funding available with support from IMII, PrairiesCan and the lead polytechnic.

"The P2INACLE Network showcases the incredible potential of prairie polytechnics to support Canada's innovation economy," says Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask Polytech president and CEO. "By combining our research strengths, we're helping industry anticipate future challenges and seize new opportunities. Sask Polytech is committed to advancing applied research that supports sustainable, resilient growth in across Saskatchewan's mining sector and beyond."

"IMII is pleased to partner with P2inacle for the Innovation Sprint projects, which provide an opportunity to get a high-level overview of recent innovations across a wide breath of sectors in areas that are strategically relevant to the Saskatchewan mining sector" says Lesley McGilp, executive director of IMII.  "IMII is excited to see the outcomes of the Innovation Sprint projects which will help inform follow-on projects supported by our consortium members."

Northwestern Polytechnic: Industrial safety and trades innovation sprint

Lorelle Warr and Dr. Brye McMorran, researchers from Northwestern Polytechnic are analyzing injury trends across mining and related industries such as utilities and oil and gas. They will explore innovations used outside the mining sector and/or Saskatchewan to determine their potential application within the province's mining sector, with the goal of reducing time-lost injury claims.

Red Deer & RRC Polytechnic: Advanced manufacturing and advanced materials applications sprint 

Researchers Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Debyoti Sen and Dr. Kyle Nicholson from Red Deer Polytechnic, in collaboration with Dr. Baltej Rupal from RRC Polytech, will explore how advanced manufacturing technologies, including cold spray, additive manufacturing and advanced welding, could enhance efficiency and performance in mining operations. This project will inform potential mining applications for advanced manufacturing opportunities by exploring market factors influencing adoption, their use in other sectors, knowledge gaps requiring applied research, cross-sector opportunities, and underutilized capabilities in the prairie provinces. 

NAIT: Impactful innovations scan sprint

Led by NAIT researcher Dr. Lei Yang this initiative will conduct a comprehensive technology scan and literature review of emerging innovations relevant to underground and solution mining. Yang will identify proven, high-impact technologies, assess their maturity and cross-sector origins, and evaluate their applicability to Saskatchewan's underground and solution potash and uranium operations. Drawing on recent advances across sectors including oil and gas, energy, nuclear, construction, agriculture, and environmental monitoring, the study will prioritize technologies that have been demonstrated in real-world underground or harsh operating environments.

NAIT: Water use and reuse technology sprint

Lead by NAIT researcher Muhammad Burhan, this applied research project evaluates water treatment technologies for recovering potassium chloride (KCl) from potash brines and improving water reuse in both potash and uranium mining operations. Through a technology scan and literature review, it will assess thermal, membrane, and hybrid systems focusing on energy use, scalability and brine-separation efficiency. The study will explore opportunities to use low-grade waste heat from potash drying processes to power low-temperature desalination. Applicability to uranium effluents, including chloride and contaminant removal through thermal distillation and membrane filtration, will also be examined to recommend viable, low-footprint solutions for each sector.

"We're thrilled to see such dynamic applied-research collaboration and innovation happening across these polytechnics," says Sabrina Kehoe, navigator and manager of P2INACLE. "The results of these Innovation Sprints will bring great value to IMII and its members. We're grateful to PrairiesCan for supporting and investing in these forward-thinking projects and network!"

Innovation Sprints mark the second wave of P2INACLE's collaborative research efforts laying the groundwork for future projects under IMII's IDEATE 2026 initiative and helping position the prairie provinces as leaders in mining innovation. IDEATE is an opportunity for research faculty and students to engage together to learn about and discuss problem areas identified by the minerals industry which they believe are amenable to applied research with the potential to lead to the development of innovative solutions.

P2INACLE aims to drive economic growth and diversification through collaboration. It acts as a catalyst for regional prosperity by providing streamlined access to resources for industries, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and larger businesses. By leveraging the expertise and facilities of each polytechnic, P2INACLE offers tailored solutions for commercialization and diversification, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange. Learn more at p2inacle.ca.