News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government is investing $2.28 million in the expansion and renovation of the University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) Institute of Biomedical Engineering research facility.

“The University of New Brunswick is a cornerstone of research in the province,” said deputy premier Stephen Horsman. “Our government’s investment in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering is for the construction and support of a facility focused on adaptive solutions using mixed rehabilitation engineering strategies.”

Funding will go toward the construction of a specialized rehabilitation research space and the purchase of equipment.

“The Institute of Biomedical Engineering at UNB has been building and expanding its research capacity through close collaborations with partners throughout the world,” said Eddy Campbell, the university’s president and vice-chancellor. “Through these partnerships, and with support from the Province of New Brunswick, our researchers will be able to address some of the most important challenges facing neurorehabilitation in Canada and beyond.”

Chris McGibbon, a UNB kinesiology professor and researcher at the institute, said the funding will help improve the quality of life for people with chronic neurological conditions.

Founded in 1785, UNB is Canada's oldest English-language university. Its impact on the provincial economy is estimated at $1.2 billion annually, which represents about 4.5 per cent of the province’s GDP.

New Brunswick’s multi-year innovation agenda fosters innovation and boosts research and development in the province. The government will invest over $53.5 million in 2018-19 to support innovation by encouraging innovators, boosting research and development, supporting the development of entrepreneurs, fostering innovation spaces, leading the cybersecurity agenda and being innovative in the way the government conducts business.