In February 2023, the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) announced a transformational investment of $9.17 million by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
Propelled by this generous funding, WISA rallied a community of champions to advance social, environmental and economic sustainability in the air transport sector. Academic, industry and government leaders worked together on four key initiatives:
- Research-for-Impact projects led by researchers across the University of Waterloo
- Sustainable Future – Horizon Fund Competition for small- to medium-sized enterprises
- Innovation Hub at the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre to provide a model of green infrastructure and advances in aviation training
- eLearning courses on aviation sustainability to upskill current and future professionals
This funding also supported the 2023 Sustainable Aeronautics Summit.
The initiatives concluded on March 31, 2024, with WISA and its partners exceeding their targets.
Total value of project costs directed
Total value of project costs directed
Total value of project costs directed
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Innovation Hub at the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre
Professor Emeritus Paul Parker poses with the Pipistrel Velis Electro
Colonel Chris Hadfield delivers the keynote address at the 2024 Sustainable Aeronautics Summit
services or processes commercialized as of March 31, 2024
resulting from commercialization as of March 31, 2024
including research, technologies, products and services
Derek Robinson demonstrates the capabilities and features of the LiDAR Drone as part of his Research-for-Impact project.
Assessing the interior of the Boeing 737 Flight Simulator at the WWFC Sim Centre & Innovation Hub.
WISA Sustainable Aeronautics Summit fostered rich conversations between current and future leaders in the air transport sector.
Research for Impact
WISA's Research-for-Impact funds catalyzed the University's innovation ecosystem to advance research solutions for the aviation and aerospace sectors.
Eighty-four proposals were submitted by research teams representing all six faculties at Waterloo. A scientific committee of academic and industry leaders identified the projects with the greatest potential for innovation and impact.
beyond the project timeframe through $4.4M in new investments to date
representing all six faculties
including $3.5M to support research and development in clean technology
Sim Centre & Innovation Hub
Working in partnership with WISA, the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre at the Region of Waterloo International Airport created a Sim Centre & Innovation Hub where the Flight Centre can expand its training capacity. Equipped with the state-of-the-art labs and electric aircraft, the Sim Centre & Innovation Hub will be a testing ground for new technologies and training methods to support the next generation of aviation talent. The Hub will also serve as a model of green infrastructure with high-efficiency windows, heating and cooling, and a solar array to power the facility and e-planes.
Airbus A320, Boeing 737, and De Havilland Q-400
resulting from the funded four initiatives
type-certified electric aircraft including the first to fly in Canada