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-Emily, [email protected]

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The University of Victoria has joined forces with Scale Institute and Spring to launch Blended Finance Canada, a national platform aimed at closing the financing gap that prevents many community projects from getting off the ground. The initiative was announced August 25 at the Victoria Forum.

The problem it targets is straightforward: community projects focused on clean energy and social or environmental priorities are often passed over by conventional lenders because they are too early, too small, or perceived as too risky. Blended finance — which strategically combines public, philanthropic, and private capital to reduce risk and draw in additional investment — is well established internationally but has seen limited development in Canada.

The platform will bring researchers, investors, governments, and communities together to design and test financing solutions, share knowledge, and build capacity across the sector. A particular focus will be placed on Indigenous, rural, remote, and historically underserved communities, where financing gaps tend to be most acute.

Blended Finance Canada is anchored at UVic through the Impact Investing Hub, a division of the Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) initiative, with initial funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. Researchers from the Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience and Royal Roads University will contribute additional expertise. The initiative plans to announce its first activities and partnership opportunities in fall 2026.

🐟 Money, money, money: The federal and B.C. governments announced a joint $106.5 million British Columbia Fisheries Fund over five years, with a new innovation pillar supporting technologies and equipment to improve productivity and market access for the province's fish and seafood sector.

🌊 We are the world: UVic welcomed two internationally recognized researchers through a $16 million federal investment — Elliott Hazen, who will focus on climate-ready ocean stewardship using real-time data, and David Almeida, who will establish a digital health hub using wearables to study stress, mood, and cognition in everyday settings.

🏆 We are the champions: Victoria's Circl Brain Health Metrics was named among the Top 10 finalists in the 2026 New Ventures BC Competition, which will award more than $250,000 in prizes at a ceremony on September 21.

🌿 New from Mateína: A zero sugar, organic yerba mate that delivers clean energy — no crash, no weird ingredients. Just plant-powered fuel that works.*

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September 21-25 | Victoria Tech Week 2026

Unlike traditional single-venue conferences, Victoria Tech Week empowers local businesses to open their doors and welcome attendees inside, offering an authentic behind-the-scenes look at Victoria's thriving tech ecosystem. From startup workshops in James Bay to AI panels in downtown office towers and networking sessions in Saanich tech hubs, participants will experience the full breadth of Vancouver Island’s innovation landscape.

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