The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre has hired a team to roll out the city’s Smart Energy Strategy.
Leslie Smith has been brought on as the smart energy business strategist, focusing on developing the Smart Energy Strategy brand, investigating opportunities and supporting energy projects that are strategic to the Algoma region.
Qing Wen will serve as the smart energy technician, responsible for providing direct technical assistance to energy projects as well as policy and regulatory guidance.
Christina Coutu is the smart energy strategy special events project manager. She will be responsible for planning, coordinating and managing the Smart Energy Conference to be held in Sault Ste. Marie.
Michael Degilio has been hired as the smart energy researcher, and will be responsible for working with businesses in the region to identify opportunities and challenges with the intent of developing more business, advancing collaboration, and developing new technologies, with special focus on the Smart Energy Strategy and Sector Improvement Strategy.
"Sault Ste. Marie possesses unique advantages that appeal to innovative energy companies,” said Tom Vair, the innovation centre’s executive director, in a news release. “The community has a great track record for supporting these companies and we have assembled an excellent team to help drive further growth and create new jobs.”
The Smart Energy Strategy is a project built with local, regional and international collaborators, and will position Sault Ste. Marie and region to take advantage of opportunities in the emerging smart energy sector. Project partners include numerous local private sector energy companies, the innovation centre, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation (SSMEDC) and Sault College.
