Innovation Saskatchewan Commits $250,000 in Renewed Support for Sask Polytech's DICE

CANADA, May 15 - Released on May 15, 2026

Innovation Saskatchewan (IS) is investing $250,000 over five years through the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) to renew support for Saskatchewan Polytechnic's Digital Integration Centre of Excellence (DICE), helping Saskatchewan businesses bring new technologies to market faster, create skilled jobs and strengthen Canada's innovation competitiveness.  

DICE is Saskatchewan's first and only federally designated Technology Access Centre (TAC). TACs help businesses test, develop and adopt new technologies by providing specialized expertise, advanced equipment and a real-world testing environment, reducing risk and accelerating commercialization.  

As Saskatchewan's only TAC, DICE plays a key role in supporting companies across sectors such as agriculture, mining, data analytics and defence, while also providing students and researchers with hands-on experience in advanced digital and applied research environments. Through work in digital innovation, artificial intelligence and data-driven solutions, DICE helps businesses solve complex challenges, improve productivity and compete nationally and internationally.  

"As businesses adapt to rapidly changing technologies and markets, access to applied research is more important than ever," Minister responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. "Renewing support for DICE helps Saskatchewan companies innovate faster, grow stronger and compete on a national stage, while building the expertise and talent that will drive our future economy."

Since receiving TAC designation in 2020, DICE has delivered strong results. It has generated $18.5 million in revenue, more than double its original five-year projection, and collaborated with 92 partners on more than 176 applied research projects.  

Recent collaborations demonstrate the practical, real-world impact of DICE's work. Examples include the following:  

• Refining artificial intelligence for automated grain grading with Ground Truth Ag  
• Advancing robotic mining automation with Cameco  
• Developing data extraction tools for BetterCart Analytics  
• Improving underground positioning systems with Nutrien and BHP  

Together, these projects have delivered measurable improvements in efficiency, safety and productivity, directly benefiting Saskatchewan industries.  

"I am incredibly proud of the DICE team and the impact we have made since becoming a Technology Access Centre," DICE Director Dr. Terry Peckham said. "From artificial intelligence to data-driven solutions, we are helping industry partners reduce risk and turn digital innovation into real-world results. With renewed support from Innovation Saskatchewan, we are excited to deepen our work with businesses and continue translating research into practical solutions that benefit Saskatchewan and Canada."  

In addition to supporting industry innovation, DICE serves as a training environment where students, researchers and industry professionals build advanced digital skills through applied, industry-aligned research projects, helping attract, train and retain talent in Saskatchewan.  

"We are grateful to Innovation Saskatchewan for its continued investment in DICE and applied research," Sask Polytech President and CEO Dr. Larry Rosia said. "DICE has emerged as a national leader in digital innovation, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Industry partners from across Canada are working with our researchers on groundbreaking projects, and this renewed support ensures we can continue helping businesses innovate, grow and stay competitive, while providing students with hands-on experience in advanced digital environments."  

This provincial investment is complemented by $1.75 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through the Technology Access Centre program, reflecting strong federal/provincial collaboration.  

Innovation Saskatchewan recently expanded ISF by nearly doubling annual funding to $5.2 million and launching four streams focused on research infrastructure, research projects, ecosystem development and international collaboration. Since 2018, ISF has invested $27 million, leveraging $169 million in external funding to support academic research in Saskatchewan.

-30-