For Immediate Release
September 9, 2009

Ontario Sets Its Sights On High-Tech Jobs

McGuinty Government Helps Start-Ups Turn New Technology Into New Jobs

NEWS

Ontario is helping high-tech firms across the province bring innovative products and services to market, including new technology that will help people with inoperable low vision see better.

The province is investing $500,000 to help Kanata-based eSight bring its game-changing “evSpex”™ device to the global market. The evSpex consists of a wearable high-resolution display with an integrated camera. The company is currently improving its prototype, and expects to go into production next year.

The support for eSight is part of more than $4.5 million being invested in ten start-up high tech firms across the province. The investments come from the Investment Accelerator Fund, part of Ontario’s Innovation Agenda, a $3.2-billion strategy to make Ontario one of the best places in the world to turn new knowledge and new ideas into new businesses and jobs. 

QUOTES

“We’re proud to support bright young companies like eSight, who dream of being a major technology employer in the Ottawa region. They demonstrate how innovation makes it possible to overcome human challenges while creating good jobs and better lives for people.”
— Yasir Naqvi, MPP Ottawa Centre

“By supporting great ideas, innovative thinking and new technology companies today, we are helping to create the products, services and jobs that will drive our economy in the future.”
 — John Milloy, Minister of Research and Innovation

“The Ontario government has been a strategic partner in eSight’s success, especially in today’s challenging capital markets. With Ontario’s support we are completing product development, growing our organization and anticipating short-term revenues. This is exactly the support that eSight needs in order to attract additional investment and achieve our business and growth objectives.”
— Dan Mathers, CEO, eSight

QUICK FACTS

• According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 160 million visually impaired people in the world.
• Visual impairments increase with age. More than two million Canadians suffer from age-related vision loss, a number that is expected to triple over the next 25 years.
• In the US alone, estimates are that more than 38 million people over the age of 40 suffer visual impairment or an age-related eye disease and more than $800 million is spent each year on vision services and equipment.

LEARN MORE

Learn more about Ontario’s Innovation Agenda and its focus on the life sciences and health technologies.

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See also:

• News Release: Ontario Sets Its Sights On High-Tech Jobs
• Backgrounder: The Investment Accelerator Fund
• For the Media