Niagara College’s trailblazing Research and Innovation (R and I) division has received a 2026 Business Achievement Award from the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce.
R and I took home the Chamber’s Business of the Year Award, presented during a May 20 ceremony at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery. The award recognizes an organization that demonstrates outstanding leadership, innovation, economic impact, community involvement, and contributions to the local business environment.
Terry Dow, Program Manager with the Chamber, noted that the award is intended to recognize organizations that help strengthen the economic vitality and future prosperity of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“The NOTL Chamber of Commerce nominated Niagara College Research and Innovation for this award because of the tremendous impact the division continues to have on businesses throughout Niagara-on-the-Lake and the broader Niagara region,” said Dow. “Through our work with the business community, we have witnessed firsthand how their efforts support innovation, growth, and long-term economic success.”
Through NC’s five Innovation Centres, R and I supports small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across diverse sectors including advanced manufacturing, business and commercialization, food and beverage, healthy aging and wellness, and horticulture and environmental sciences.
Together with industry partners, students, faculty, and staff, the division helps businesses innovate, commercialize ideas, and move projects forward through applied research and hands-on collaboration.
“We are grateful for this recognition from the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce,” said David DiPietro, R and I Manager of Business Development. “Our Research and Innovation division has scaled to collaborate with industry partners across Canada, but local partnerships still remain the priority for our Innovation Centres. Working together with the Chamber ensures that we are continuing to keep local SMEs at the top of the list when thinking about applied research initiatives.”
Dow noted that the division’s unique ability to combine business support with workforce development, an approach that benefits both local employers and the region’s long-term economic sustainability, was a significant factor in the award committee’s decision.
“Research and Innovation was selected from a strong field of five nominees,” she said. “What set them apart was the depth and breadth of their impact through building industry partnerships, attracting millions of dollars in research funding to the region, and providing businesses with access to expertise, facilities, and resources that help them innovate, grow, and compete.”
The NOTL Chamber of Commerce itself is among the industry partners that R and I has supported.
From May 2025 to February 2026, the team at NC’s Business and Commercialization Innovation Centre (BCIC) led an extensive project to help develop a new brand identity for the Chamber, including an updated logo, marketing materials and website. The brand was created by NC Graphic Design alumna Florencia Aliano (2025), who worked with the BCIC team as a research associate until May 2026.
Through its partnership with the Chamber, the BCIC team also worked with NOTL Tourism in 2025 to rebrand four marquee events including Art in the Park, Soiree en Blanc, The Peach Festival, and Candlelight Stroll.
Recently on June 25, NC co-hosted the “Chamber on Tap” networking event at Benchmark Restaurant, welcoming NOTL businesses to the Daniel J. Patterson Campus for conversation and connection.
