Launch of a Municipal Research Chair for Ecological and Social Transition

MIRABEL, QC, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Ville de Mirabel and Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are proud to announce the creation of a Municipal Research Chair for Ecological and Social Transition.  This partnership embodies the city's commitment to innovation through exemplary eco-responsible transition in agriculture, strategic waste and water management and land development. This Chair will be a catalyst for change, bringing together researchers, citizens and local actors around research and knowledge-transfer activities that meet the community's current and future needs. The Chair's activities will contribute to the creation of distinctive technology showcases for agri-tourism in the region, promoting the innovation and expertise of local players.

Leading the Chair, INRS professors Philippe Constant and Kokou Adjallé have agreed to put their expertise at the service of the Mirabel community. Microbiologist Philippe Constant, the Chief Scientific Advisor for Ville de Mirabel, has been working closely with the city since 2021. Kokou Adjallé is a chemical physicist who has distinguished himself in the fields of environmental biotechnology and green chemistry. Together, they are already piloting research projects in Mirabel involving more than ten companies, four universities, two research centres and three economic development organizations. These projects are helping them develop a clear portrait of the city's specific needs.

This project is part of the $1,487,405 agreement signed in 2024 with the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation (MAMH) as part of the Fonds régions et ruralité (FRR) Volet 3 – Projets "Signature innovation" creating the Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable in Mirabel. Part of this amount ($300,000 over five years) will be used to fund the Research Chair, ensuring its lasting impact on the city and citizens for years to come.

Quotes:

"Our government is confirming its commitment to the regions of Quebec by providing financial support to Mirabel. The creation of an eco-responsible innovation hub will help make the region's economic development greener and more sustainable. Thanks to initiatives like the Municipal Research Chair, we are building a more responsible future that meets the real needs of Canadians. I am proud of that! "
Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs

"Through our partnership with INRS, this Municipal Research Chair is an opportunity to use research to understand our environment better in order to interact with it sustainably. With these actions, we want to inspire our community and explore technological and innovative opportunities to preserve the soil, the ecosystem and future generations. "
Patrick Charbonneau, Mayor of Mirabel

"This new Municipal Research Chair exemplifies INRS's mission to put science to work for society and, in this case, communities. Through our partnership with Ville de Mirabel, we are joining forces to take concrete action in response to the environmental and economic challenges of today and tomorrow. By mobilizing the expertise of our researchers and fostering innovation in the field, we are helping to build a more sustainable future rooted in local realities. "
Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Chief Executive Officer, INRS

"This Municipal Research Chair demonstrates our ongoing commitment to support Mirabel's efforts to innovate. The resilience of agricultural businesses and farmlands in the face of economic, social and environmental challenges is the heart of our research activities. "
Philippe Constant, INRS professor and Chief Scientific Advisor for Ville de Mirabel

"This Municipal Research Chair offers a concrete opportunity for INRS to use its expertise to serve a mid-sized city without a university in its territory. Through this Chair, Ville de Mirabel can strengthen its existing partnership with INRS, as part of its innovation and sustainable development plans and efforts, to become a model city for agriculture and food self-sufficiency in Quebec. "
Kokou Adjallé, INRS professor and scientific head of the Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory

Highlights:

Research themes

• Mobilization of the ecosystem (creating a community of practice)
• Strategic waste and wastewater management (precision composting, upcycling, political ecology)
• Regenerative agriculture (soil health, water quality, adaptation and resilience)
• Land development (ecosystem services, terroir signature and agri-tourism, culture and belonging)

Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable de Mirabel (CIEM)

• The CIEM is a project led by Ville de Mirabel, made possible thanks to funding from MAMH's FRR Volet 3 – Projets "Signature innovation."
• Its mission is to draw on the dynamic forces in the region, where agriculture and agri-food are shaping the landscape. The CIEM's distinctive signature is its terroir road stop, combining the sale of local products with a technology showcase.

About INRS

• INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to research and graduate training. INRS ranks first in Quebec in research intensity. Its community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff.
• Since its creation in 1969, as per its mission, it has contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of Quebec.
• It is made up of five interdisciplinary research and training centres and concentrates their activities in strategic sectors: Eau Terre Environnement (Quebec City), Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications (Varennes), Urbanisation Culture Société (Montreal), Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (Laval) and Sustainable Ruralities (Charlevoix, a center currently under development). The INRS community comprises nearly 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members, and staff.

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