May 12, 2026 – Winnipeg, MB
Research Manitoba, along with the Manitoba government, is pleased to announce the official investment of more than $1.3 million to advance made-in-Manitoba artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that address real-world challenges in healthcare, Indigenous innovation, social services, natural resources, and cultural preservation.
Through the Manitoba Solutions Grant, seven projects led by researchers at the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg and Canadian Mennonite University will develop and apply AI tools to improve outcomes for Manitobans while strengthening capacity across sectors.
The Manitoba Solutions Grant supports collaborative research that directly responds to provincial priorities, with a focus on partnerships between researchers and knowledge users to ensure solutions are relevant, scalable, and impactful.
A defining feature of these projects is their strong collaboration with knowledge user organizations, including health system partners, community organizations, industry, and cultural institutions. These partnerships ensure that research is grounded in real-world needs, informed by frontline expertise and positioned for practical implementation and impact across Manitoba.
This investment demonstrates how our government is leveraging innovation to improve the lives of Manitobans. By bringing together researchers and community partners, these projects will accelerate the adoption of AI solutions that deliver meaningful results across our province, with far-reaching possibilities.
Funded projects include:
- AI4Omics-MB, which will apply generative AI to genomic data in partnership with CancerCare Manitoba to improve early cancer detection and treatment selection
- An Indigenous-led initiative, developed with Ebb & Flow First Nation, to create AI-enabled preventative solutions for vision health grounded in data sovereignty and ethical governance
- ORION, which will work with health system partners to optimize operating room scheduling and reduce surgical backlogs
- A digital health project advancing predictive models and patient-specific digital twins using decades of Manitoba clinical data
- A multi-agent AI system, developed with Siloam Mission, to help frontline workers identify and respond to homelessness service disengagement
- An AI-driven lithium sensor project, in partnership with Lithogen Inc., to support innovation in Manitoba’s critical minerals sector
- An ethical, Manitoba-built AI chatbot, developed with the Manitoba Historical Society, to improve public access to reliable historical information
| Project Title | Applicant | Institution | Knowledge User Organization |
| AI4Omics-MB: A Manitoba Pilot of GenAI for Clinical Genomics | Athanasios Zovoilis | University of Manitoba | CancerCare Manitoba |
| Indigenous AI for Vision Resilience: Platform for Preventative Eye Health and Ethical Biotech | Cyrus Shafai | University of Manitoba | Ebb & Flow First Nation |
| ORION – Operating Room Intelligence & Optimization Network | Jay Toor | University of Manitoba | Concordia Foundation |
| Transforming Manitoba’s Healthcare through AI-Powered Predictive Tools and Digital Twins Built on Three Decades of Medical Data | Mina Nouredanesh | University of Manitoba | University of Manitoba Departement of Internal Medicine (Max Rady College of Medicine) |
| From Absence to Action: A Multi-Agents AI Framework for Homelessness Service Disengagement | Qian Liu | University of Winnipeg | Siloam Mission |
| AI-Driven Design of Lithium Sensors for Manitoba’s Critical Minerals Sector | Rebecca Davis | University of Manitoba | Lithogen Inc. |
| Ethical AI for Manitoba: The MHS Agentic Chatbot Project | Tim Rogalsky | Canadian Mennonite University | Manitoba Historical Society |
Together, these projects demonstrate how strategic investments in artificial intelligence, combined with strong cross-sector collaboration, can drive meaningful improvements in healthcare, community well-being, economic development, and cultural understanding across Manitoba.
These projects reflect the strength of Manitoba’s research community and its ability to develop practical, made-in-Manitoba solutions using advanced technologies. Equally important is the deep collaboration with knowledge user organizations across sectors. These partnerships ensure that research is responsive to real challenges and that solutions can be implemented where they are needed most.
The Manitoba Solutions Grant is part of Research Manitoba’s commitment to supporting research that delivers tangible benefits to Manitobans with a global impact, while fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors.
The next call for applications for the Manitoba Solutions Grant is in September 2026, with a new focus area to be announced in summer 2026.
Contact:
Communications, Research Manitoba
info@researchmb.ca | researchmanitoba.ca
Research Manitoba
Research Manitoba promotes, supports, and coordinates the funding of research excellence and innovation in health, natural and social sciences, engineering, and the humanities in Manitoba. Research Manitoba supports local talent development by providing research support to early career researchers and graduate students, along with fostering strategic partnerships to strengthen research and innovation in Manitoba.