Niagara College is deepening its roots in cutting-edge horticultural research with a new research greenhouse poised to benefit both students and the local greenhouse sector for generations.
On Nov. 14, the College officially unveiled its Horticultural and Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC) Greenhouse. The $12-million facility will be a game-changer when it comes to applied horticultural research on campus and beyond. Located at NC's Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the dedicated research greenhouse is outfitted with advanced technology and equipment to help industry partners innovate. Here, HESIC researchers – including students who are hired to work as part of the team –conduct specialized trials that move the needle toward commercialization.
"Our HESIC Greenhouse is a powerful testament to Niagara College's leadership in applied horticultural research," said Niagara College President Sean Kennedy. "With an award-winning Research and Innovation division and a new state-of-the-art facility dedicated to sowing the seeds of innovation, we look forward to growing our impact on Niagara's horticultural sector."
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Cutting-edge facility
NC's HESIC team previously had limited space within the College's academically-focused Teaching Greenhouse – a living lab for NC's School of Environment and Horticulture.
Now, with 1,260-square metres of new dedicated applied research space on campus, HESIC has significantly branched out its capacity and capabilities.
The new HESIC Greenhouse was designed to closely replicate a professional growing environment at a smaller, more controlled scale, enabling college researchers to test novel technologies and production practices, and provide validated data that helps bridge the gap between concept and commercial success for growers.
Five individually contained bays with separate temperature and lighting controls allow for the simultaneous testing of diverse conditions. The bays are equipped with spectrum-adjustable LEDs and high-pressure sodium lighting systems to mimic natural or controlled lighting.
The facility also features advanced hydroponic setups, including Ebb and Flood Tables for efficient nutrient delivery and Nutrient Film Technique Systems for maximizing oxygenation at the root zone, as well as a dedicated Highwire Bay for optimizing the vertical growth of vine crops like tomatoes and cucumbers.
For highly accurate research, it includes a Vertical Grow Room with Hoogendoorn climate controls and a Conviron Gen 2000 growth chamber for small-scale tissue culture work. Researchers can track plant performance with precision, ensuring that every trial delivers validated data, with tools like the Phenospex Trailfinder, which scans to measure plant parameters like growth and health, and DroughtSpotter scales, which allows for highly precise irrigation, paving the way for potential drought stress testing.
Representatives from the industry applauded the new facility.
"This cutting-edge greenhouse will drive innovation across the Canadian horticultural sector while providing hands-on research and learning opportunities that prepare the next generation of industry leaders," said Rodney Bierhuizen, President of Flowers Canada (Ontario) and Niagara Greenhouse Growers Committee member.
Chair of Niagara Greenhouse Growers Committee John Boekestyn called the HESIC Greenhouse, "an important step forward for Niagara's greenhouse sector."
"By combining research excellence with real-world industry collaboration, this new facility will help local growers adopt new technologies, improve efficiency, and strengthen Niagara's leadership in the greenhouse sector in Canada," said Boekestyn. "We're proud to see Niagara College investing in innovation that directly supports growers and the future of agriculture across the region."
"Advancing agricultural research and education is critical to addressing the evolving needs of growers and the industry as a whole. Facilities like this play an important role in fostering innovation and providing the resources needed to evaluate and develop solutions that benefit growers and support the future of agriculture," said Dr. W. Zeb Rehig, Protected Sweet Pepper Development Breeder for North America, Bayer CropScience LP. "We are excited to see how this new space will contribute to the growth and success of the horticultural and environmental sciences sectors."
A significant variety trial is already underway at the HESIC Greenhouse, focusing on more than 50 different pepper varieties, where researchers are comparing performance metrics, including yield and quality, and actively investigating the peppers' resistance and performance when infected with the Fusarium pathogen. With the first phase nearing completion, the second phase, with new plants, is scheduled to begin in December.
Budding opportunities for students
The HESIC Greenhouse will be fertile ground for students, where academic learning blossoms into professional expertise. Those hired to work as part of the HESIC team gain unparalleled work-integrated learning opportunities, with exposure to top-of-the-line equipment and technologies that are rare even among commercial facilities. As research assistants, students work with real businesses on real problems, and contribute to every phase of a project – from development and data collection to execution and analysis.
"At HESIC and across all our Innovation Centres, our students are leading projects, managing real-world budgets, and interacting directly with our industry partners to drive innovation forward," said Dr. Marc Nantel, Vice-President, Research, Innovation and Strategic Enterprises. "Student research assistants gain hands-on experience and technical skills far beyond what's possible in the classroom, which makes them highly sought after for industry employers."
Research Associate Donna Thien, a spring 2025 graduate of NC's Greenhouse Technician (Co-op) program, completed her co-op as a research assistant with HESIC last year and was hired as a HESIC research associate after graduation. Her experience with HESIC broadened her exposure to research, building on her academic focus on the grower's side of horticulture. She now applies her skills at the HESIC Greenhouse to industry research projects: mixing fertilizers and pesticides, diagnosing diseases and deficiencies, identifying pests, and managing high-wire crops.
"I never really considered the possibility of research in the greenhouse industry until HESIC," she said. "It has broadened my expectations of what could come next, both for myself and the industry."
As the new research greenhouse expands the HESIC's capacity to take on more research projects, the team will be able to serve more businesses and hire more students in the future. In addition, it is expected to offer additional opportunities for students from NC's School of Environment and Horticulture to "cross-pollinate" with Research and Innovation through course-based projects in the future.
Laying the groundwork
Construction on the HESIC Greenhouse broke ground in July 2023.
The project was supported by significant investments from all levels of government, including over $1.5 million from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, $892,807 from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, $893,391 from the Ontario Research Fund, and $800,000 from Niagara Region Economic Development.
"Providing researchers with the capacity to support the needs of the growing greenhouse technology sector through this fully equipped research facility is an important step for the greenhouse and agri-food economy," said Dr. Sylvain Charbonneau, on behalf of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation in a congratulatory letter to the College. "Further advancing applied research opportunities is helping stimulate and accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies in the industry, benefitting all Canadians."
Source: Niagara College
