Author: Mark Henderson

Is Canada’s Innovation Budget ambitious enough?

Published on

Opinion is decidedly split on the federal government’s delivery of its promised innovation Budget. The March 22 budgetary planning document contains a wide range of measures related to skills, company financing, program consolidation and clean technology.

Read More

Budget 2017 Innovation Measures

Published on

Budget 2017 Innovation Measures * ($ millions) Initiative Amount Duration * Strategic Innovation Fund 1,260 five years Superclusters 950 five years Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (BDC) ** 400 three years Impact Canada Fund (clean tech & smart cities challenges) 375 11 years Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy (CIFAR) 125 FY16-17 Canadian Space Agency 81 five years…

Read More

Budgetary constraints slowing implementation of federal innovation and skills strategy

Published on

With Budget 2017, the Liberal government is kicking major components of its much-vaunted Innovation Agenda down the road as ambitious plans run up against an increasingly constrained fiscal environment. Under the Innovation Agenda – retitled the Innovation and Skills Plan – the launch of many new initiatives are deferred for a year or more while unfettered new support for fundamental science is absent – a development anticipated due to the delay in releasing a government-commissioned report delivered three months ago.

Read More

The Innovation Imperative

Published on

It’s only one week until we have an opportunity to assess the federal government’s embrace of innovation with the tabling of the Liberal administration’s second Budget. After a decade of optimistic talk combined with benign neglect, Canadian innovators will once again be presented with policies and programs ostensibly aimed at making Canada – and Canadian business – more innovative.

Read More

Ontario and Israel partner on new $20-million bilateral R&D program

Published on

Ontario and Israel are joining forces to launch a bilateral program to support industry-led collaboration among smaller firms, multinational companies and academic institutions. The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) program and the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) will both contribute $5 million over five years to the Ontario-Israel Research Network Program-MAGNET, with an additional $10 million…

Read More

Sensibill raises $17.3 million for fintech data analysis app

Published on

Toronto-based fintech company, Sensibill Inc, has raised $17.3 million in series ‘A’ financing to further develop its flagship mobile banking app as it expands into new markets including the US, UK and Australia. The funding round was led by Information Venture Partners, Toronto and OpenText Enterprise Apps Fund, launched in 2015 to invest in disruptive,…

Read More

Ontario seeks input into mandate of new CSO

Published on

Ontarians have until March 27 to provide input into the skills and experience they would like to see in the province’s first chief science officer.  The CSO will assist the province in accelerating science and research, develop a long-term vision and strategic agenda, assist the government in decisions involving science-based policy issues and strengthen Ontario’s…

Read More