Author: Mark Henderson

Canada on global physics research map

The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) has achieved “great success against its mandate and mission” and positioned Canada as a world leader in the field, according to a new evaluation by KPMG.

Fintech’s Wild West ways may be coming to an end in Canada. On August 26, the Department of Finance launched the country’s first-ever consultations of the financial sector, including the relatively new but rapidly growing fintech sector.

Higher education funding of R&D in Canada remains in the doldrums as a small 0.6% increase in FY14-15 failed to offset the cost of inflation. Total spending was 12,873.2 billion, up just $71.2 million from the year before.

The Ontario government is making key changes to two of its ministries to better support tech-based firms through their business cycle from research to the global marketplace. The changes impact the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science (MRIS) and the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth (MEDG) with the creation of two new branches led by veteran bureaucrats.

Align with new Innovation Agenda

Veteran S&T bureaucrat Iain Stewart has been named the National Research Council’s 14th president — an appointment that has elicited polarized reaction from members of Canada’s research and research policy communities.

Genome Canada has announced the results of its fifth Genomic Applications Partnership Program competition (GAPP) with five projects receiving $5.3 million with an additional $11.6 million from the private and public sector partners.

Government-industry collaboration

The aerospace industry experienced decreases in gross domestic product (GDP), R&D and employment in 2015 but those outputs remained positive between 2010 and 2015, according to new sectoral data generated by the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED).

Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) will resume seed funding for firms commercializing bio-based technologies after a four-year lull. The Sarnia ON-based former Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research (CECR) received $12 million from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) through its Investing in Regional Diversification initiative and $3 million from Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation and Science.

The embattled Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has agreed to modify its controversial new on-line peer review system. The move followed a terse directive from Health minister Jane Philpott to hold a July 13 emergency working meeting to address a tidal wave of dissent from thousands of health researchers across the country (R$, July 8/16).