Author: Mark Henderson

An emerging national organization of clean tech companies and investors has re-issued a call for the federal government to increase investments in the sector and restructure and expand Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

Quebec has delivered a balanced Budget that introduces a series of largely downstream innovation initiatives. But with little for fundamental research, the province’s science community is crediting the federal Budget for providing a much-needed funding boost.

New innovation agenda in development

The Liberal government has partially opened the taps on science, technology and innovation (STI) after nearly a decade of stagnant support. The 2016 Budget delivered March 22 by Finance minister Bill Morneau commits new money for university research infrastructure, the granting councils and Genome Canada, contributing to a higher-than-expected budget deficit of $29.

President says major challenges overcome

The National Research Council is expanding its executive suite to implement its new outcomes-oriented strategy for assisting companies in priority areas of the economy.

Canada’s biggest research hospitals are calling on the federal government to embrace a more activist approach supporting health research by making their institutions eligible for infrastructure spending and boosting support to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) has finally tapped into a $500-million envelope for building large-scale biofuels demonstration plants but the bulk of the available funding will go unspent as the fund winds down in 2017 after 10 years.

First major speech on subject

Navdeep Bains provided preliminary details on how the Liberal government plans to deliver on its to develop a new national innovation agenda. Speaking before the Toronto Region Board of Trade, the minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) touched on virtually every aspect of the innovation agenda, emphasizing collaboration and reiterating election campaign pledges including investments in clean tech and the creation of a national network of clusters comprised of incubators and accelerators.

McGill Univ has created the new position of associate VP innovation and partnerships (AVP-IP) as the latest in a growing suite of initiatives designed to engage a broader range of local, national and international innovation partners.

The Liberal government is providing $5.9 million to celebrate Canadian innovation as the country marks its 150th anniversary in 2017. Dubbed Innovation 150, the programming will be delivered by five science outreach organizations led by the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.

Support for collaboration gets boost

The Ontario government’s February 25th Budget introduces a suite of targeted science, technology and innovation (STI) spending as the province seeks a sustainable path out of deficit spending by 2017-18.