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reports and analyses of the forces driving science and technology investment in Canada
editor: Mark Henderson How it looks to me.... by Mark Henderson FEATURE REPORTS | RESEARCH BRIEFS | PERSONALITIES How it looks to me.... by Mark Henderson, editor, RE$EARCH MONEY From the university community to the biotech, health and information technology sectors, the message is the same: reverse declining federal support for basic research. In the annual run up to the February Budget, government committees are getting an earful on the importance of basic research to the national system of innovation, and thinly veiled criticism of the Liberal administration's flagging funding performance (link to: commercialization of federal research; improving innovation system). Numerous examples of exceptional yet unfunded research projects abound as the granting agencies scramble to deal with unprecedented cuts, while the nuclear physics community's pleas for continued funding seemingly remain unanswered (R$, May 8/96). Where does all of this put Canada's ability to compete when other industrialized nations beefing up financing of strategic basic research capabilities? The answer may lie in the general indifference most politicians display towards S&T. It's not a vote or headline grabber like national unity, interest rates or gun legislation, so attitudes lean towards willful ignorance rather than informed action. There are Liberals who recognize the importance of strengthening Canada's S&T capabilities. Witness backbencher Walt Lastewka's plan to form a Liberal S&T caucus (link to item). As the chorus of voices in support of basic science and S&T continues to grow, perhaps the message will finally get through. The proof will be known when Paul Martin unveils his plans for the next fiscal year.
FEATURE REPORTS...
LOBBYING EFFORTS INTENSIFY TO HALT FEDERAL
BALLARD POWER SYSTEMS LEVERAGES TPC CONTRIBUTION
TWO SMALL FIRMS RECEIVE TPC FUNDING
LIBERAL MP HOPES TO RAISE S&T PROFILE WITHIN GOVERNMENT
INDUSTRY STANDING COMMITTEE RECEIVES VALUABLE INPUT
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP TO RAISE $200 MILLION
COMPANY FORMED TO EXPLOIT OTTAWA HEART
RESEARCH BRIEFS
GlycoDesign receives $12.4M in second round of financing GlycoDesign Inc has received $12.4 million in a second round of venture capital financing, following an initial investment of $4.5 million last year (R$, September 6/95). Current round funding was provided by the Canadian Medical Discoveries Fund ($5 million), MDS Health Ventures Inc, Working Ventures Canadian Fund Inc, Royal Bank Capital Corp and the Business Development Bank of Canada. GlycoDesign was spun off in 1993 from the Protein Engineering Network of Centres of Excellence (PENCE) and based on discoveries made by four scientists at the Univ of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital. The new equity will be used to fund ongoing biopharmaceutical research activities, centring on the firm's core technology involving the development of highly specialized compounds called carbohydrate processing inhibitors. Target diseases for the technology include cancer, hepatitis C, immune deficiency and inflammation. Firm co-founder, Dr Jeremy Carver, serves as GlycoDesign president and CEO. Phase II trials for its prototype drug (cancer and chronic hepatitis C) are planned for 1997....
Ontario and Singapore launch joint research projects Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development, Trade & Tourism (MEDTT) is helping to fund four joint research projects with the National S&T Board of Singapore (NTSB) aimed at strengthening the scientific and technological base of between participating researchers. MEDTT is providing $691,000 for the projects which it hopes will promote technology transfer of pre-competitive R&D of platform technologies with commercial potential. The projects were selected from 48 submissions made to a joint Technical Management Committee and include: dry cleaning and etching of semiconductors; development of the anaerobic SBR for high strength wastewater; associative thickeners for rheology control in paints and paper coatings; and, development of dielectric layers for electroluminescence flat-panel displays....
CIBC and EDC launch $20M export assistance program CIBA and the Export Development Corp have launched a $20-million program to provide loans to knowledge-based firms seeking to enter or expand export markets. The Grow Export program will target companies with annual revenue of less than $25 million in a variety of high technology sectors including biotechnology, information technology and computer software. CIBC will provide working capital loans for up to 90% of the costs of qualifying activities, with EDC guaranteeing 50% of the loan. Each party will initially invest $10 million to test the concept....
Environmental industry gets Internet assistance service An Internet site for the environmental industry has opened in Montreal offering strategic information for firms from 39 private and public sector agencies. Companies can access the Virtual Bureau to locate information and advice on R&D, human resources, domestic and international markets, and investment and financing. The service also offers e-mail access to virtual office staff and can be reached on the www at VirtualOffice.ic.gc.ca. Partners in the initiative include Industry Canada, the Quebec Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology, Environment Canada and many others....
Algéne awards $5.3M grant to Univ of Montreal centre Algéne Biotechnologies Corp has awarded a $5.3-million research grant to the geriatric centre associated with the Univ of Montreal. The Centre Hospitalier Cotes-des-Neiges will use to funds to identify genes and genetic mutations responsible for Alzheimer's disease (genetic cloning and sequencing)....
Fraud conviction handed down under defunct SRTC program A Kelowna BC-based businessman has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of fraud and evading more than $836,000 in federal tax through the short-lived Scientific Research Tax Credit (SRTC) program. In addition to the sentence, Waldemar Bruno Kerntopf was also ordered to repay the tax, which was reclaimed as tax credit for scientific research never carried out. Kerntopf was involved with Alberta-based Drill Tech Research Inc, where he used backdated documents, forged signatures and false invoices to substantiate tax credit claims. The SRTC program was introduced in 1983 and withdrawn in 1984 after investors used $2,200 million in federal funds to reduce their tax bills. Revenue Canada has been busy ever since attempting to recoup some of the losses from illegal claims. By 1994, it had secured 14 prosecutions, levied $16 million in fines and handed down nine jail sentences....
Sofinov injects $5 million into wheelchair firm Sofinov has invested $5 million in Quebec City-based Equiconcept Inc, a designer and manufacturer of high tech motorized wheelchairs. The equity will allow the firm to implement its expansion strategy of entering acquisition and distribution agreements as a means to increase the technological content of its products, expand markets and increase exports sales. Sovinov is a subsidiary of Caisse de dêpot et placement de Québec, focusing on the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical instrumentation, aeronautics, software design and electronics sectors....
UBC industry liaison technology database on-line The Univ of British Columbia's university-industry liaison office was put its technology database on-line. The search version of its technology list includes more than 400 technologies that are available for licensing, collaborative R&D or joint development. The site can be found at: www.uilo.ubc.ca....
PERSONALITIES
Monique Lefebvre has been appointed president of Quebecor Multimédia Inc as part of a restructuring of its technology sector. She will be responsible for local and international strategic development. After six years as president and director general of the Centre de Recherche Informatique de Montréal (CRIM), Lefebvre accepted the position of president, Gestion Micro-Intel (GMI), a Montreal-based developer of multimedia products for education, training and information applications. Quebecor owns a 25% stake in GMI (R$, June 26/96). She is also VP administration of Société Innovatech de Grand Montréal, which has an investment portfolio of $300 million. In other news, Jean Lamontagne has been appointed as Quebecor's VP technologies....
Dr Fergus Craik has been appointed to a new chair in neuropsychology at the Univ of Toronto the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. The chair will promote scholarly links between the university's psychology department and Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute, as well as strengthening research and teaching in neuropsychology. The new position will allow Craik to devote more time to research on aging and memory at Baycrest, while continuing to teach undergraduate courses at the university. He is also a scientist at the Rotman Research Institute. Craik was educated at the Univ of Edinburgh and the Univ of Liverpool and has been a professor at the U of T since 1971. The chair is the third U of T research chair at Baycrest and is funded by both organizations.... Searle Canada has replaced its business unit directors team with a three-person general management team to lead strategic areas of the business. Michael Cloutier is accountable for ongoing development of strategic core competencies; Chris Nelson is accountable for operational excellence and short-term business objectives; David Quail is responsible for corporate strategy development, including planning and business development....
Applied PeR$pectivesBuilding with CCNB-INNOV… Relationships that go a Long Way! CCNB-INNOV, the applied research and development arm of CCNB has adapted its range of services to better meet the unique needs of the regional shipbuilding industry.
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