Canada’s regionally diverse mining innovation groups are stepping up efforts to collaborate on and better coordinate industry-led innovation. But the push to “de-fragment” the country’s mining innovation ecosystem needs dedicated federal funding, the groups say.
Organization: Innovation
Alberta agri-food sector gets a boost with launch of new research and innovation network
A new $108.5-million technology and agri-food research and innovation network, supported by the federal government and industry, is expected to begin operations by the end of this month. Alberta Innovates’ Inventures conference also highlighted a new $40 funding challenge from Emissions Reduction Alberta to accelerate technology innovation in agriculture, agri-food and forestry.
Canada’s chief science officer highlights office’s responses to pandemic
Dr. Mona Nemer appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health May 19 to highlight what her office has been doing since the novel coronavirus arrived in Canada.
Canada’s next industrial strategy needs to focus on business innovation
By Bert van den Berg The New North Star II report should be lauded for suggesting the creation of a national, challenge-driven industrial strategy. As others have noted, such a strategy would represent an important change for Canada. Past decades have seen a laissez-faire approach focused on ensuring favourable business conditions … an approach that…
Innovation Canada shifts “entire portfolio” to COVID-19 response
Innovation Canada has shifted its “entire portfolio,” to responding to the COVID-19 crisis, from the Strategic Innovation Fund to Canada’s innovation superclusters, says federal assistant deputy minister Andrea Johnston.
Innovation superclusters proving their worth during COVID-19 crisis, CEOs say
Canada’s innovation superclusters are proving their value during the COVID-19 crisis and are well positioned to help lead the post-COVID economic recovery, the five superclusters’ CEOs told a Research Money webinar.
Canada’s innovation sector secures new federal emergency support for startups
The federal government is providing $1.2 billion in emergency funding to help startups and rural businesses survive the COVID-19 crisis. Participants in Canada’s innovation sector say government could also help by providing tax incentives, matching funding and loans for angel investment.
The Short Report, April 15, 2020: Regulators move fast to approve AI-powered x-rays for COVID-19; American lawmakers look askance at Huawei PPE donations; and more
The Fonds de recherche du Québec – santé (FRQS), the Quebec government’s health sciences research arm, will provide $2 million to help create the Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale (CRBS) at McGill University. The centre aims to advance understanding of the fundamental biological mechanisms of disease, which could help address medical challenges like targeting treatments to specific…
“Tens of thousands” of Canadian SMEs could go under without faster government help, innovation and business groups warn
Some of Canada’s 12,000 Canadian-owned small tech and innovative companies have already folded while others are being bought at fire-sale prices by large U.S. companies. Unless the government takes stronger measures, things will get worse, business leaders say.
The Short Report, March 18, 2020: Canadian researchers take first steps to a COVID-19 vaccine, University of Alberta announces drastic cuts, and more
This week, innovation hubs closed their doors and moved programming online, researchers made a critical discovery for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and the University of Alberta eliminated 400 positions in response to steep funding cuts from the provincial government.