Organization: Public Policy Forum

New advanced research agency high on federal innovation minister’s lengthy to do list

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne is facing a very busy year, with a mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that includes more than 30 assigned tasks. They include establishing a new advanced research projects agency, launching a Canadian critical minerals strategy and a national quantum strategy and creating a global centre of excellence for eliminating methane gas emissions.

The Short Report – Oct. 6, 2021: McGill’s new innovation fund, an insect research facility for USask, U15 calls for investment in university security measures, and more

McGill makes history with the launch of its innovation fund, an insect research facility at USask will be one of a handful to conduct research on arthropod plant pests and beneficial insects in Canada, the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities calls for investment in university security systems, and more.

Canada needs a targeted industrial strategy to improve innovation performance, experts say

Canada’s continued poor performance in innovation and business productivity is due to a failure to link publicly funded research and innovation programs to an industrial strategy based on the country’s strengths, say innovation experts. Meanwhile, studies by University of Toronto researchers show the federal innovation agenda has negatively impacted funding for basic, investigator-driven research but hasn’t addressed the underlying problem of industrial innovation in Canada.

The Short Report, April 28, 2020: Alarming drop in donations for health charities; Health Canada approves COVID-19 clinical trial; and more

Health charities are seeing an “alarming” drop in donations, which they warn will compromise the health of Canadians living with chronic disease. HealthPartners, a collaboration of 16 Canadian charities, released the findings in its report, The Impact of COVID-19 on our Most Vulnerable Canadians. In response to declining donations, the report says health charities have…

The Short Report – April 10, 2019: Seafood tech, forest research, clean transport

CIFAR added 17 new members to its AI Chairs program, bringing the number from 29 to 46. A third announcement later this year will bring the total to around 60. CIFAR also announced four new additions to its portfolio of interdisciplinary research programs. – BetaKit The Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia are…

Entrepreneurship is thriving on university campuses: Report

Canadian universities are taking diverse approaches to equip students with entrepreneurial skills and foster a start-up culture on campuses.

That is the conclusion of a new report released this week by Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization that provides research and training programs to support innovation. Titled Entrepreneurs on Campus: University-based support for start-ups, the report provides an overview of the diverse approaches universities are taking to prepare students for a rapidly changing workforce—as entrepreneurs or as employees.