Article Type: Generic

By Debbie Lawes

Less than three months after receiving its third Emmy from the US National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, RE$EARCH MONEY has learned that the Communications Research Centre lab behind this technological achievement is among several to be shuttered as part of the government’s austerity Budget.

The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program has come a long way to become the key federal instrument for networked research and commercialization it is today. From its roots as a constellation of research networking centres to a multi-faceted initiative overseeing four distinct programs, its breadth has blossomed to include 44 networks and centres, an internship program and manager of the soon-to-be-announced Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence.

The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCEs), mid-career researchers, equipment grants and support for post doctoral fellows are shaping up as the main casualties as the granting councils cut back on spending while attempting to preserve funding for basic research.

Industrial R&D expenditures are increasing for the first time since the 2008 economic crisis with planned outlays of $15.6 billion in 2011. The 2011 tally is up 5% from the 2010 total but still 6.6% short of the all-time high of $16.

Budget 2012

Billed as a major change in direction for Canada’s research enterprise, Budget 2012 has responded with a host of initiatives and policy directives designed to boost the impact of previous and ongoing research investments by increasing collaboration between business and the academic sector.

Paul Dufour, Principal, PaulicyWorks “On a day when Canada’s flagship technology company RIM was announcing yet more disappointing financial results, the federal Minister of Finance in his annual budget once again tried to address the gaping hole in Canada’s innovation ecosystem-anemic private sector R&D performance.

$210-million project

IBM Research is investing $175 million in a consortium of seven Ontario universities for high performance, cloud and agile computing to stimulate the development of new industries in key areas of the provincial economy.

This year’s federal budget has elicited a wide range of both praise and criticism. Below are highlights taken from statements issued by Canada’s research and education communities:

Russell Williams, President, Canada’s Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D)

“We are concerned that proposed changes to the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit could be detrimental to life science research and development in Canada.

Budget 2012: SR&ED

The largest weapon in the government’s arsenal for incenting business R&D is going to get smaller with several changes being proposed that could free up as much as $600 million in direct support for companies.

Canada’s Premier Innovation Event

“Budget 2012: Canada’s new innovation strategy for an age of austerity?”

May 16-17, 2012
Minto Suites, Ottawa

Speakers and Panelists include:

Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology (dinner speaker)
Adam Chowaniec, Chair, BelAir Networks
Kevin Lynch, Vice-Chair, BMO Financial Group
Peter Nicholson, author, CCA Report on Business Innovation
Nobina Robinson, CEO, Polytechnics Canada
Senia Rapisarda, VP Strategic Investments, BDC
David Watters, president, Global Advantage Consulting Group Inc
Karna Gupta, president & CEO, ITAC
Jim Roche, president & CEO, CANARIE
Céline Bak, Partner, Analytica Advisors
Clarissa Desjardins, CEO, Centre of Excellence in Personalized Medicine

To register: http://www.