Article Type: Generic

May 11-12, 2011The 10th annual RE$EARCH MONEY Conference

Presented in collaboration with the National Research Council

“Priming the Pump:The Role of Government R&D Support in Business Innovation”
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa
Join RE$EARCH MONEY to explore the role of government research support in stimulating business innovation.

Federal election platforms

The Liberal Party of Canada has produced the most comprehensive and targeted new S&T commitments of all the major federal parties in their platform documents for the May 2nd election.

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has completed a review of the venture capital (VC) industry and is restructuring its VC division as part of a new strategy to revive the flagging investment sector and position it for long-term stability.

May 11-12, 2011The 10th annual RE$EARCH MONEY Conference

Presented in collaboration with the National Research Council

“Priming the Pump:The Role of Government R&D Support in Business Innovation”
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa
Join RE$EARCH MONEY to explore the role of government research support in stimulating business innovation.

Canadian-led initiative

A new Canadian-based organization dedicated to improving the outcomes of publicly funded research by drawing on models from around the world, held its inaugural meeting in Ottawa in late March attracted nearly 50 founding members from 18 countries — a number that’s expected to double within a year.

Increase external revenues

The National Optics Institute (NOI) has successfully renewed its funding agreements with the federal and Quebec governments as it begins to execute a new strategic plan that aims to transform the Quebec City-based applied research facility into a truly national organization.

By Debbie Lawes

The five-year-old Council of Canadian Academies wants to spread its expertise — and its funding sources — beyond Industry Canada and other federal departments to solidify the organization’s independence from government and its long-term sustainability beyond March 2015, when current federal funding runs out.

Experts look out to 2040

If Canada wants to become a leading innovative nation by 2040, what policies and programs should be instituted in the next six years to improve the odds of achieving its objective? Will the nation overcome its reliance on natural resources and build a more diverse economy driven by strong technology demand, a mobile, skilled workforce and healthy exports?

That was the scenario facing more than 60 policy makers and business and academic leaders who participated in a two-day foresight symposium in Ottawa last month.

Several of Canada’s space firms have come out swinging to press for sweeping changes to federal programs that support their industry sector. In submissions to the Expert Panel Review of Federal Support for R&D, the companies contend that programs such as the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) Space Technology Development Program (STDP), the Strategic Aerospace Defence Initiative (SADI) and the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) all have funding, operational and/or policy drawbacks that limit their effectiveness.

Implementation rests with election outcome

The 2011 federal Budget will likely be remembered more for its family-friendly electioneering than is S&T initiatives. The Budget Plan’s provisions for R&D and innovation are a scattershot affair with just $216 millionin new research spending and an additional $51 millionfor commercialization and business innovation over the next two years.