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The awarding of funding to support R&D projects under the Strategic Aerospace Defence Initiative (SADI) appears to be gaining momentum. CAE’s Project Falcon is the third project to be funded under SADI this year, following awards made to Esterline CMC Electronics Inc and Norsat International Inc.

4th generation nuclear looks beyond 2025

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) is developing technologies aimed at extending the commercial viability of its CANDU reactors through a collaborative agreement with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Canada has opted to pursue research for two of the six nuclear energy systems identified by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) as the best bets for energy production beyond 2025. Established in 2001, GIF selected the six systems from among more than 100 nuclear reactor concepts and its 13 members have produced detailed R&D roadmaps to coordinate further research.

Canadian health R&D remains largely unchanged for fifth year running: StatsCan

Stagnant health R&D funding has stretched into its fifth year as turmoil in the pharmaceutical sector and unwillingness by governments to boost contribution levels continue to take their toll, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.

The Third Atlantic RE$EARCH MONEY Conference

Investing for Economic Sustainability
3 June 2009
The Sheraton Newfoundland
St John’s, Newfoundland

Come to St. John’s, Newfoundland on June 3rd for the third
Atlantic RE$EARCH MONEY Conference.

The number of firms in Canada performing R&D exploded by nearly 76% between 2000 and 2005, with Ontario and Quebec increasing their already dominant share of R&D outlays from 77% to 80%. Despite the increase in R&D performers, however, overall R&D expenditures are projected to increase only $157 million in 2008 to $16.

Provincial Budgets

The Quebec government is banking on renewable energy and green technologies and the commercialization of university inventions to prepare for life after the recession. In its March 19 Budget, the Liberal government targeted a group of technologies where the province has competitive advantage while providing massive stimulus to the venture capital (VC) industry to continue supporting tech-based firms in their formative stages.

Saskatchewan used its March 18th Budget to let the rest of Canada know that its books are in the best shape of any province. The Budget contained a whopping $2.6 billion in debt reduction, significant personal tax reductions and a $400-million surplus — just one of two provinces to post a surplus this year and far more than the $48 million registered in Manitoba.

Gennum Corp, one of Canada’s oldest standalone technology companies, is acquiring Ottawa-based Tundra Semiconductor Corp. Established in 1973, the Burlington ON-based Gennum has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Tundra for $86 million comprised of $55 million in cash and 8 million common Gennum shares.

One of Canada’s most under-recognized research programs may finally be getting some long-overdue exposure with the announcement of seven new NSERC Strategic Networks (NSN) and funding of $35 million over five years.