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UK-based Nature Magazine has lambasted Canada’s Conservative government for its handling of science in a sharply worded editorial published February 21st. The editorial — entitled Science in Retreat — takes direct aim at the government’s handling of climate change, the treatment of media inquiries to Environment Canada scientists, pollution stemming from oil sands development and funding for health research and major science facilities.

Closely linked to economic development

Prince Edward Island is putting the final touches on an innovation strategy aimed at bringing provincial R&D intensity up to the Canadian average by building on four areas of niche strength in science and technology.

The latest provincial data on R&D spending show Quebec is the only province where business expenditures are actually declining. Data from 2005 — the most recent year for which a provincial breakdown is available — show that business outlays in Quebec declined 3.

The Ontario Centres of Excellence is investing $13 million in six clean energy projects and targeting areas such as thin film cells for the solar industry, high-capacity fuel cells and off-grid hybrid power systems for use in remote communities.

A cornerstone of S&T Strategy

Medical research dominated the first competition of the federal government’s flagship commercialization program, capturing seven of the 11 centres chosen in the inaugural round of the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program.

CECR Profiles

Like thoroughbred horses lining up at the gate, research centres across Canada are anxious to demonstrate that the vexing challenge of commercializing cutting edge technology is both achievable and potentially profitable for collaborators and Canada alike.

May 20-21, 2008
Eaton Centre Marriott, Toronto

“From Entrepreneur to Titan:
Can Canadian entrepreneurs grow tech start-ups into domestic multinationals?”

Presented in collaboration with the
Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)

To register: www.

New and continuing initiatives

The British Columbia Budget put more financial muscle behind provincial science and technology with an array of funding initiatives highlighted by a record-setting endowment for climate change research, additional outlays for targeted medical research and a down payment on Genome British Columbia’s future strategic plan.

“We need to see some action”

The next few weeks could determine the future of the Canada-California Strategic Innovation Partnership (CCSIP) as Canadian officials pitch the idea of employing an established delivery mechanism to implement the multi-faceted bilateral research model.

The restructuring of the National Research Council (NRC) is picking up steam with the renewal of another group of community innovation clusters and significant progress on the realignment of research activity into nine sectors encompassing expertise from across the agency.