Article Type: Generic

Backers of a major geological mapping program are urging the Liberal government to find start-up funding from its existing fiscal framework after an apparent “oversight” that resulted in the initiative being ignored in the recent federal Budget.

Massive bandwidth for collaborative research

Canada’s biggest industrial R&D spender is tapping into Canada’s leading-edge broadband research network to accelerate development of its next generation of products and collaborate with top researchers around the globe.

CANARIE is looking to build on the successful development of user controlled lightpath (UCLP) software. Funded by CANARIE and developed by the Communications Research Centre and Carleton Univ, the software is the focus of a $1-million request for proposals (RFP) to develop and deliver a robust “production version” featuring a user-friendly graphics interface and support for web services workflow.

Plans to boost programming have begun

The Alberta Ingenuity Fund (AIF) is a major beneficiary of Alberta’s escalating resource-based wealth with a proposed doubling of its endowment to more than $1 billion by FY07-08.

A new energy innovation network is aiming to pump R&D into the oil & gas and coal sectors while lessening environmental impact. Initiated by the Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI) and two years in development, the Energy Innovation Network (Energy INet) could marshall more than $3 billion for energy research over the next 20 years if its long-term strategy is fully implemented.

Innovation policies questioned

A new study contains sobering revelations that Canada’s base of industrial R&D performers is stagnant and possibly shrinking, the result of inconsistent and ineffectual industrial policy that has failed to incent more players in the private sector to become more innovative.

Canada’s low business R&D intensity is partly caused by a smaller share of research-intensive industries relative to the US and the low research intensity of the motor vehicles industry and portions of the service sector, according to a new Finance Canada paper.

Optimism is growing within Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) that the pressures of rising energy consumption and climate change regulations could increase demand for nuclear-generated power, providing a much needed stimulus for its technology, products and services.

The federal government is stepping up to the plate with an additional $24 million to complete the funding requirements for the Univ of Saskatchewan’s $61.8-million International Vaccine Centre (InterVac).

NanoQuebec has signed a groundbreaking agreement with the forestry sector in the first of several agreements with traditional industrial sectors throughout the province. The three-year pact with the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (PAPRICAN) aims to identify nanotechnology applications that can be developed for use by forestry companies and create linkages between industry and the university research community.