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The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) is set to absorb the Strategic Microelectronics Consortium (SMC), expanding its representation to include the critical electronic components sector.

The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) has targeted strategic skills investment, the completion of a national broadband network and government-on-line initiatives as the top priorities for the federal government in the coming year.

Budget delivered five months early

Research infrastructure tied to Quebec’s recent science policy was a beneficiary of the provincial government’s early Budget, highlighted by massive capital spending to help ward off the impact of the current economic slowdown.

Widespread acceptance of higher education’s key facilitating role in fostering innovation is translating into substantial increases in R&D funding for Canada’s colleges, universities and affiliated research institutes.

The resolve to stay the course with the federal innovation agenda received plenty of ammunition recently when a series of high-profile representatives from the S&T community appeared before the House of Commons Finance Standing Committee.

Inno-Centre Canada (ICC) has launched its first full-fledged provincial operation with the creation of Inno-Centre Alberta (ICA) and is working with other provinces to expand its mentoring and commercialization concept across the country.

The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) is poised to recommend combining the administrations of three key industry R&D support programs within an arm’s length institute, council or agency. The idea of promoting what’s been described as a holding company for industrial innovation was approved by CATA’s board of directors last month and was publicly floated during an October 2 CATA presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance.

A new report provides compelling evidence that university research is beginning to significantly expand its role in innovation. The report’s data show that Canada’s top 50 research universities received nearly $2.

The federal government has asked McMaster Univ to host a series of three national round table discussions on innovation in March or April of next year. The timing of the sessions indicates that the government anticipates a lengthy consultation phase for the Innovation Paper, following its anticipated release some time before the end of the year.

The Canadian aerospace industry wants the government to revamp its R&D assistance programs and open its coffers to counter the decline in public investment in the sector over the past decade. In its new innovation paper —Aerospace — Meeting Canada’s Innovation Challenge — it calls for a “reinvigorated” national aerospace program and substantial new investments in basic research, pre-competitive technology development and demonstration and process improvements.