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Mitacs to realize goal of placing 10,000 internships throughout industry, not-for-profit sector and government

Mitacs’ long-term goal of supporting 10,000 internships annually has become a reality with a $211-million investment from the federal government. Announced in the recent federal Budget, the five-year funding commitment beings this FY at $12 million and ramps up to $80 million by FY21-22, providing an unprecedented infusion of post-secondary talent into industry and the not-for-profit sector.

A RE$EARCH MONEY Q&A with NRC President Iain Stewart

RE$EARCH MONEY managing editor Mark Henderson sat down with National Research Council president Iain Stewart on April 11 to discuss the organization’s recent internal consultations and plans for the future. Stewart assembled seven Tiger Teams to fan out across the country and report back to him in preparation for a Spring Memorandum to Cabinet.

Quebec Budget opens provincial coffers with $834M to stimulate research and innovation

The Quebec government has committed $834 million over five years to research and innovation, including unprecedented increases for post-secondary research after recording its second consecutive Budget surplus. The new funding arrives ahead of the province’s latest research and innovation strategy, due next month, as well as a new life sciences strategy expected before the end of April.

Basic science needs better oversight and coordination, and more money: Expert panel

R$ talks to David Naylor

A federally commissioned blue-chip panel calling for greater coherence and financial support for fundamental research has made a series of 35 recommendations, including a $1.3-billion increase in the budgets of the three granting councils, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and related entities over the next four years.

R$ Conference – First Impressions

It was a sold out crowd at the 16th annual RE$EARCH MONEY conference in Ottawa this week. Over 170 people from government, industry, finance, academia and the not-for profit sector gathered to examine federal Budget 2017 and the Innovation Agenda – renamed the Innovation & Skills Plan in the budget.

Is Canada’s Innovation Budget ambitious enough?

Opinion is decidedly split on the federal government’s delivery of its promised innovation Budget. The March 22 budgetary planning document contains a wide range of measures related to skills, company financing, program consolidation and clean technology.

Budget 2017 Innovation Measures

Budget 2017 Innovation Measures * ($ millions) Initiative Amount Duration * Strategic Innovation Fund 1,260 five years Superclusters 950 five years Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (BDC) ** 400 three years Impact Canada Fund (clean tech & smart cities challenges) 375 11 years Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy (CIFAR) 125 FY16-17 Canadian Space Agency 81 five years…

Budgetary constraints slowing implementation of federal innovation and skills strategy

With Budget 2017, the Liberal government is kicking major components of its much-vaunted Innovation Agenda down the road as ambitious plans run up against an increasingly constrained fiscal environment. Under the Innovation Agenda – retitled the Innovation and Skills Plan – the launch of many new initiatives are deferred for a year or more while unfettered new support for fundamental science is absent – a development anticipated due to the delay in releasing a government-commissioned report delivered three months ago.