Recent News
Canadian innovation leaders launch coalition against racism
A group of 25 leaders from the Canadian tech and innovation sectors have launched the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), which plans to create more opportunities for BIPOC people within the innovation economy.
Quebec researchers help develop novel technique for creating powerful, compact lasers
International team including Quebec researchers develops innovative technique for increasing laser intensity, opening the door to producing highly powerful, smaller, less costly lasers.
Western provinces first to adopt digital tool to streamline trade within Canada
The new Multi-Jurisdictional Registry Access Service (MRAS) aims to build a seamless internal market within Canada. Corporations Canada will join this fall, with more jurisdictions to follow.
The Short Report - July 8, 2020: A new innovation hub for Toronto, National Bank doubles down on Nest Wealth, and more
The Bank of Canada is partnering with the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to launch a BIS Innovation Hub in Toronto; National Bank of Canada’s venture-capital arm NAventures announced it will make an additional minority investment of up to $50-million in Toronto-based robo-advisor Nest Wealth; the federal government will invest $40 million over three years in the Union Training and Innovation Program; and more.
Quebec City’s technologically advanced, deep-water container terminal to boost innovation in region’s maritime sector
Quebec City’s planned $775-million deep-water container terminal will anchor a new network for global maritime and logistics innovation that connects the scientific community with the “real” world.
Defence leads funding for promising research collaboration to develop environmentally-friendly Canadian graphene
With funding from the Department of Defence and other agencies, the mineral development company ZEN Graphene Solutions has launched a research collaboration with UBC’s Dr. Mohammad Arjmand (PhD) and his team to develop graphene nanocomposites for use in satellites.
Emerging tech: A portrait of Canada's graphene ecosystem
Graphene, the strongest and thinnest material in existence, is a “supermaterial” with many applications across industries. Here we look at the market forecast for this emerging technology and the key Canadian companies commercializing it.
The Short Report - July 2, 2020: Saskatchewan moves on blue hydrogen, North sells south, and more
Saskatchewan approved a first-of-its-kind hydrogen production project; the Black Innovation Fellowship (BIF) at Ryerson’s DMZ announced a $1 million program expansion; Kitchener wearable tech company North will be sold to Google’s parent company Alphabet; and more.
Ottawa and Alberta collaborating to accelerate development of Canada's hydrogen economy
Ottawa and Alberta are working together and with other governments, industry, researchers and innovators to build a transformative clean “hydrogen economy” in Canada.
Infographic: Canada's Hydrogen Economy Opportunity
Hydrogen fuel technology promises not only a path to meeting Canada’s climate goals, but an opportunity to prosper in the new clean energy economy.
Webinar: Labour market leaders tackle the skills vs credentials dilemma
A disjunct exists between post-secondary institutions, industry, and government on the topic of skills. In this webinar discussion, three experts from Canada’s skills sector discuss the challenges and solutions.
Latest Issue:
Number 6
Volume 34 June 17 2020
Editorial:
Mark Mann
Brock University chemistry professor Tomas Hudlicky thought he was fighting on behalf of merit-based advancement in research and higher education. In fact, he was fighting against it.
Opinion Leader:
Martin Scanlon, Rene Van Acker, and Rickey Yada
Opinion: Supply chain innovation can reduce coronavirus food shortages
This is a critical juncture: we are at a time when we need to examine food processing technology pre-COVID-19 and deploy it to make us more food secure and ready to withstand the next big challenge.
New anti-racist movements on social media are upending the status quo for diversity and inclusion in academia
A general strike in support of Black academics on June 10th may have signalled the end of business-as-usual for diversity and inclusion efforts at post-secondary institutions.
Experts converge on how to deploy contact tracing apps responsibly
As Canada weighs the deployment of contact-tracing applications to harness the COVID-19 pandemic, experts weigh in on what it will take to do it right.
CIHR reverses position with reinstatement of spring grant competition
CIHR will use a virtual peer review process to evaluate grant applications, in response to a backlash from researchers over the council’s initial decision to cancel the spring competition.
New national standard for data governance published
The Chief Information Officers (CIO) Strategy Council has published a new national standard for data governance, enabling organizations to create a “trust environment” for third-party interactions and help secure their data assets.
BC Innovation Commissioner’s final report calls for regional precincts to boost economic performance
Reports says BC needs boosts its R&D spending by $2.5 billion through partnerships with the federal government, the private sector and international investors.
Canada’s chief scientist will tap expert panel to help inform pandemic preparedness strategy
Canada’s chief science advisor Dr. (PhD) Mona Nemer says she’d be “pleased” to provide input into a new long-term research and pandemic preparedness strategy being developed by the federal government. Nemer also co-chairs a group providing advice on health data needed to manage disease spread, an area public health experts say needs significant improvement.
Alberta agri-food sector gets a boost with launch of new research and innovation network
A new $108.5-million technology and agri-food research and innovation network, supported by the federal government and industry, is expected to begin operations by the end of this month. Alberta Innovates’ Inventures conference also highlighted a new $40 funding challenge from Emissions Reduction Alberta to accelerate technology innovation in agriculture, agri-food and forestry.
Opinion Leader:
Ali Ardakani
Why Canada needs a national vaccine strategy
The private sector has little appetite for manufacturing small-volume, niche vaccines for pandemic viruses. That’s why any primary manufacturing facility for vaccines like COVID-19 need to be federally owned and operated.
Opinion Leader
Opinion: Pandemic preparedness requires a one-health approach that links human and veterinary medicine
Planning needs to begin now for the next disease outbreak, beginning with stronger linkages between human and animal research facilities.
Massive declines in donations to health charities could imperil research
Revenue at Canada’s national health charities has plummeted 50% as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the collateral damage to the economy. The revenue drop could hit the health research community hard as it grapples with widespread research disruptions.
adMare BioInnovations launches back-to-back biotech companies
Formed in 2019 from a union of the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) and the NEOMED Institute, adMare Bioinnovations has already launched 10 companies to date.
The Future Skills Centre invests $37 million to support an inclusive economic recovery
The Future Skills Centre (FSC) is investing $37 million in 30 community-based projects to help Canadians acquire in-demand skills and transition to new jobs or industries.
AIAC identifies federal supports needed to save aerospace sector
The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada is asking Ottawa to take immediate action, including a new investment bank, wage subsidies, R&D funding and a long-term sector strategy, to help its members recover from the devastating economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ottawa and Quebec team up with $15-million investment to advance responsible AI development
The federal and Quebec governments are teaming up on a $15-million investment to advance responsible development of artificial intelligence, including a new international centre of AI expertise in Montréal.
Canada’s chief science officer highlights office’s responses to pandemic
Dr. Mona Nemer appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health May 19 to highlight what her office has been doing since the novel coronavirus arrived in Canada.
Startups among companies expected to benefit from new $961.4-million relief fund
Canada’s six regional development agencies will direct federal COVID-19 relief funding to small and mid-sized companies and sectors that fall between the cracks of other relief programs.
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