Recent News
Federal investment required to build a cell and gene therapy ecosystem in Canada, says Innovation Economy Council
A report from the Innovation Economy Council, an industry coalition, argues that Canada’s biomanufacturing strategy must look beyond vaccines and move into the even more important field cell and gene therapies. Federal support will be crucial to ensuring that these facilities are located in innovation centres across the country where they can thrive.
“Big plans” take shape at Canada’s new UN leadership training centres
Two Canadian universities are hosting United Nations leadership training centres dedicated to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which set economic and environmental targets for peace and prosperity in the coming decade.
Quebec supports quantum leap for enterprises
The Quebec government has established a $20 million fund to help companies build working relationships with the research community, so that these enterprises can develop their IT platforms to handle the latest digital or even quantum technology.
Conference recap: finding your best people in all the right places
A Research Money conference panel heard that the difficulty many companies have in find good employees may be less about a lack of candidates are more about taking a different look at the wider pool of talent available to them.
The Short Report - May 11, 2022: New AI centres for Alberta and New Brunswick, a CCA-appointed expert panel on international STI partnerships, winners of the GG Innovation Awards, and more.
Alberta and New Brunswick launch AI centres; Dr. Monica Gattinger to chair expert panel evaluating international STI partnership opportunities, Governor General Innovation Award winners are announced, and more.
New vaccine shows how Canada can tackle TB
A team of Canadian researchers at McMaster University is developing an inhalable TB vaccine that would act as a booster to strengthen immune protection right at the site of infection — the lungs. If successful, it would be among the first new effective TB vaccines in the world.
Agri-Food Innovation Council emphasizes adoption of new technologies
While the agri-food industry welcomes the recently announced $100 million for net-zero emission agriculture, there needs to be a focus on its adoption, say those in the industry.
Federally funded project aims to build collaborative network of SMEs to grow B.C.’s ag-tech sector
The “AGtech Innovation Sandbox” in British Columbia — which received $10 million in federal funding — aims to build a collaborative network of SMEs to grow the province’s ag-tech sector, based on an innovation model used to support companies developing digital health technologies. Meanwhile, Vancouver is ranked No. 9 in the world’s top 35 “ag-tech and new food” ecosystems, according to a new report from Startup Genome.
Canada’s major tech sectors see growth in VC investment but face ongoing workforce challenges
Major tech sectors in cities and provinces across the country saw growth in venture capital investment in the first quarter of this year, but all the sectors face challenges attracting and retaining a workforce given the global competition for tech talent.
The Short Report - May 4, 2022: An international AI lab kicks off in Montreal, a call for proposals for Ottawa's new IP program, Alberta's new hydrogen centre of excellence, and more.
A consortium of AI-focused research organizations launches in Montreal; François-Philippe Champagne opens call for proposals for the $90-million ElevateIP program announced in Budget 2021; Alberta commits $50 million towards clean hydrogen technology research, and more.
Cancer Society launches “first-of-its-kind” partnership with Creative Destruction Lab to support early-stage companies
The Canadian Cancer Society strengthens commercialization focus with $5 million to support seed-stage oncology companies.
B.C. government seeks to develop global life sciences hub
The B.C. government is investing $195-million in health and genomics research to further its goal of developing a life sciences and biomanufacturing hub in the province.
New resource promotes fair compensation for women in STEMM
A database launched this month aims to normalize compensation for expertise in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) fields. It makes public crowdsourced data on speaker fees and honoraria — small but significant forms of reward and recognition in academia.
Alberta and federal governments co-invest $900,000 to grow province's hemp industry
The Alberta government is providing a total of $900,000 in grants to two hemp companies, INCA Renewable Technologies and Blue Sky Hemp Ventures, to help grow the hemp industry in the province.
The Short Report - April 27, 2022: Canada-EU research partnership talks, CIHR's new clinical trials fund, a nationwide platform to study Covid's impact on children, U de M's natural life sciences boost, and more.
The EU and Canada move toward formal negotiations on research partnership; CIHR to meet health challenges with a clinical trials fund; a nationwide research network to improve pediatric outcomes, the Courtois Foundation donates $159 million to UdeM for the discovery of new materials, and more.
Latest Issue:
Number 4
Volume 36 April 20 2022
Q&A: Finance Canada's Dan Breznitz on his prescription for innovation in Canada
Economist Dan Breznitz’s fingerprints are all over Budget 2022, especially the creation of a new Canadian Innovation and Investment Agency. Research Money spoke to Breznitz after the release of the federal budget to ask him about his most recent book, Innovation in Real Places: Strategies for Prosperity in an Unforgiving World.
Alberta has largest and fastest-growing GHG emissions in Canada, new national report shows
Alberta’s greenhouse gas emissions increased the most of any province or territory between 2005 and 2020 and Alberta has the largest and fastest-growing GHG emissions in Canada, largely driven by expansion of oil and gas operations, according to the 2022 national inventory report on GHG emissions in Canada.
The Short Report - April 20, 2022: CPP Investment Board invests $536M in Indian tech platform; IP partnership for BC, Experimental Lakes get a funding boost, and more
The CPP Investment Board has invested $536 million in Google-backed Verse Innovation, B.C. business owners to benefit from better access to IP resources, the Experimental Lakes Research area gets a five-year boost from Ontario, and more.
New B.C. Hydrogen Office aims to set regulatory guideposts across Canada
B.C has committed to work with Ottawa, local governments and Indigenous groups to attract investment and simplify multi-jurisdictional regulatory approval processes needed to accelerate a hydrogen fuel economy.
SSHRC will consider first-ever research proposal written in Cree language after initially rejecting it
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council will now consider a research proposal and grant application written entirely in nêhiyawewin (Cree language) after initially rejecting it, and will pilot a first-of-its-kind merit review by Cree-speaking scholars of the proposal.
The Short Report - April 13, 2022: New cybersecurity research hub in Calgary; health research in space; bolstering animal disease preparedness; and more
UCalgary’s Cyber Assessment, Training and Experimentation Centre opens; the Canadian Space Agency funds research on health in space, and Ottawa and Manitoba invest in the animal health lab information management system to prepare for new and emerging animal diseases in the province.
Westinghouse Electric Canada receives $27.2M from ISED for small modular reactor technology
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada made another large investment into small modular reactor technology in March, but researchers and advocacy organizations question the technology’s safety and usefulness.
SSHRC shares progress on implementing Indigenous Strategic Research Plan following pandemic setbacks
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has made some progress in implementing the two-year old federal Indigenous Strategic Research Plan, although Indigenous stakeholders caution it could take generations to fully implement the plan and see the impact on reconciliation.
The Short Report - April 6, 2022: Ontario Greens issue supply chain strategy for EVs, federal funding for climate and pandemic research, a review of Canada's Remote Sensing Space Systems Act, and more
Green Party of Ontario releases EV strategy two months ahead of provincial election, research gets a boost through the New Frontiers in Research Fund, a review of Canada’s Remote Sensing Space Systems Act is completed, and more.
Inside a family farm’s biogas system producing enough power for 200 homes
A family-owned dairy farm in Ontario that invested $4 million in a biogas system is seeing economic and environmental benefits from the waste-to-energy technology, says owner Gord Green of Greenholm Farms.
The Short Report - March 30, 2022: Ottawa releases $9.1B emissions reduction plan, Montreal's CDL surpasses $1B in equity value creation, Canada's tech performance blooms in 2021, and more
Government of Canada releases a $9.1 billion emissions reduction plan, Montreal’s Creative Destruction Lab doubles its $500 million target within first 5 years of opening, US dollars driving Canadian technology’s investment surge in 2021, four provincial governments agree to a joint strategic plan on small modular reactors, and more.
Opinion Leader:
Ling Huang
Changes to government policy could enable SMEs to deliver effective and meaningful workplace inclusion programs
Changes to government policy could enable small and medium-sized businesses to offer meaningful workplace inclusion programs for people often excluded from the labour force such as youth with autism, to help address Canada’s labour shortages, Ling Huang, co-founder and CEO of Edmonton-based Technology North, says in an op-ed.
Canada’s first “credible” climate plan requires rapid policy implementation and massive investment, independent experts say
The federal government’s new climate plan is the most credible ever produced with the policies needed to meet Canada’s climate goals, but it will take accelerated policy implementation, massive private and public investment, and unprecedented technology deployment to actually achieve carbon emissions-reduction targets in 2030 and 2050, according to two independent think tanks.
Alberta innovation strategy aims to strengthen tech sector, attract capital and diversify economy
The Alberta government’s new innovation strategy is eying emerging tech sectors like AI and quantum to diversify the province’s economy and fuel its post-pandemic recovery.
Innovation expenditures dominate federal Budget with observers hoping discovery science will be addressed in future years
The Liberals latest federal Budget takes aim at Canada’s perennial innovation problem with billions in new funding, including a new $15-billion Canada Growth Fund.
New $31M initiative will train researchers for interdisciplinary jobs outside of academia
The federal government has allocated $31.1 million over six years to a new Health Research Training Platform made up of 13 different programs that will offer specialized training for researchers at universities and hospitals across the country.
New clinical approaches, research and funding needed to treat early traumas driving mental illness
More investment and research is needed to effectively treat the traumas that underlie mental illness and enable people to quickly get back to work and back to life, Dr. Robert Tanguay, vice-president and chief medical officer at The Newly Institute based in Calgary, says in an op-ed.
Economist Mariana Mazzucato makes new recommendations for B.C. innovation policy at Globe Forum conference
British Columbia must combine economic strategies with societal and social concerns to build a more inclusive economy, said Mariana Mazzucato, the head of a world-famous team at University College London that advised the provincial government on its recovery plan.
Alberta commits $50M to a new circular economy challenge
In an effort to accelerate the province’s transition towards a low-emissions economy, the Alberta government is committing $50 million through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) to a new Circular Economy Challenge.
What will ocean-based industries and the Blue Economy look like in 2050?
Forecasted changes in ocean-based industries and the Blue Economy from now to 2050 will present many new opportunities for Canada, but more knowledge is needed to make sound decisions and build a stronger and more sustainable blue economy, says Dr. Bente Pretlove, the program director for ocean space in DNV Group, in an op-ed.
B.C. is leading the way in growing Canada’s biogas-renewable natural gas sector, say industry experts
The public and private sectors in British Columbia are leading the rest of Canada with policies and investment to grow the biogas-renewable natural gas sector so it can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help achieve Canada’s climate goals, industry experts say.
Canada issues its first green bonds worth $5B to support climate investments
The government of Canada’s first 7.5-year $5 billion green bond saw strong demand from both Canadian and international investors and will be the first of many to support government investments in the green economy, says the associate minister of finance.
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