Digital economy submissions stress need for systemic approach among Canadian players

CANARIE has joined with four other research and education organizations to call for an integrated digital environment to address the gaps that have arisen in the current Canadian environment. The call for a systemic approach to digital infrastructure was made in a joint submission to the Digital Economy Strategy (DES) consultation on behalf of the academic-based research, innovation and education community.

In addition to CANARIE, the submission was backed by Compute Canada, Canadian Research Knowledge Network, Canadian Digital Media Network and Canadian University Council of CIOs. They argue that Canada must "move beyond ad-hoc development of the separate elements of the emerging digital environment". Such a systemic approach would help to align the key elements of a digital environment: data repositories and rich digital content, larger computing capacity, digital devices and distributed sensors, low-latency, high-bandwidth networks, infrastructural middleware and operating expertise. The submission calls for new coordination mechanisms both within the Canadian system and globally.

The results could include enhanced capacity for innovation, better leverage of Canadian talent, enhanced support for content creators and innovators and maximized leverage of intellectual capital.

The academic community isn't the only sector calling for greater coordination and alignment. IBM Canada argues that a digital infrastructure roadmap would assist in aligning key players. Building on that foundation it recommends more flexible incentives, strategic incentives and collaborative investment partnerships to strengthen the ICT industry, a global centre of excellence for business intelligence and data analytics, and a skills agenda that stresses multidisciplinary research and education.

The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) also calls for a "holistic, strategic approach" to the digital economy, augmented by a "significant communi- cations campaign" and "a strategy for governments as model users". ITAC adds that while massive amounts of new money are not a realistic expectation in the current fiscal environment, governments at various levels "should be prepared to support a strategy that is fundamental to our economic future", noting that other countries are making major investments in their digital strategies.

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