Manitoba’s innovation framework seeks to leverage existing strengths, attract capital

Manitoba is the latest province to release an ambitious framework for innovation complete with specific targets and timed to coincide with a pre-election Budget that makes modest contributions to its goals. The framework’s release and creation of the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology (MEST) last September offer strong signals that Manitoba is serious about enhancing innovation across all sectors of its economy and dovetailing efforts with the emerging national innovation strategy.

The Manitoba framework pulls several existing sectoral strategies and reports into a cohesive strategy focused on exploiting advantages in six areas: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, cultural and new media industries, hydro and alternative energy development, information and communications technologies and the life sciences and biotechnology industries. The framework was developed within the new Ministry in consultation with the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council and several events and fact finding tours. It’s now up to MEST to implement the framework to ensure that its aggressive targets are achieved.

“Our targets focus on venture capital formation, R&D funding and human capital. The new Ministry includes the division of research, innovation and technology and its core business is to implement the strategy and deliver on broadband,” says MEST minister Tim Sale. “The key to future prosperity is productivity improvement and the business community in this province has been great. They understand.”

With a population of 1.1 million (60% in Winnipeg) and a total workforce of about 560,000, Manitoba must choose its niches carefully. The new framework aims to leverage the province’s surprisingly robust research and industrial bases by enhancing infrastructure, skills training and attracting new investment. In the area of R&D, the government spent just $19.3 million in FY01-02. But Sale says that amount represents a 31% increase over FY&99-00. and the target for doubling provincial R&D spending by 2010 would push the total to $38.6 million. Provincial gross expenditures on R&D in 2000 were $404 million for a research intensity of 1.2%, the fourth highest in Canada.

The composition of the new MEST illustrates the underpinnings of the innovation framework. It was created by consolidating divisions from the ministries of health, industry and trade, conservation and finance and has responsibility for Manitoba Hydro, a crown corporation. The benefits of the consolidation are already being felt.

The Manitoba’s hydro infrastructrure is being deployed to roll out the province’s broadband strategy. The backbone of the hydro network will be used to reach areas beyond the reach of the privatized Manitoba Telecom Services, with wireless links into remote areas.

The province also has begun work on a hydrogen development strategy with a preliminary report released last month. The plan aims to make Manitoba a cost-efficient centre of large-scale electrolysis production, leveraging its abundant supplies of low-cost hydroelectricity. It is also pondering the creation of a hydrogen research and scientific centre of excellence. It would be located at the near-dormant Whiteshell Laboratories in Pinawa and modelled along the lines of TRLabs.

R$