Research parks launch strategic & marketing plans

The Canadian Association of University Research Parks (AURP Canada) has received $129,500 from the federal government to support the Ontario portion of a national $500,000 economic impact study and strategic and marketing plans for the 27 research parks it represents across Canada. Funding to examine the six research parks in Ontario was provided by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) through its Prosperity Initiative. Additional announcements are pending from Western Economic Diversification and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, while participating research parks will contribute $170,000. The aim of the project is to identify emerging clusters in each region and develop ways in which research parks can contribute to cluster growth. It will also be used to attract foreign investment and increase the number of companies locating in the parks. The parks covered by the FedDev contribution are McMaster Innovation Park, University of Guelph Research Park, David Johnston Research + Technology Park (Univ of Waterloo), Innovation Park (Queen's Univ), Western Research Park and MaRS Discovery District of Toronto The three regional studies underpinning the strategy should be complete by March/13….