Harper Government's New Approach to Innovation Helping Canadian Industries Grow

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 28, 2013) - The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today delivered the opening address at the Mitacs Policy Forum 2013. This half-day conference was dedicated to exploring ways to translate research into business innovation. Minister of State Goodyear highlighted the Harper Government's new approach to strengthening innovation, including the transformation of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) into an industry-focused research and technology organization.

"In building a more innovative economy, we are promoting collaboration among industry, academia and government," said Minister of State Goodyear. "With a focus spanning the science and technology ecosystem, from basic research to commercialization, the NRC is now positioned to help generate high-quality jobs, increase business research and development, and produce more market-driven outcomes."

Through Economic Action Plan 2012 and 2013, the Harper Government has introduced measures to optimize federal R&D programming. These include increasing support for collaboration between businesses and research institutions, promoting investment in early-stage risk capital and aligning the NRC's strategic focus with the needs of innovative Canadian companies.

Since 2006, the Harper Government has committed more than $9 billion in new funding for science, technology and the growth of innovative firms. Economic Action Plan 2013 builds on this strong foundation, helping to position Canada for sustainable, long-term economic prosperity and to provide Canadians with a higher quality of life.