Innovation Superclusters Initiative: Quotes

February 15, 2018

“Congratulations to Canadian business and academic leaders for forging bold new partnerships that will strengthen Canada’s ability to attract world-class talent, innovation and investment. The Innovation Superclusters Initiative is investing in Canada’s leading industry sectors to drive competitiveness and economic prosperity across Canada’s major regions.”
– The Honourable John Manley, President & CEO, Business Council of Canada

“As Canada’s largest independent, evidence-based research organization, The Conference Board of Canada was pleased to apply its established expertise in economic impact modelling to validate the benefits of the proposed Superclusters as they relate to advancing Canada’s economic prosperity.” 
–Dr. Daniel Muzyka, President and CEO, Conference Board of Canada

“Avascent was pleased to be engaged by the Government of Canada to analyze the Innovation Supercluster Initiative and its prospects for enhancing the Canadian economy. We undertook a rigorous assessment based on deep research into the markets, modeling possible economic outcomes, and evaluating the impact of the proposed investments. Based on that work, we concluded that these investments can have a significant, positive, and enduring impact for Canadians.”
– Michael Petric, Head of Ottawa office, Avascent

 “As other nations increasingly look to Canada for leadership in research and inclusive innovation, initiatives like the supercluster program support the ground-breaking research that puts Canada ahead. Establishing strong and interdisciplinary partnerships with businesses, researchers and students strengthens Canada’s research ecosystem and drive economic growth for the benefit of all Canadians.”
- Paul Davidson, President, Universities Canada

“To succeed in today’s global, innovation-driven economy, countries like Canada have to identify and support areas of true strength: clusters of knowledge, economic activity and research expertise where Canada has a real head start on the rest of the world.  I’m pleased that the Government of Canada’s Supercluster Initiative program recognizes this challenge and has spurred the collaboration by academic, industry and public sectors needed to win on a global stage.”
– Sean Mullin, Executive Director of the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship

“The federal government’s Superclusters Initiative represents an important step in elevating Canada’s innovation performance to a higher level. It draws on international best practice to develop a novel approach to ensuring that Canadian firms stay at the cutting edge of research and innovation in an ever more competitive global economy. Furthermore, it provides much needed balance for the performance of different elements in Canada’s national innovation system. It builds on existing research strengths in the higher education sector and public research institutions but adopts a firm-led approach to developing the next generation of innovative technologies that are essential for future job creation in Canada.”
– David A. Wolfe, Co-Director, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

“If there is a key element missing in Canada, it is policies aiming to combine our world-quality innovation actors into cohesive and globally competitive eco-systems. We have all the ingredients, but we need to become communities of innovators if we are to secure prosperity for Canada. The Superclusters Initiative is a first important step in making this happen."
– Dr. Dan Breznitz, Professor and Munk Chair of Innovation Studies, with a cross-appointment to the Department of Political Science

“The U15 congratulates Minister Bains on the Innovation Superclusters program, which brings together industry, universities, and government in ways that will drive cutting-edge innovation and enhance Canada’s competitiveness. The Minister’s recognition that universities are a critical part of high-performing clusters has helped make this program a catalyst for innovative partnerships across Canada. Canada’s research-intensive universities will continue to work with government and industry to drive innovation and growth, and to develop the talent that will be crucial for success in the economy of the future.”
– Guy Breton, U15 Chair and Rector of the University of Montreal.

“The Innovation Supercluster Initiative is mandated to support industry-led large-scale collaboration to create world-class innovative sectors that will contribute to Canadian economic growth. Incenting innovation that builds on a country’s competitive advantages is a critical component of a strong innovation policy. The shortlisted applicants represent high potential proposals across a number of industries, that speak to the strength of Canada’s leadership in key sectors of the economy. This initiative has yielded impressive supercluster candidates whose vision, once implemented, will benefit Canadians in every region of the country.”
– Dr. Arvind Gupta, Professor of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, former CEO of Mitacs Canada and member of the Expert Panel leading the Review of Federal Support to R&D (Jenkins Report)

“The Supercluster Initiative, along with the government’s skills programs, immigration reform and anticipated work on intellectual property strategy, show a government becoming fully engaged in bolstering Canada’s innovation eco-system. No other country has succeeded in innovation without the government taking an active role in jump starting that eco-system. It is about time that Canada has joined the effort.”
– Richard Gold, Founding Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy