Speaking Points
The Honourable Gary Goodyear, PC, MP
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
Toronto, Ontario
May 22, 2012
Check against delivery
Thank you, Joe, for the kind introduction.
It is a great pleasure to be here with you today at George Brown College.
Innovation is a bit of a buzz word these days. Everybody is using it. What does innovation really mean and how do we define it?
In its simplest form, innovation is about improving something or making things better: a better product, a more efficient process, quicker service. Innovation happens everywhere, everyday and in every field.
For Canada to remain a global innovation leader, we need to transfer ideas, skills and applied research from our post-secondary institutions to the workplace and to the marketplace. Today's announcement will help us do just that.
As Minister of State for Science and Technology, I know a big part of Canada's long-term economic success depends on competitive businesses that create high-quality jobs. The promotion of research and development and business innovation is an essential ingredient of our success. And here we have a good story to tell.
Beginning with the first phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government made a strong commitment to ensuring that Canada is a world leader in science and technology. We invested significantly at a time when it was needed most.
Our government is building on that record to ensure that our innovators — our colleges, universities, businesses and industries — have the support they need to work together and create high-quality jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.
In this year's Economic Action Plan, our government outlined measures solidifying a new approach to innovation in Canada.
As a world leader in post-secondary research with a highly skilled workforce, Canada has strong fundamentals for innovation. We are building on our record of achievement to help further unleash the potential of Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive in the modern economy to the benefit of all Canadians for generations to come.
Among other things, we are doubling support to companies through the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program to better enable their research and development efforts.
We are supporting the National Research Council's transition into demand-driven, business-oriented research that will help Canadian businesses develop new, commercially competitive products and services.
And, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to say we are providing an additional $500 million to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to make investments in leading-edge research infrastructure.
By focusing on the drivers of growth and job creation — innovation, investment, education, skills and communities — the new measures in Economic Action Plan 2012 will solidify, strengthen and draw upon the Canadian entrepreneurial spirit as the driving force behind Canada's economy.
Ladies and gentlemen, this focus is why I am here today. I am pleased to announce that our government is investing $15.3 million in applied research infrastructure at colleges and polytechnics across Canada through the College-Industry Innovation Fund. This funding will enhance the capacity of colleges to support business innovation in Canada by providing them with state-of-the-art, industry-relevant research infrastructure to foster partnerships with the private sector. As I said earlier, innovation happens everywhere and in every field. Our Canadian colleges are able, ready, and willing to participate in making Canadian businesses world innovation leaders.
Today's investment will benefit over 300 industry partners in 16 communities across Canada with projects ranging from optics and photonics research to renewable energy.
These investments have a direct impact on the local economies, because the development, modernization and acquisition of research infrastructure leads to the creation of high-quality jobs.
Here at George Brown College, CFI is investing close to $1 million in an important new project in green building technologies. The project will allow the college to provide students and small and medium-sized businesses with increased opportunities to undertake applied research projects, boosting regional economic development and training graduates for the jobs of the future.
I would like to take a moment to recognize Dr. Robert Luke and his team here at George Brown. The important research that you are doing will not only have a positive economic impact, but a positive impact on the environment as well. I know I speak for all of us when I say that I look forward to the results of your work and wish you great success.
Research projects like this are taking place right across Canada. And this work plays a critical role in mobilizing Canada's science and technology advantage.
Canada's colleges, cégeps and polytechnics play an important role as we forge ahead with Canada's innovation agenda. You understand that innovation must be encouraged in every part of the economy. You understand that innovation needs to be a central focus from the research laboratory to the production floor, because it is the key to maintaining our country's position as a global economic leader.
Our government shares your vision of supporting promising applied research and developing the ideas and skills needed in the workplace to help Canadian firms develop new products and adopt innovative processes and technologies.
Thanks to programs like the CFI's College-Industry Innovation Fund, we are focused not only on the challenges of today but also on the opportunities of tomorrow. Through innovation and collaboration we will continue to create high-quality jobs and generate growth and long-term prosperity.
I want to thank George Brown College for hosting today's event. I look forward to continuing our work together and to seeing the ideas you develop and perfect here make their way to the marketplace.
Thank you.
