Thank you for your kind introduction and the gracious invitation to join you today.
It's good to be back at the Re$earch Money Conference, now in its 12th year.
During the past year, I had the opportunity to meet with many stakeholders in the science community, some of them from abroad. I had the opportunity to consider Canadian research and innovation from an international point of view, and I heard time and again of the high esteem in which Canada and its researchers are held.
Just last month in fact, I travelled to Brussels to attend an EU conference on collaborative science, specifically on how to address global challenges through global cooperation. I was asked to speak about innovation and the partnerships that form between governments, researchers and business people. Those at the conference were keen to hear of our government's efforts to promote excellence in research and eager to develop partnerships with Canadian researchers and entrepreneurs.
Clearly, the world wants to know Canada's story.
I want to tell it. And our government wants to support it.
Many of you may have heard discussions around the recent federal budget and our new approach to innovation. Today, I'd like to take this opportunity to share our vision for that new approach and to highlight some of the key measures in Economic Action Plan 2013.
This is the Harper Government's eighth budget since 2006. Over that period, our country has been confronted by some unprecedented economic challenges from beyond our borders.
Yet, since our government came to office, we have never strayed from our commitment to strengthen the economy for all Canadians and the determination to see our plan through.
Economic Action Plan 2013 marks the next chapter in keeping our commitment to Canadians; in creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity; in keeping taxes low for families and businesses; and in balancing the budget by 2015.
As Minister Flaherty put it on budget day, Canada's Economic Action Plan continues to deliver results for Canadians.
For example, among the largest industrialized countries in the world, such as the U.S., Germany and Japan, Canada has had the strongest record of growth and job creation over the economic recovery.
Since July 2009, the Canadian economy has created almost 900,000 net new jobs. The economic recovery has been driven largely by the ingenuity and determination of Canadians. And looking forward, Canada's ongoing success will depend on our willingness to nurture the highly skilled individuals and new ideas that will help our businesses innovate, secure new markets and create jobs.
A few years ago, in the midst of the global economic downturn, there were difficult choices to be made. In that uncertain time, our government chose to continue investing in science and technology (S&T). We did this because we understood that investments in research and development (R&D) are even more important when times are tough.
We understood it then, and we understand it now. That's why we announced a number of measures in Economic Action Plan 2013 to strengthen Canada's advanced research capacity:
- We're providing an additional $37 million per year for the federal research granting councils to support collaborations between post-secondary institutions and industry.
- We're extending the eligibility for the granting councils' undergraduate industrial research awards to bachelor's students at colleges and polytechnics.
- We're allocating $225 million to support advanced research infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
- We're providing $165 million for genomics research through Genome Canada.
- We're providing $13 million to the Mitacs Globalink program to attract highly promising students from around the world to Canadian universities and to allow Canadian students to take advantage of training opportunities abroad.
- We're providing $141 million to ensure a secure supply of medical isotopes and maintain safe and reliable operations at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's Chalk River Laboratories.
- And we're supporting teaching and research infrastructure under the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component of the new Building Canada Fund.
The fact is, since 2006, our government has invested more than $9 billion in new funding to support science, technology and the growth of innovative firms. Guided by our science and technology strategy, we are redefining the way governments, business people and the research community band together to drive economic activity through science. More specifically, we are focusing on
- attracting and retaining talented researchers;
- supporting excellence in science;
- bringing discoveries and innovations to the marketplace; and
- building S&T infrastructure.
Those investments have helped make our universities and colleges world-class sources of research. In fact, the OECD ranks Canada at the top of the G7 nations for its higher-education research spending intensity. And last fall, the Council of Canadian Academies offered more proof.
The Council released a report showing that Canadian S&T is healthy, growing and recognized around the world for its excellence. Authors of the world's top-cited scientific papers were surveyed for the report, and they ranked Canada's S&T as fourth in the world, behind that of the U.S., the U.K. and Germany. That is not fourth on a per capita basis or as a proportion of GDP. That is an absolute score.
Clearly, Canada is punching well above its weight in scientific expertise. And our reputation is helping to further strengthen our position.
Canada has become a powerful magnet for high-quality researchers from abroad. Over the past decade, we have seen a net migration of researchers into the country. No doubt that is due in part to the tremendous opportunities for scientists and entrepreneurs to carry out their work in Canada. We take pride in their achievements, not only as Canadians but also as members of the global community. Scientific advancement knows no borders; it benefits everyone.
While discovery-driven basic research remains essential to our government's approach, we also believe in the transformative potential of science in the marketplace. In today's modern economy, our quality of life depends on innovation in the private sector.
That's why we are taking a new approach to innovation that focuses on active business-led initiatives.
In 2010, as many of you know, we established the Expert Panel on Federal Support to Research and Development, chaired by Tom Jenkins, to provide advice on maximizing the effectiveness of our support for business R&D.
The Panel's report contained a number of wide-ranging recommendations, including a greater emphasis on direct support for business innovation, simplified program delivery and better access to risk capital for high-growth innovative firms.
Starting with Economic Action Plan 2012, we made significant progress in responding to these recommendations—for example, doubling the size of the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), transforming the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), promoting innovation through government procurement, investing in venture capital and streamlining the SR&ED tax credit.
And Economic Action Plan 2013 is continuing with that momentum and ensuring that Canadian businesses derive the greatest benefit possible from federal support for innovation.
- One: We're further aligning the NRC's strategic focus with the needs of innovative Canadian firms.
- Two: We're increasing support for collaboration between businesses and research institutions.
- Three: We're providing continued support for the development and demonstration of new, clean technologies.
What this new approach translates to in hard numbers is $466 million for new measures to support innovation.
It means $121 million to support the NRC's new strategic focus.
It means $20 million for a new initiative to help small and medium-sized enterprises access research and business development services through IRAP.
And it means $325 million to Sustainable Development Technology Canada to help create technologies that contribute to sustainable economic development.
These are no small investments, and our commitment hasn't gone unnoticed. In fact, Canada's 15 leading research universities, which undertake 80 percent of all competitive university research in Canada, applauded our vision and budget commitments. Amit Chakma, U15 President, recently stated that—and I quote:
"In a time of financial constraint, this government has prudently chosen to maintain funding to the crucial innovation sectors that will help generate solutions to our pressing social and economic challenges."
Ladies and gentlemen, our government understands that Canada's long-term economic growth will be driven in large measure by science and innovation. We understand this, we are committed to this and we have made this a top priority since coming to office.
And while we are making investments in basic science, we are also working to promote innovation and the commercialization of discoveries.
We are improving the linkages between public research and private sector needs through programs that help companies partner with universities and colleges. And we are focused on the conditions necessary for a healthy innovation system: supportive marketplace frameworks, engaged citizens, highly skilled people and sound infrastructure.
Underlying all of these elements is the vital need for collaboration. Today, more than ever, successful innovations come from companies involved in partnership arrangements, whether with other firms or with knowledge institutions. This is a significant change from 40 or 50 years ago, when innovations generally came from large firms acting on their own.
In short, the innovation landscape has changed. And the rate of change is accelerating.
In this new reality, it is member-based organizations, like Re$earch Money, that are promoting information sharing and research connectedness and are driving economic advancements.
Nowadays, and even more so in the future, successful countries are those that create knowledge by supporting collaborative R&D.
We all have a role to play in bringing people together; in creating a supportive climate for researchers, entrepreneurs and policy-makers; and in helping to advance Canadian science policy.
Thank you.
