Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for joining us here at the Careport Centre. C'est un plaisir d'etre ici avec vous aujourd'hui. I would also like to express on behalf of my colleague Member of Parliament Sweet his regrets for not being able to join us today, and his sincere congratulations on some exciting news I am here to deliver.
I'd like to thank the organizers of the Hamilton Economic Summit for including me in this important event. I know you will all benefit from the day's activities, the theme for which – Driving Innovation – the Art of the Possible – is something I see on a daily basis in my role as Minister of State for both Science and Technology and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, (or FedDev Ontario).
I get to see just how many incredible ideas are out there, and how much potential exists in our own backyards in terms of innovation. That's why we are all here – because that pool of potential exists, and we need to turn ideas into realities that have concrete benefits for Canadians.
Hamilton has established itself as a prominent hub for innovation, from its steel production to its distinction in the areas of health and technology. And it's clear that this City is on the right track, focusing on ways to nurture, support and best utilize the innovative prospects that can be found here for the people of Hamilton.
Our Government recognizes that to compete in today's global economy, we need to invest in innovation, and in projects to give small- and medium-sized businesses the tools they need to get their ideas and products to global markets more quickly. That's why our Government's top priority is creating jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity.
Since 2009, the Canadian economy has recovered better than most. Going forward, we must continue to generate jobs as the challenges we face remain significant.
In fact, since the lowest point of the global economic recession, the Canadian economy has created almost 900,000 net new jobs, most of which are full-time, well-paid jobs in the private sector.
In spite of this, we cannot simply be content with those accomplishments.
While we have made hopeful economic progress, we remain affected by status of the U.S.
As I discussed recently on a visit to the Council of the Great Lakes in Ohio, our economies are highly interdependent and this is shown through our trading relationship.
This means that when our most prominent trading partner is struggling with deep debt and modest economic growth, we still need to be vigilant.
That's why Economic Action Plan 2013 aims to position Canada for success in the global economy. It does this in a few ways:
- It helps Canadians acquire the right training to fill jobs in high-demand fields;
- It helps manufacturers and businesses succeed in the global economy by improving the conditions for growth;
- It introduces new infrastructure funding that will improve the makeup of Canadian communities;
- And of course, it invests in world-class research and innovation to help make sure new ideas are developed and make their way to the marketplace.
Economic Action Plan 2013 also delivered some great news for FedDev Ontario and its stakeholders, which I will talk about shortly.
Over the course of four very busy years, we have made some great accomplishments for the region.
The Southern Ontario Advantage programs we introduced under FedDev Ontario have had some incredible results: more than $420 million in funding has been committed, resulting in projected partnerships with more than 5,000 organizations, and these projects have over $1.2 billion in additional leveraged investments from almost entirely non-government sources.
Our Government's efforts have created valuable jobs for many Canadians in the region and made the economic climate more supportive for innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration.
We have invested a great deal in the Hamilton region, including $2 million towards the construction of the Canada Bread bakery – set to be the country's largest.
And our investments in Hamilton's post-secondary institutions have gone a long way: in addition to investing in the Centre we are in today, we provided more than $19 million to McMaster University to help build the Centre for Spinal Cord Injury and to support nuclear research at Mac.
Just before I get to why we are here today, I wanted to talk a bit about manufacturing.
As part of the renewal of FedDev Ontario, $200 million is allocated over five years for a new Advanced Manufacturing Fund in Ontario.
Manufacturing is the foundation of Ontario's economy. It has evolved and changed, but it is the strength and ingenuity of our workers and entrepreneurs in this field that have built the core of our country's economy.
I want you to know that manufacturers have a partner in our Government. In Economic Action Plan 2013, we lowered taxes and tariffs, eased unnecessary regulatory burdens, and improved conditions for emerging and growing businesses.
We are providing $1.4 billion in tax relief over four years to the manufacturing and processing sector through a two-year extension of the temporary accelerated capital cost allowance for new investment in machinery and equipment. This relief will allow manufacturers and processors to invest in new machinery and equipment to help them compete in the global economy.
I believe that when we encourage innovation and forward-thinking models for accelerating new and improved processes and products, the benefits are undeniable. This includes many manufacturers in key sectors like automotive, for example.
By facilitating the joining of academia and businesses, new ideas and groundbreaking research will move beyond the test stages and into production.
This type of collaborative research applies to increasingly important green automotive technologies. As with most manufacturing, the auto industry is evolving as it moves toward more efficient automotive models, more research and development needs to be done to meet the demand for green technologies.
This has a lot to do with innovation, whether it is a new technology reducing emissions or a new material advancement, allowing for lighter-weight and overall more fuel-efficient vehicles.
That is why it gives me great pleasure to be here today to officially open the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre or (MARC).
MARC is primed to be a centre for industry-led projects, and provides an environment ideally suited to accelerating technology development, training and commercialization, based on industry needs.
I am proud that the $11.5 million FedDev Ontario investment to this project helped ensure that the concept of the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre is now a reality. Once operations are underway at this new facility, it is expected that approximately 120 to 150 highly-skilled people will work here on a variety of projects related to research and development, and new academic-industry partnerships will make the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre a hub for industry-led projects.
MARC will envision and prototype the next generation of vehicles:
- It will be home to Canada Excellence Research Chair in Hybrid Powertrains, Dr. Ali Emadi – who, along with his team of top international graduate students and technical staff, will place southern Ontario at the forefront of hybrid vehicle research.
- It will collaborate with some 200 McMaster researchers and over 20 McMaster research centres in engineering, science, business and other faculties that are involved in green automotive initiatives.
- It will provide the region's small- and medium-sized businesses access to state-of-the-art equipment and teams of international experts in powertrain technology, automotive software, materials development, manufacturing processes, engineering design and sustainable infrastructure.
- It will allow the region's automotive manufacturing industry to gain a competitive advantage and accelerate innovation and productivity in small- and medium-sized businesses – resulting in sales, exports and growth.
- And it will collaborate with a wide number of universities and institutions across Canada and around the world including the U.S., Italy, Germany, and others.
It is this cluster and these collaborations that will position the southern Ontario automotive sector at the forefront in the development of green automotive technologies and will lead to the creation of significant new technologies and business growth in southern Ontario.
Through contributions like this, our Government is working to make the most of southern Ontario's resources and talents. We are helping encourage our entrepreneurs to innovate and stay competitive by moving institutional research "from the lab bench to the production line."
Now that it is complete, the Centre will bring together small- and medium-sized businesses, manufacturers, auto part suppliers, researchers and other players to develop new green automotive technologies such as hybrid and electric powertrains, batteries and lightweight materials.
By refurbishing and equipping a traditional warehouse, and transforming it into a green automotive research facility, Canadian businesses will have a space to develop and test new material and products prior to the manufacturing process.
MARC is now ready to begin developing green automotive technologies, and testing new material and products in pre-production stages.
Our Government is committed to bringing together the right tools and resources for businesses and manufacturers to succeed and for communities to prosper. This investment is creating jobs here in Hamilton and is helping put southern Ontario at the forefront of green automotive technology development, as well as advanced manufacturing.
Projects like this will benefit the local economy by creating jobs and helping enhance our region’s overall global competiveness.
I look forward to seeing the innovations that will emerge from the new McMaster Automotive Resource Centre, and I congratulate McMaster once again on this exciting grand opening.
Thank you et merci.
