Feds should reform tax incentives, invest more dollars to spur new R&D, say experts
If Canada wants to stop lagging behind other OECD countries on innovation, the federal government needs to reform its tax incentives and invest more dollars to spur new research and development in the country, say experts. Despite the federal government spending $3.5-billion in 2011 through the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit, […]
Canada faces innovation gap, time to address it
PARLIAMENT HILL—The recent global recession has shown the world what Canadians have known for some time: we live in a country with sound economic fundamentals and a balanced and successful approach to economic growth and job creation. The numbers speak for themselves. Unlike many of our international peers, Canada has recovered all of the […]
Pharma industry pushes for a more European IP regime, Rx&D says Canada is losing out on pharma
Innovation in Canada’s pharmaceutical sector has all but stalled, according to Rx&D, which represents the country’s pharmaceutical researchers. The industry association attributes the slowdown to weak intellectual property laws that discourage companies from investing in Canada, but some stakeholders warn that stricter IP protection will have a negative impact on innovation in other sectors […]
Canada faces commercialization gap, not innovation gap: CATA
A leading national industry association representing Canada’s technology sectors is urging the federal government to rethink the country’s so-called “innovation gap” ahead of the 2012 budget. The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance’s recent white paper, Canada as a Competitive Innovation Nation: What Needs To Be Done, formed the basis of the organization’s 2012 pre-budget submission […]
D-Wave Systems bucks trends for Canadian start-ups
When it comes to Canadian companies with global reach, many innovation experts are hard-pressed to come up with more than a handful of household names, but B.C.-based D-Wave Systems could be the next company to join a very short list. Asked to name some of the country’s most innovative globally competitive companies, industry insiders […]
Health Policy Briefing
For-profit facilities leave seniors vulnerable
VANCOUVER, B.C.—In July, 2008, Ontario’s provincial ombudsman launched an investigation after receiving 100 complaints about the quality of the province’s long-term care. Another 450 complaints came in after the investigation was announced. The report, released in December, 2010, concluded that there were “delays, inconsistencies and lack of transparency in monitoring of long-term care homes.” […]
How can we best care for our aging population?
VICTORIA, B.C.—This year, the first members of Canada’s baby boom generation turned 65, drawing attention to the demographic trends gerontologists have been discussing for years. Because physical health declines with the aging process, the prospect of large cohorts of baby boomers reaching their 70s and 80s raises concerns about the provision of care. Moreover, […]
The case for a pan-Canadian health workforce observatory: moving from crisis management to future planning, now
Following the mid-January meeting of the premiers regarding the future of Canadian health care, a communiqué was issued announcing the creation of a working group on health-care innovation to examine three critical issues related to the health workforce. These issues include examining the scopes of practice of health-care providers to better meet patient needs, […]
Who will care for an aging population?
HALIFAX, N.S.—Due to the coming-of-age of the very large baby boom cohort, providing long-term care for older people will become a major government concern for the next 15 to 20 years and is probably one of the greatest challenges facing governments today. Following a mid-1990s policy shift intended to curb escalating hospital and institutional […]
