Foreign multinationals investing in Canada to become an innovation nation
TORONTO—With free trade, foreign multinationals are no longer here to get around high tariff walls. Instead, they are here as part of their global innovation strategies, making them significant players in Canadian efforts to become an innovation nation. Here’s why. Canada has a reputation for high-quality university and college graduates, especially in science and engineering. […]
Why Canada should look down under for its innovation roadmap
OTTAWA—From the moment that the Liberal government renamed Industry Canada to Innovation, Science, and Economic Development it sent a clear signal that innovation is a top policy priority. Indeed, in recent months Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains has repeatedly called for bold policies focused on addressing Canada’s dismal innovation record. While the specifics of the Canadian […]
Canada has yet to succeed as a scale-up nation
CANADA & THE 21ST CENTURY: PART 3 OF A 6-PART SERIES TORONTO—Canada is clearly succeeding as a start-up nation. New tech companies are being created in record numbers. This is where much innovation happens. But Canada has yet to succeed as a scale-up nation—it is failing to grow many of its start-ups into viable companies […]
Trade deals, infrastructure, national climate framework key for B.C. business
Canada is a small, open economy that depends on trade for much of its prosperity. Given our modest population, geographic location, and vast landmass, we must work collaboratively, innovate, and be more competitive for capital and talent if we hope to maintain a thriving national economy in the future. With collaboration and the future in […]
Nurturing the next BlackBerry
TORONTO—Building a more innovative country, with good jobs, will depend on close collaboration among business, universities and colleges, and government. This is no time for limited or small government any more than it is a time for risk-averse businesses or academia operating in silos. As the old TV commercial used to put it, “together, we […]
Telecom giant Shaw busiest lobbying organization in April
Shaw Communications Inc., the provider of internet and TV services, primarily in Western Canada, was the busiest lobbyist of federal officials in April. The Calgary-based company had 41 communication reports registered for last month, compared to just one in March. The reports showed the company met with several MPs as well as officials from departments […]
National strategy, focus on youth will spark innovation: experts
With a federal government committed to positioning Canada as a global hub for innovation, the “stars are aligned” to establish a national strategy with strong partnerships to meet that goal, Kenneth Knox, chair of federal Science, Technology and Innovation Council, told an audience today at a Hill Times’ panel discussion on “sparking innovation” moderated by veteran […]
Universities key to boosting Canada’s innovation ecosystem
Canada has a world-leading innovation infrastructure. We rank second on the Global Entrepreneurial Index; second on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development list of innovation indicators; and third on the OECD tally of national educational attainment. Twenty-three Canadian universities have been listed among the best 500 in the world, a remarkable showing from a […]
The good news stories in the PBO report on climate change
There is a relatively good news message in the report of the Parliamentary Budget Officer on climate change: there’s not a huge cost to the economy in meeting Canada’s climate change targets, and much of the needed slashing at greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved with existing technology or technology currently under development, and at […]
Canada needs an ‘Own the Podium’ strategy for clean energy
Last week’s signing of the Paris climate accord marks the start of a new age, with huge implications for Canada. The fossil fuels that power the global economy today are entering a permanent—if slow—decline. Gone are cozy assumptions of endless growth in oil exports. Winners in the high stakes global energy market of the 21st […]
