Canada and Artemis Accords drive Soviet-era space rules into the 21st century
Finally, after 50 years of relying on broad, Cold War-era rules, Canada and other nations are taking serious steps to establish a modern framework to govern activities in space. Earlier this year, NASA announced the development of the “Artemis Accords,” a set of operational principles to guide the American-led initiative to return humanity to the […]
Aerospace sector looks to government for help as pandemic grounds once high-flying industry
The Canadian aerospace sector and parliamentarians are calling on the government to help the once-mighty industry ahead of the Nov. 30 fiscal update, as the pandemic has slashed revenues, jeopardized jobs, and has cast a dark shadow on the medium- and long-term prospects for a return to some kind of normalcy. But even before the […]
Superclusters’ long-term economic impacts, benefits will only become evident over next few years
The Innovation Superclusters Initiative is a flagship co-investment with private industry in five sectors in which Canada has demonstrated significant competitive advantages: digital technologies, protein industries, next-generation manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and ocean science. These sectors represent the world-leading ecosystems of tomorrow, and will unleash Canadian innovation further and faster through public-private partnerships. The five superclusters […]
Artificial intelligence will underpin Canadian innovation and global competitiveness
Data has been called the oil of the 21st century. And artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and tools are commonly described as the new refineries that will convert the data into value-added products, services and platforms. Globally, it is estimated that, by 2025, there will be over 450 exabytes of digital data generated every day—that’s equivalent […]
COVID-19 will accelerate automation, and we must embrace it
WATERLOO—Over the last decade, the rise of robotics and artificial intelligence has emerged as a critical topic of discussion. By some estimates, almost half of existing jobs could be automated within a generation. Not surprisingly, then, managing this future of work has become a primary concern among the public and policy-makers alike. In 2018, under its […]
Chief science adviser wants position to become ‘part of the fabric of our country’
Canada’s Chief Science Adviser Dr. Mona Nemer says the chief science adviser position should be a permanent fixture within the Canadian government, the strongest statement to date and in line with calls from the science community to enshrine the post in legislation. “We’ve had a very checkered history of science advisers in Canada. We’re a […]
Three ways AI can substantially improve economic analyses
The recent boom in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques has shown their potential to revolutionize our societies, with noticeable advances in applied sciences (automation of transport, health, and interpersonal interaction). However, these powerful tools still have relatively low popularity in the social sciences. How can AI and ML be useful to a […]
Biotechnology Policy Briefing
Contact-tracing app faces big technological problems in urban environments, studies say
A pair of research studies from June suggest there could be serious flaws in the COVID-19 exposure notification app promoted by Canada’s federal government. COVID Alert has been out for nearly one month and has been downloaded by some two million Canadians, according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Digital Service. The app, which is based […]
Feds must act now, or risk losing generation of entrepreneurs
With the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 on the horizon and borders restricted, federal and provincial governments have called for the establishment of domestic supply chains and doubled down on support for Canadian innovations, opening up new procurement opportunities and funding programs. While these efforts will help mid- and large-size companies survive, what […]
