News — Part 1
Evans Consoles Corporation Recognized as a Canadian Innovation Leader
Posted on Monday, August 22th, 2012
Calgary, Alberta, August 22, 2012 — The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, today announced an investment in Evans Consoles Corporation from the Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program (DTAPP) delivered by the National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) and recognized Evans Consoles Corporation as a Canadian Innovation Leader for its success in developing innovative products and services for the modular console furniture industry worldwide.
"The Government of Canada is investing in science and technology to create good jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians," said Minister Paradis. "In every sector of the economy, digital technologies allow companies like Evans Consoles Corporation to be more innovative, productive and competitive."
Read the full text of the news release on the National Research Council's website.
Minister Paradis Challenges Telecom Industry to Innovate, Create and Thrive
Posted on Tuesday, June 5th, 2012
Toronto, Ontario, June 5, 2012—The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, spoke at the Canadian Telecom Summit today about the Harper Government's measures to enhance competition, increase adoption of digital technology and strengthen Canada's digital economy.
"Canadian companies are world class, and our government is providing the tools they need to succeed," said Minister Paradis. "Together we can capture the potential of the global digital economy. We can create its technology, make the best possible use of its potential and reap its benefits."
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website
Harper Government Bolstering Support for Research, Business Innovation
Posted on Monday, May 16th, 2012
Ottawa, Ontario, May 16, 2012 — The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, delivered a keynote address at the annual Research Money conference today. He outlined the Economic Action Plan 2012 initiatives that are aimed at bolstering the innovation performance of Canadian businesses.
"Canada's long-term economic competitiveness depends on encouraging research that can be commercialized and used to fuel the high-growth companies of tomorrow," said Minister of State Goodyear. "By focusing on the drivers of growth and job creation, the measures announced by our government are strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit of this great country."
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Government of Canada Invests in Innovation, Jobs and Growth in Ottawa
Posted on Monday, May 7th, 2012
Ottawa, Ontario — The Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of State and Member of Parliament for Carleton-Mississippi Mills, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), today announced an investment of up to $1,947,250 that will help three Ottawa-area start-up businesses get their innovative products and ideas to market faster, and create jobs and economic growth in southern Ontario.
The investment will allow these businesses to leverage a total of $3.9 million in additional private sector investments from venture capital and southern Ontario angel investors. These projects are expected to create 40 high-quality jobs in the information technology sector in southern Ontario over the next two years.
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Government of Canada grants funding to Optech Montréal
Posted on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
Montréal, Quebec, May 2, 2012 — The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announces that Optech Montréal has been granted financial assistance for the acquisition of specialized equipment to strengthen its technology transfer capabilities in the area of optics and photonics.
"The Government of Canada is giving another surge to economic growth and job creation with this concrete support to Optech Montréal, a Quebec establishment that is devoted to innovation and is a catalyst for wealth and prosperity," says Minister Lebel.
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Minister Paradis Challenges Canadian Businesses to Lead in the Global Digital Economy
Posted on Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
Stratford, Ontario, April 24, 2012 — Speaking at the Canada 3.0 Digital Media Forum, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, challenged Canadian industry to take risks, invest, think creatively and act boldly to ensure Canada's success in the global digital economy.
"We need a growing information and communications technology sector that drives product and service innovations and propels them into every corner of our economy," said Minister Paradis. "We need to make Canada a world leader in the creation and use of digital technologies. That is where our future lies. To get there we must invest, adapt and innovate."
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Minister of State Goodyear Celebrates 20th Anniversary of OpenText
Posted on Friday, April 20th, 2012
Waterloo, Ontario, April 20, 2012—The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology and for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, was at OpenText Corporation's headquarters today to deliver congratulatory remarks at the company's 20th anniversary celebration.
"OpenText has been a shining example of Canadian innovation for 20 years, not only investing in its future by funding research and developing new products but also serving as an inspiration to companies throughout Canada," said Minister of State Goodyear. "Economic Action Plan 2012 builds on our positive record of achievement to help further unleash the potential of Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs to innovate and thrive in the modern economy."
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Governments of Canada, British Columbia and Ten Municipalities Deliver BizPaL Services
Posted on Friday, April 20th, 2012
Vancouver, British Columbia, April 20, 2012—Starting and running a business in ten British Columbia communities just became easier thanks to BizPaL, an online business permit and licence service that saves time spent on paperwork and helps entrepreneurs start up faster.
Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), together with the Honourable Pat Bell, British Columbia's Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, and George Hunter, CEO of Small Business BC, welcomed the launch of BizPaL in the following communities: the districts of Central Saanich, Delta, Mackenzie and Sechelt; the cities of Langford, Nelson, New Westminster and Port Moody; the Village of Valemount; and the Town of Smithers.
Read the full text of the news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Minister Clement Releases Open Government Action Plan
Posted on Thursday, April 12th, 2012
Regina—The Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for FedNor, unveiled Canada's Open Government Action Plan during a speech at the Regina Chamber of Commerce. Building on the achievements to date, the Action Plan advances the three streams of Open Government: Open Data, Open Information, and Open Dialogue.
"The Government of Canada is committed to advancing Open Government through the implementation of the Action Plan. This plan offers Canadians greater opportunities to learn about and participate in our democratic process, the economy, and government," said Minister Clement.
Read the full text of the news release on the Treasury Board website.
Harper Government Invests in Universities to Create Value-added Jobs through Innovation
Posted on Tuesday, April 10th, 2012
Toronto, Ontario — Seven universities in southern Ontario will soon be using high performance and cloud computing infrastructure for research to help solve the world's most complex problems, including resource management, urban infrastructure, and neurological disorders, thanks to a Government of Canada investment of up to $20 million. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), accompanied by Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament for Barrie.
Read the full text of the news release on the FedDev Ontario website.
Minister of State Bernier Addresses Entrepreneurs at Dauphin IT Forum
Posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), addressed rural Manitoban entrepreneurs at an information technology forum. The event brought government representatives, academics and stakeholders together to discuss solutions to the challenges small business owners face.
"How do we make sure small business is a big success in Dauphin and throughout rural Canada?" Minister of State Bernier asked. "By having the best business environment possible for entrepreneurs to do what they do best: create jobs and wealth for this country."
Read the full news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Minister Paradis and Minister Hamad Co-Chair Economic Development Ministers' Meeting on the Digital Economy Held in Montréal
Posted on Tuesday, March 19th, 2012
Montréal, Quebec, March 19, 2012—The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, and Sam Hamad, Quebec Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade and Minister responsible for the National Capital Region, today co-chaired a meeting at which provincial and territorial ministers responsible for economic development discussed their collective efforts to forge a stronger, more competitive Canadian digital economy.
Harper Government Takes Action to Support Canadian Families
Posted on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, announced that the Harper Government will be taking action to provide Canadian families with more choices at low prices for wireless services.
"The Harper Government understands that Canadian families work hard for their money and that they want their government to make decisions that will help them keep more of it," said Minister Paradis. "The measures I am outlining today will ensure the timely availability of world-class wireless services at low prices for Canadian families, including those in rural areas."
Read the full news release on the Canada News Centre website.
Minister Clement announces Advisory Panel on Open Government
Posted on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
Ottawa—The Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for FedNor, chaired today the first meeting of an advisory panel of leading experts to provide the Government with advice and guidance on its Open Government activities.
This follows the Government of Canada's recent online consultation that sought the views of Canadians on the priority activities that should be pursued as part of the Open Government Action Plan.
Read the full text of the news release on the Treasury Board website.
Jobs and Growth the Priorities as Industry Minister Hosts Pre-Budget Consultations
Posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Toronto, Ontario, January 25, 2012—The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, today took part in a pre-budget round table discussion with business leaders from the information and communications technologies sector. This is one of a series of pre-budget round tables that has also included a stop earlier this month in Montréal. The Minister's primary focus is to engage private sector stakeholders on how best to ensure that Canada's economy continues to produce jobs and growth in a difficult global economy.
"Budget 2012 will maintain our focus on jobs and economic growth while reducing the deficit and returning to balance in the medium term," said Minister Paradis. "Making Canada a world-leading digital economy remains one of my main priorities and will result in our economy becoming more productive and globally competitive."
Cross-country consultations with members of the government will continue in the weeks before Budget 2012, with venues and details to be announced as they become available.
In order to ensure that all Canadians can participate in this process, the government has also launched online pre-budget consultations. Those wishing to make submissions can do so by visiting the Consulting with Canadians web page.
Read the full text of the news release at the Industry Canada website.
Minister Paradis Addresses Annual Conference of the International Institute of Communications Canada
Posted on Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Ottawa, November 29, 2011—Today, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, addressed the Annual Conference of the International Institute of Communications (IIC) Canada, where he spoke of the upcoming spectrum auctions and the review of foreign investment restrictions in telecommunications.
"Our government wants to get the decisions before us right, so that Canadian consumers have access to a wide range of products and services at competitive prices," said Minister Paradis. "Given its importance, and the serious impact this will have on the lives of Canadians for years to come, this is not a decision that I, or this government, will be taking lightly."
Read the full text of the news release at the Industry Canada website.
Government of Canada invests in Canadian business innovation
Posted on Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Ottawa, November 14, 2011—The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, announced an $80 million investment over three years to help accelerate the adoption of information and communications technologies by small and medium–sized businesses. The pilot initiative demonstrates Government support for the digital economy by promoting the adoption and use of digital technologies to foster innovation and productivity and to create jobs and long–term economic growth.
"The Government of Canada is investing in the people and ideas that drive the digital economy," said Minister Paradis. "This new program will help more than 600 small– and medium–sized enterprises integrate innovative technologies into their businesses and create jobs and economic growth."
The Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program will assist Canada's overall productivity and create market growth and opportunity. This Budget 2011 investment in support of Canada's Digital Economy Strategy is the latest in a series of legislative and program initiatives, reflecting the Government's emphasis on the digital economy. It provides a framework to encourage the private sector to adopt new technologies, and to develop the digital workforce of tomorrow.
Read the full text of the news release at the NRC–IRAP website.
Minister of State Bernier Announces Permanent Funding for BizPaL Program
Posted on Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Ottawa, October 19, 2011—The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), today announced that BizPaL is becoming a permanent service available to small and medium–sized enterprise (SME) owners.
"The Government of Canada supports SMEs by putting in place initiatives that enable them and entrepreneurs to continue to grow and create jobs," said Minister of State Bernier. "BizPaL is a concrete example of an initiative designed to cut through the red tape that small business owners encounter."
BizPaL is an innovative and cost-effective one–stop online service that provides simplified access to information on permits and licences that entrepreneurs and small business owners need to establish and run their businesses.
Read the full text of the news release at the Industry Canada website.
BDC earmarks $200 million to help entrepreneurs invest in ICT
Posted on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
Montreal, October 17, 2011—The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) today announced that it is setting aside $200 million for loans to help entrepreneurs gear up with information and communications technology (ICT).
"We now know that ICT has a very real impact on small business productivity, innovation and competitiveness. In fact, much of the productivity problem in Canada can be attributed to insufficient investments in technology," explained Jean–René Halde, BDC President and Chief Executive Officer. "BDC is not claiming that it can solve this problem alone, but we believe that with our support a large number of entrepreneurs can get funds and consulting services to help them better integrate ICT more efficiently in their business model."
"Our government is pleased to announce this initiative as part of its digital economy strategy, which aims to make Canada a global leader. Greater adoption of digital technologies is a key element of our strategy, and their use is an effective driver of productivity and innovation across every sector," said the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry. "We are committed to ensuring that the right conditions are in place for businesses to succeed, as they continue to create jobs and strengthen our economy."
Read the full text of the news release at the BDC website.
Investment by Government of Canada Helps Start–up Company in Barrie
Posted on Friday, September 16th, 2011
Barrie, Ontario, September 15, 2011—gShift Labs, a software company that provides better web search engine rankings for its customers, will further develop its innovative product, thanks to a new Government of Canada investment. The announcement was made today by Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament for Barrie, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
"Our government is committed to making sure the people, businesses and communities of southern Ontario have the tools they need to succeed," said MP Brown. "This investment in gShift will help the company grow and create new jobs."
Read the full text of the news release at the FedDev Ontario website.
Government of Canada Protecting Canadian Consumers and Businesses: Consultations Have Begun on Draft Regulations for Canada's Anti–Spam Legislation and Fight Spam Website Launches
Posted on Friday, August 5th, 2011
Québec City, Quebec, August 1, 2011—The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, today called attention to the regulations pursuant to Canada's Anti–Spam Legislation that were pre–published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on July 9, 2011, for a 60–day consultation period and celebrated the launch of the Fight Spam website. On June 30, 2011, the Canadian Radio–television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) called for comments on its proposed regulations under the Act. The Act will likely come into force early in 2012.
"We are working to make Canada second to none in anti–spam legislation," said Minister Paradis. "This legislation will lead to a safer and more secure online environment, positioning Canada as a leader in the digital economy."
Read the full text of the news release at the Industry Canada website.
Minister Paradis Reaffirms Commitment to Canada's Digital Economy
Posted on Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
Toronto, Ontario, May 31, 2011—In his first public address as Minister of Industry, the Honourable Christian Paradis reaffirmed the Government of Canada's commitment to a digital economy strategy.
"Our government is focused on what matters to Canadians " creating jobs and economic growth," said Minister Paradis. "That is why our government is ensuring Canada has a globally competitive telecom sector that supplies more markets with more innovative and new products and services."
"Our government considers a digital economy strategy to be one of its most important objectives," said Minister Paradis. "One of my first priorities is to sustain the momentum we have achieved to date."
Read the full text of the news release and the Minister's speaking points at the Industry Canada website: News release and speaking points.
Canada's Economic Action Plan supports job creation by investing in small businesses and students
Posted on Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
Montréal, Quebec, March 11, 2011—The Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), together with the Honourable Larry Smith, Senator, today highlighted that the Government of Canada has renewed its investment of $3.5 million to create hundreds of internships for post–secondary students across Canada through Canada's Small Business Internship Program (SBIP).
During 2011, the Year of the Entrepreneur, the Government of Canada has maintained its $3.5 million investment in SBIP to create 400 student internships across Canada for post–secondary students to improve the ICT capacity of SMEs and expose our youth to successful businesses.
Read the full text of the news release at the Industry Canada website.
Minister Clement announces investment to enhance broadband services in Muskoka
Posted on Thursday, February 17th, 2011
GRAVENHURST, Ontario, February 19, 2011—The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for FedNor, announced a Government of Canada investment to improve Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services in the Muskoka region.
"The Government of Canada is working with local organizations such as Muskoka Community Network to establish and expand broadband services that help to create new economic opportunities," said Minister Clement. "Today's announcement is providing communities and businesses in the Muskoka area with the tools they need to compete in world markets, promote tourism and help create jobs."
Muskoka Community Network (MCN) received FedNor funding of $295,000 to support its ongoing operations and implement a Community Atlas Portal.
Read the full text of the news release at the FedNor website.
Minister Clement Celebrates Canadian Research Excellence
Posted on Monday, February 14th, 2011
Ottawa, February 14, 2011—The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, and Suzanne Fortier, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), announced the winners of Canada's top natural sciences and engineering prizes awarded by NSERC.
"Our government is committed to developing, attracting and retaining the world's best researchers here in Canada," said Minister Clement. "We are proud to support NSERC as we honour our country's top natural scientists and engineers, and highlight the many ways in which their work is improving the lives of Canadians and people around the world."
Among the six prestigious prizes given today was the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, a $1 million grant that was awarded to Geoffrey Hinto, a renowned computer scientist from the University of Toronto.
Read the full text of the news release at the NSERC website.
NRC–IRAP invests in home–based telemedicine technology
Posted on Monday, January 24th, 2011
January 21, 2011—The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, along with Terence Young, Member of Parliament for Oakville today announced that patients and caregivers in the region may soon benefit from a new personal, in–home medication technology thanks to an investment in PharmaTrust Inc., an Oakville–based business.
"Our government is pleased to be able to support the inventive work going on at PharmaTrust," said Minister Clement. "Through partnerships like these, we are supporting the development of innovative technologies which not only benefit our Canadian economy, but also help to improve the quality of life for Canadians from coast to coast to coast."
Through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC–IRAP) PharmaTrust Inc. will receive up to $300,000 to develop MedHome, a personal device which will help patients safely and effectively manage their medications. Funding will also contribute to the enhancement of the company's current MedCentre infrastructure which makes use of advanced robotics, scanning and video–conference technology, to connect patients in real–time to a pharmacist in another location.
Read the full text of the news release at the National Research Council's website.
