Announcement of New Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research

Speaking Points

The Honourable Tony Clement, PC, MP
Minister of Industry

Ottawa, Ontario
December 6, 2010

Check Against Delivery

Thank you for the kind introduction. Good afternoon, everyone.

I'm very pleased to join you all for Canada's first Research and Development (R&D) Partnership Conference — Innovation 2010.

As Minister of Industry, I applaud what you're doing here today — bringing together leaders from publicly funded research organizations and private enterprises to talk about ways to bring the brilliant ideas coming out of our labs to the marketplace faster for the benefit of Canadians.

Since taking office, our government has been focused on bridging the gap between Canada's strong research base and the commercialization of discoveries for economic and social benefit. We have invested hundreds of million of dollars to help bring research from the lab and the work-bench to the marketplace. And we have introduced a number of programs, such as National Research Council Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program, the Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program and the Industrial Research and Development Internships program, to name a few.

We are here today to celebrate another such program: the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research.

The Centres of Excellence program is a cornerstone of the science and technology strategy launched by Prime Minister Harper in 2007. The program is aimed at creating world-class centres to advance research and facilitate the commercialization of technologies and services in four priority areas:

• environmental science and technologies
• natural resources and energy
• health and life sciences
• information and communications technologies

By supporting the operating expenses of these centres as well as the cost involved in technology transfer, the program leverages — and this is key — it leverages more private sector investment in R&D. This is an area where our country can do better, and I'm happy to say that the Centres of Excellence program is part of the solution.

With that in mind, over the past three years the Harper government has invested more than $225 million to create 17 Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research.

And this leads me to today's announcement.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am pleased to announce that we are supporting innovation commercialization with a $61-million investment in five new Centres of Excellence. I would like to highlight the work of each new Centre in turn.

First, we are investing in the work of the MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre, located in Bromont, Quebec, and led by Normand Bourbonnais. The Centre will receive $14 million to enhance research training and foster the creation of microelectronic businesses. These companies will build microchips that power Internet networks, sensors in vehicles, medical imaging scans and many more technologies. Let's hear it for the MiQro team!

Second, we are supporting the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine, located in Toronto and led by Dr. Peter Zandstra. The Centre is receiving $15 million to help accelerate the commercialization of stem cell and biomaterial technology development. These high-value products and next-generation drugs will treat the many devastating diseases that affect our aging population. Join me in a round of applause for Dr. Zandstra's team!

Next, at the Centre for Imaging Technology Commercialization and Research in London, Ontario, Dr. Aaron Fenster will benefit from more than $13 million in federal support to focus on commercializing medical imaging innovations such as 3D ultrasound technology, which is now being used to perform cancer diagnosis, determine the right treatments and demonstrate how the brain operates. Dr. Fenster and his team, ladies and gentlemen!

Fourth, Leading Operational Observations and Knowledge for the North (LOOKNorth), which is located in St. John's, Newfoundland, and led by Paul Adlakha, will receive $7 million to help bring to market technologies that are used to monitor conditions in Canada's North and are essential to the development of northern natural resources. How about a hand for LOOKNorth?

And finally, the Wavefront Wireless Commercialization Centre in Vancouver, which is led by James Maynard, will receive nearly $12 million to act as a national resource hub connecting multinational wireless companies, the academic community, investors and wireless associations. This network will increase cross-sector innovation and productivity and expand export opportunities.

Please join me in congratulating the Wavefront Centre and all of today's successful researchers and their institutions.

It is your dedication, your hard work and your collaboration with the private sector that will help drive these investments to their full potential and realize real benefits for real people.

In addition to the Centres of Excellence investment, I am pleased to inform you that $2.8 million from the Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program will be used primarily to launch new projects with small and medium-sized enterprises.

This year, five such projects have been selected, accounting for about half of that funding. They will support improved technology for medical conditions like Alzheimer's disease and neuroendocrine tumours, as well as environmental priorities such as renewable jet fuel.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is through these types of programs that all Canadians can benefit from the incredible work our researchers are performing.

Our government remains committed to supporting innovation from the lab bench to the store shelf. We are investing to create opportunities for R&D because we want Canada to thrive in the 21st-century global marketplace. Innovation is central to a dynamic modern economy and to the creation of great jobs and opportunities for Canadians. Our government is committed to playing a role in supporting our researchers and our firms as they develop the technologies and products of tomorrow.

I look forward to seeing the results from your new Centres of Excellence, and I wish you a successful conference.

Thank you.