Speaking Points

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, PC, MP
Minister of State (Science and Technology)

Official Opening of the National Research Council Canada Indoor Air Research Laboratory

Ottawa, Ontario
June 4, 2009

Check Against Delivery

Thank you, Dr. Coulombe. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

It is always a pleasure to acknowledge the start of a new and important venture — to cut the ribbon on innovation and progress. I am delighted to take part in the official opening of this new facility.

I know that investment in science and technology (S&T) projects such as the National Research Council Canada (NRC) Indoor Air Research Laboratory will help improve the respiratory health of Canadians. It is also crucial to create jobs for skilled Canadians.

In this instance, it will improve the long-term competitiveness of the Canadian construction industry and its many suppliers.

The potential benefits of the work at this new facility cannot be overstated. It will help both construction and health experts better understand the impact of indoor air quality on health, especially that of children and adults with asthma.

In Canada, it is estimated that more than three million people have asthma. Statistics Canada reports that 8.3 percent of the population aged 12 and older have been diagnosed at some time with asthma. According to the World Health Organization, Canada has one of the highest prevalence rates of clinical asthma in the world.

Our extreme climate — in summer and winter — is an enormous influence on how we live. We spend almost 90 percent of our time indoors — in homes, offices, schools, factories, shopping malls and other indoor environments. Healthier buildings can only improve our quality of life and might even help extend our life expectancy. The Canadian Lung Association reports that as many as 500 adults in Canada die each year from asthma. If we can detect and document ways to improve the health of childhood asthma sufferers through better indoor air, we offer an immense service to their families. But that's not all. We also offer Canadian companies an enormous competitive advantage in the design, construction and supply of equipment for homes, schools and businesses.

The potential benefits are immense. A recent study published in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy looked at lost productivity due to absenteeism among adults who suffer from asthma in Alberta. There is no doubt that it takes a heavy toll. In that province alone, the estimated cost ranges from $70 to $80 million annually.

The Government of Canada's contribution of $8 million over four years to the NRC's Indoor Air Initiative is a sound investment. May I also congratulate the other partners in this project on their foresight and concern in addressing the all-too-common problem of childhood asthma.

The federal funds are allocated through our Clean Air Agenda, a four-year, $1.9-billion strategy to address the challenges of climate change and air pollution. Our goal is to build a clean and healthy environment for Canadians.

Canadians have always been innovators. We have a long history of creating new products and services — from insulin to the Canadarm. The current government is committed to successfully moving Canadian research and development forward — from early development through to commercialization.

Two years ago, the Prime Minister launched Canada's S&T Strategy. Since then, our government has invested billions of dollars toward the creation of a stronger, more innovative economy through S&T. In the three budgets prior to Budget 2009, the government pledged $2.2 billion in S&T funding. Budget 2009 also provides more than $5.1 billion toward S&T initiatives — one of the single largest investments in S&T to date.

We need to build a competitive advantage for Canada. We need to invest in S&T to ensure that we gain — and maintain — a competitive edge. We need to encourage the growth of highly skilled jobs. We are doing just that through our measures in Budget 2009. And you are doing it right here through this important and innovative research.

My sincere congratulations to the partners and stakeholders in this project and to the research team. My best wishes to the families that are taking part in this research. I look forward to hearing the results and wish you all every success.

Thank you.