About us

Department Structure

Science and Innovation Sector (SIS)

Policy Branch (POL)
Program Coordination Branch (PCB)
Industrial Technologies Office (ITO)
Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) and STIC Secretariat
Strategic Planning and Corporate Services (SPCS)

Policy Branch (POL)

The Policy Branch formulates and advocates the Government of Canada's science, technology and innovation policies that advance Canada's economic and social interests, with particular attention to supporting business growth through innovation. The Policy Branch comprises three directorates: the Science and Technology Policy Advice Directorate, which provides policy advice on private-sector science and technology (S&T) issues, coordinates policies and forward planning, and performs economic and statistical research; the External Relations Directorate, which is responsible for policy research and analysis associated with S&T and innovation relations with other governments within Canada and abroad; and the Federal Science and Technology Policy Directorate, which is responsible for advancing horizontal coordination on S&T policies, programs, activities and investments within the federal government and managing the liaison role with the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada. In addition, the Policy Branch manages the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP), a 2-year initiative established as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to provide up to $2 billion in R&D infrastructure projects for post-secondary institutions.

Program Coordination Branch (PCB)

The Program Coordination Branch is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the government’s Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy and for formulating and advocating S&T policies related to higher-education research and development. This includes interfacing with R&D granting agencies within the Industry portfolio such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC); managing the federal contributions to the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Genome Canada and other arm’s-length funding bodies; and working with the universities and colleges that make up the Canadian higher education R&D and innovation system. Three directorates support the work of the PCB: NSERC Liaison, SSHRC Liaison, and Funding Agreements.

Industrial Technologies Office (ITO)

The Industrial Technologies Office is a special operating agency of Industry Canada that advances innovation through repayable contribution investments in research and development (R&D) projects in targeted Canadian industries. The agency delivers the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative and manages projects contracted through the Technology Partnerships Canada program, and the Program for Strategic Industrial Projects.

Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) and STIC Secretariat

The Government of Canada's Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) provides the government with policy advice on science and technology (S&T) and innovation issues, and produces regular state of the nation reports that benchmark Canada's S&T performance against international standards of excellence. The Council reports to the Minister of Industry. The Secretariat is responsible for supporting the general operations of the Council and providing research, communications and administrative services.

Strategic Planning and Corporate Services (SPCS)

Strategic Planning and Corporate Services provides centralized corporate management and administrative services to both the Science and Innovation Sector and the Strategic Policy Sector. On behalf of its clients, the directorate administers sector budgets and finances, manages integrated business planning processes, reports to the Comptrollership and Administration Sector on financial and corporate management accountabilities, and provides direct support to talent management activities, including employee development, HR planning, and recruitment. By doing this, SPCS enables its clients to make sound business and people management decisions and meet their legal obligations.