Mitacs pre-budget submission outlines opportunities for R&D investment

VANCOUVER — In response to pre-budget consultations for the Government of Canada’s Budget 2015, Mitacs provided a submission that recognizes the critical links between skills training, research and development (R&D), and innovation.

Mitacs’s submission identifies areas where Canada can leverage its excellent research talent pool to improve innovation performance. Specifically, Mitacs makes recommendations to increase Canadian productivity and global competitiveness in three parts:

1. Support excellence across the research ecosystem, particularly through ongoing investments in research infrastructure.
2. Promote broad student skills development and cross-sector research collaboration through research internships.
3. Champion growth of innovative Canadian companies by promoting their integration into global innovation supply chains.

Targeted investments in R&D, particularly those that strengthen connections across the innovation spectrum, will improve Canada’s economic performance, create sustainable high-quality jobs, and result in long-term benefits to Canadians.

Quote:

Robert Annan, interim Mitacs Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director:

“Canada is well positioned to build on previous research and innovation investments. The pre-budget submission is a chance for Mitacs to share its ideas on how Budget 2015 — through targeted support of R&D initiatives — can build a more productive, innovative, and economically strong country.”

Listen to it here.

Quick facts:

• Canada currently ranks 17th among OECD countries in gross domestic expenditure on R&D, which includes R&D spending by Canadian companies, research institutes, universities, and government.
• Since 1999, Mitacs has built successful, R&D collaborations between universities and companies, through our flagship Accelerate program.
• Three thousand companies have invested over $50 million in R&D through Mitacs Accelerate .

Learn more:

The full submission may be found  on the Government of Canada website or on the Mitacs Publications page. You can learn more about Mitacs and our programs at www.mitacs.ca/newsroom.