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Montréal, QC – Today the Government of Quebec announced an investment of up to 64.6 million dollars in Mitacs from 2023 to 2027 to fund innovation internships. The purpose of this investment is to foster closer collaboration between the postsecondary sphere and companies, and to promote international exchange.
The announcement was made by Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec’s Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy, and John Hepburn, CEO of Mitacs, at Centech’s offices in Montréal.
The funding is part of the new Stratégie québécoise de recherche et d’investissement en innovation (SQRI 2), which places research and innovation at the centre of the Government of Quebec’s economic vision. The funding will:
- Promote innovation within Quebec organizations, especially SMEs
- Create new partnerships between postsecondary institutions and companies
- Attract and train more talent
- Align the specialized workforce produced by the postsecondary sphere with companies working in key sectors of the Quebec economy
Additionally, the agreement will allow a new generation of Quebec students to gain work experience and refine the professional skills they will need to succeed in the future economy.
Quotes
PIERRE FITZGIBBON, MINISTER OF ECONOMY, INNOVATION AND ENERGY, MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE METROPOLIS AND THE MONTRÉAL REGION
“The best way to embed innovation within companies is to establish a network between them and the higher education sector. By increasing these internships, we will heighten productivity while ensuring we create a highly qualified workforce that can meet the needs of the job market. Research and innovation really are at the heart of our vision to elevate Quebec among the world’s most prosperous economies.”
JOHN HEPBURN, CEO OF MITACS
“Mitacs has been a proud partner of the Government of Quebec for more than fourteen years. Today’s agreement will enable a new generation of students, including postdocs, to contribute to innovation within Quebec companies, especially SMEs. This funding is the most significant provincial investment in Mitacs to date. We are very grateful for the ongoing confidence and support of our partners in Quebec, and we cannot wait to see what we will achieve together in the years to come.”
About Mitacs
Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by resolving business problems with the help of research solutions from postsecondary academic institutions. Mitacs internships are funded by the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada.
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