Focus on Canada Investment Immigration and Life in Canada: On November 21, during the 2013 Canadian Science Policy Conference held in Toronto, Greg Rickford, Minister of State for Science and Technology, stated that Canada’s investment in the knowledge economy has reached record levels and emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration among the public sector, private sector, and academic institutions for government decision-making.
Rickford stated that since 2006, the Canadian government has invested over CAD 9 billion in the knowledge economy. The direct result of this investment is that Canada ranks fourth in the world in total investment in science and technology, based on absolute value.
Rickford also emphasized the need for all sectors to come together to build a national knowledge-based economy and to create jobs and economic growth through investment in innovative practices, ensuring long-term prosperity for society. He noted that collaboration among the government, private sector, and universities, colleges, and technical schools is driving Canada’s innovation ecosystem, keeping Canada ahead of its competitors and bridging the gap between creativity and the market.
This year’s Canadian Science Policy Conference is the fifth edition, bringing together representatives from Canada and around the world to discuss new policy issues facing science and innovation. The theme of this year’s conference is promoting “Next Generation Science: Fostering Innovation and Creativity,” with key topics including technology trade, private sector R&D, education, new issues in science policy, and technology exchange.
