Federal, provincial and territorial innovation ministers work to drive economic growth

Ongoing collaboration will better position Canada to create jobs and compete globally

OTTAWA, Nov. 18, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Canada's federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for innovation and economic development concluded a productive meeting. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to driving economic growth through innovation in ways that create jobs, protect the environment and raise the living standards of all Canadians.

Before the meeting, the ministers met leaders from national Indigenous organizations to discuss ways to protect the environment while promoting economic development. The ministers then received the final report of the Working Group on Clean Technology, Innovation and Jobs, which outlines options for developing clean technologies, accelerating their commercialization and encouraging their adoption. The ministers will provide recommendations to First Ministers for consideration in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Climate Change and Clean Growth.

Ministers met with Canadian Innovation Leaders who held round tables with key stakeholders nationwide this summer to inform the Government of Canada's Innovation Agenda, a plan to drive economic growth through innovation. Sarah Lubik of Simon Fraser University, Elizabeth Cannon of the University of Calgary and Janie Béïque of Fonds de solidarité FTQ presented regional highlights from the public engagement.

The ministers were also provided with updates on ongoing collaborations, including:

• the Council of the Federation's Economic Productivity and Innovation Working Group;
• the Atlantic Growth Strategy, a five-point plan to stimulate the economy in the Atlantic provinces;
• business development among Indigenous communities;
• strategies to scale up high-growth firms to make them globally competitive; and
• initiatives to strengthen innovation networks and clusters, which would drive the commercialization of new technologies and create jobs.

Ministers agreed to establish a permanent federal-provincial-territorial ministerial table with a focus on innovation, economic growth and job creation, which will be co-chaired by British Columbia over 2017-2018. The next meeting will be held in 2017 in Vancouver.

With respect to that table, ministers agreed on a two-year work plan to grow Canada's economy and create jobs. It will focus on:

• company growth;
• Indigenous economic development;
• people/talent;
• clean growth; and
• clusters and leading-edge technologies.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada has made it a priority to collaborate with all orders of government in its mission to drive economic growth through innovation. The Government recognizes that for Canadians to see meaningful results when it comes to creating jobs and raising the living standards of all Canadians, our country must work together. We must call on our nation to think big, aim high and act boldly to make Canada a place of creativity—a place where we can turn ideas into solutions, science into technologies and skills into jobs. That's how we will create well-paying jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it."
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"British Columbia is very pleased to be co-chairing the federal-provincial-territorial ministerial table for the next two years, and we look forward to working with jurisdictions across Canada to drive job creation and economic growth through innovation. We want Canada to be a place where creative, cutting-edge ideas drive our economy and help create sustainable, well-paying jobs and careers."
– The Honourable Shirley Bond, British Columbia's Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour

Associated links

• Canada's Innovation Agenda
• Atlantic Growth Strategy
• First Ministers' Meeting—Vancouver Declaration on clean growth and climate change

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

For further information: Philip Proulx, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, 343-291-2500; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [e-mail]