Budget 2011 has strong support for applied research, complementarity

Budget 2011 includes many measures that will strengthen Canada's capacity to compete by leveraging the college and polytechnic applied research layer of the Canadian innovation system. I'll post details and analysis later, but for now here is a highlight:

• Strong focus on investments in education and R&D, following leading OECD indicators
• $80M in new funding for IRAP to link businesses with colleges
• $37M each year ongoing for the Tri-Council
• $10M for Indirect Costs
• Most significantly: Supporting 30 new Industrial Research Chairs at colleges with $3 million in 2011–12 and $5 million a year on a permanent basis starting in 2012–13.
• Allocating $12 million over five years, starting in 2011–12, through the Idea to Innovation program to support joint college-university commercialization projects.
• Good support for international applied research through a Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence, linked to an international education strategy
• Digital Economy strategy supports, including for business innovation and content creation