George Brown College's Submission to Expert Panel on Federal Support for R&D

The George Brown College Submission to Expert Panel on Federal Support for R&D is available in full here. Our submission was developed in consultation with our Innovation Advisory Board. A summary of our most important recommendations is as follows:

• The government should support the full range of R&D and innovation activities as defined by the OECD. 
• A Canadian innovation strategy is needed to support business innovation. This strategy should include leveraging post-secondary institutions (PSIs) for innovation support and access to R&D equipment.
• Government should support clusters to support firms. Orient marketing, outreach and funding programs to the needs of industry and foster greater complementary linkages among all PSIs. 
• Expand the definition of highly qualified personnel and implement Conference Board of Canada recommendations on developing national innovation education requirements and linkages. 
• Continue and expand the suite of programs under the College and Community Innovation Program umbrella.
• Streamline application processes and forms, encourage complementary PSI business innovation supports, and reduce overlap and increase cooperation among federal and provincial agencies. 
• Provide an “any point of entry” contact point for all involved in supporting business innovation.

We look forward to the final recommendations of the Panel.