Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges and Universities for Ontario, details plans to accelerate research and innovation in Ontario to compete on a global scale.
In the southernmost Canadian province of Ontario, advancing research and innovation is high on the agenda. The research sector is a vital source of innovation and commercialisation in the province and is a leading contributor to Ontario’s global competitiveness and productivity.
In May 2024, the Ontario government announced an investment of almost C$200m over the next three years to support the advancement of Ontario-made research and innovation at six leading research institutes. The funding will help keep ideas, expertise and intellectual property in the province and support long-term economic growth.
To find out more about how Ontario is advancing its research and innovation sector, The Innovation Platform spoke to Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges and Universities, Ontario.
How important is innovation in Ontario? What is Ontario doing to accelerate its research and development space?
Ontario is proud to be leading the way in innovation across a variety of vital industries. Our government remains committed to leveraging critical investments that foster an environment where the economy can thrive.
Since 2018, Ontario has invested C$740m in 1,301 research projects through its competitive research programmes, leveraging more than C$1.18bn in funding from federal and third-party contributions.
From 2018 onwards, the Ontario government’s competitive research programme investments have supported the creation of more than 120,000 training opportunities for researchers, and students across the province.
The research investments have contributed to 40,900 publications that were cited more than 557,000 times, 421 patents being granted, 76 spin-off companies being created and 594 new jobs at those spin-offs.
The Ontario government has this year committed to invest almost C$200m in Ontario-made innovation over the next three years. Why is this so important?
Ontario is home to some of the brightest and most innovative minds – and the world is taking notice. This investment will not only lead to growth in Ontario-made innovation on the global market, but it will also create more high-paying jobs in our own backyard. This investment will support Ontario’s research capacity in talent, infrastructure, and operations, which will help train the next generation of skilled workers. This investment also provides funding for basic, applied, and experimental research across disciplines that lead our province to significant scientific breakthroughs.
Not only do these scientific advancements and discoveries improve the lives of Ontarians, but they also transform the lives of people across the globe. Our ministry recognises that, in order to make these profound scientific discoveries, research must be properly supported, and we are proud to do so.
What are the biggest issues that research and development in Ontario is trying to tackle?
Our government is committed to building the Ontario of tomorrow – one with advanced medical care, efficient vehicles, adaptive technology, and so much more so our province can continue to thrive. In light of this, our ministry has identified a few priority areas for innovation. These include life sciences (e.g., cancer, rare diseases); genomics; medical devices; automotive, including electric vehicles (EVs); critical minerals; artificial intelligence (AI), including advanced computing; and quantum technology.
In addition to the priority areas, the government also provides funding for basic and applied cutting-edge research across all fields of inquiry, ranging from STEM disciplines to social sciences, arts and humanities, to ensure both economic and societal benefits to the province.
How important is international collaboration and financial support for Ontario’s innovation space?
Ontario is leading the way in innovation – not only in Canada, but across the globe. Facilitating connections between the post-secondary sector and industry both domestically and abroad is critical to ensuring that Ontario remains a leader of scientific and technological advancement on the global stage. Our strong international relationships also allow us to leverage the knowledge from the brightest minds across the world to improve the lives of Ontarians.
We are working with post-secondary institutions, research institutes, research organisations and industry around the world to foster an innovative environment for a prosperous Ontario.
That said, our government’s priority is to ensure that the social and economic opportunities that result from homegrown innovation benefit Ontarians and the Ontario economy first and foremost.
Canada has recently joined the Horizon Europe programme under Pillar II. What does this mean for Ontario?
Ontario has a strong record of engaging with our European partners to advance critical innovation and research opportunities. We welcome federal engagement with the European Union to further strengthen these endeavours.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 20th edition of our quarterly publication.
