2010-11 Highlights

The 2010-11 year has seen the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) take action on several fronts to encourage greater collaboration between those who conduct science, those who put it into practice and those who reap its benefits.

“I can say that your dedication, your hard work and your eagerness to collaborate with the private sector will help drive these investments to their full potential and realize real benefits for real people.”

Hon. Tony Clement, (former) Minister of Industry, at Innovation 2010

One of the highlights this past year was the NCE’s annual conference on innovation and competitiveness. This was the first time the NCE partnered with ACCT Canada and Federal Partners in Technology Transfer to hold this prestigious event, which attracted more than 500 delegates from industry, academia and government.

This groundbreaking summit highlighted Canada’s success in building the partnerships, networks and tools that are accelerating knowledge mobilization and commercialization to bring brilliant ideas to the marketplace faster. It provided an opportunity for Canadian leaders from the public and private sectors to share best practices, successes and challenges in critical areas such as production incubation, technology transfer and knowledge mobilization.

Innovation 2010: (Left) Jean-Claude Gavrel (NCE), Aaron Fenster (CImTeC), Charles Randell (C-Core), Peter Zandstra (CCRM), Jim Maynard (Wavefront), Chad Gaffield (SSHRC), The Honourable Tony Clement, former Minister of Industry, Normand Bourbonnais (MIC2) and Suzanne Fortier (NSERC).

Other highlights from the past year included:

  • A 17 percent increase in the number of private and public sector partners.
  • A 25 percent increase in cash and in-kind financial contributions from partners
    (contributions from industry increased 88%).
  • Three new NCEs launched operations.
  • ArcticNet renewed until 2018.
  • Five new CECRs awarded.
  • Two BL-NCEs awarded additional funding to support participation of SMEs.
  • Nine applicants invited to submit full applications for new NCEs.
  • Launch of NCE-Knowledge Mobilization (KM) initiative.
  • IRDI program expands with Connect Canada approval.