Canada’s research ecosystem makes recommendations ahead of the upcoming federal budget, part 1

On August 7, the deadline closed for submissions to the pre-budget consultations process ahead of the 2021 federal budget, and Canadian organizations have been publishing their recommendations and suggestions. Here are selected highlights from the submissions by members of Canada's innovation ecosystem, with more to come as they are made public.

1. The Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) is calling on Ottawa to adopt the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF), a tool for securing digital identities and facilitating digital transactions that would be anchored in the public sector and leveraged by businesses. Introduced in 2016, the PCTF is designed to help governments and businesses participate in the global digital economy through ”modernized digital service delivery.” They also want the Digital Technology Supercluster to play a role in funding and integrating digital ID.

2. Universities Canada emphasized the need to recruit and retain more international students by strongly signalling they are welcome to Canada and by investing in processes and coordination to make it easier for them to come. Since COVID-19 is reducing the number of international students — who collectively contribute a $21.6-billion impact on the Canadian economy — Universities Canada wants Ottawa to create a back-stop to offset lost revenue. The organization also proposed the creation of “non-taxable training vouchers” for those who’ve lost jobs in the pandemic, as well as other investments in re-skilling and up-skilling.

3. The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) wants the federal government to address the issue of lengthening wait times for medical imaging due to COVID-19 through a $1.5 billion investment in equipment, infrastructure and advanced technologies. To that end, they propose the creation of a National Imaging Data Institute that would “harness AI as a force multiplier” for healthcare. Achieving efficient integration of AI will require the federal government to take the lead on setting standards for the interoperability of AI systems.

4. Polytechnics Canada argues that applied research is a ready-made solution to help enterprises affected by the pandemic to ”re-tool, ramp-up and re-enter” the marketplace. But instead of channelling most of that funding through NSERC, Polytechnics Canada wants the federal government to take a region-specific approach by creating Economic Recovery Hubs that would be hosted by the Regional Development Agencies. Supported by local innovation intermediaries (like polytechnic institutions), SMEs would be able to make immediate and long-term improvements through tools like financial incentives for collaboration and direct funding vouchers for innovation activities.

5. The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) is seeking $200 million for a Plastic Technology Innovation Fund (PTIF) that would be operated by Natural Resources Canada. They also propose that the SR&ED investment tax credit be raised from 15% to 20%. CIAC wants all taxation of investment support programs to end across the provinces, and says that the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance should be extended to 2030.

6. Positioning the forestry sector as the greenest workforce in Canada and the country’s largest employers of Indigenous peoples, the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) wants Ottawa to help the industry take a leading role in the economic recovery by accelerating the implementation of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers' (CCFM) Forest Bio-economy Framework, which would create the conditions to “accelerate innovation, improve competitiveness, and further strengthen Canada's environmental performance.”

7. Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) proposes that the innovative pharmaceutical industry can play an active role in the pandemic recovery if the federal government suspends changes to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) that would drastically reduce the prices of prescription medicines. IMC is also seeking financial support for the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) One-Health Network and the Canadian Antimicrobial Innovation Coalition (CAIC) to address the growing public health threat of AMR.

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