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OTTAWA – Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains has named five technology groups that will each get a piece of up to $950 million in what the government calls its “superclusters” initiative, a high-tech collaboration strategy aimed at fostering growth and creating jobs.
We are thrilled to be named one of the@ISED_CA#Superclusters!! The federal government and private sector's co-investment in the Ocean Supercluster positions Canada to become a global leader in the ocean economy.#cdninnovationhttps://t.co/HkfUtFKq3X
— Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (@CanadaOSC)February 15, 2018
The supercluster concept is designed to bring together small, medium-sized and large companies, academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations to generate forward-looking, job-creating ideas and innovation.
“What is a supercluster? It is a made-in-Canada Silicon Valley that will create tens of thousands of jobs – that’s what a supercluster is,” Bains said Thursday as he unveiled the winners in Ottawa.
“It’s about collaboration as well. Look at this room – we have academia, business, you have small business and large business, and we have government – working together, promoting collaboration, supporting our supply chains and also developing and nurturing skills and knowledge and making sure that we pass that knowledge
from one generation to another.”
READ MORE: Ottawa names Atlantic consortium as first of nine shortlisted ‘superclusters’
The government is planning on not only a stronger, innovation-driven economy as a result of the initiative, but at least more than 50,000 jobs, he added.
Thursday’s announcement ends a nine-month contest central to the Liberals’ so-called innovation agenda.
Last fall, the government narrowed a field of about 50 applicantsto nine finalists.
As part of Advanced Manufacturing#supercluster,#WesternU applauds Canada’s commitment and continued investments in world-class#researchhttps://t.co/Y4QVJt7eUJ@NavdeepSBains#cdnpoli
— Western University (@WesternU)February 15, 2018
The money will be distributed over five years to the winners, which will be required to match the federal funding they receive, dollar for dollar.
The Liberals faced criticism over their plan, including concerns over the government picking winners and losers, but Bains defended it by saying the superclusters will be led by industry.
The government hopes the leverage from its $950-million commitment will help unlock business investment in research and development as a way to lift the economy.
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