Meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Innovation and Economic Development

Federal, provincial and territorial  innovation ministers work to drive economic growth
Ongoing collaboration will better position Canada to create jobs and  compete globally

November 18, 2016 – Ottawa

Today, Canada's federal, provincial and territorial  ministers responsible for innovation and economic development concluded a productive  meeting. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to driving economic growth  through innovation in ways that create jobs, protect the environment and raise  the living standards of all Canadians.

Before the meeting, the ministers met leaders from national  Indigenous organizations to discuss ways to protect the environment while  promoting economic development. The  ministers then received the final report of the Working Group on Clean  Technology, Innovation and Jobs, which outlines options for developing clean  technologies, accelerating their commercialization and encouraging their  adoption. The ministers will provide  recommendations to First Ministers for consideration in the Pan-Canadian  Framework on Climate Change and Clean Growth.

Ministers met with Canadian Innovation  Leaders who held round tables with key stakeholders nationwide this summer to  inform the Government of Canada's Innovation  Agenda, a plan to drive economic growth through innovation. Sarah Lubik of  Simon Fraser University, Elizabeth Cannon of the University of Calgary and  Janie Béïque of Fonds de solidarité FTQ presented regional highlights from the  public engagement.

The ministers were also provided with updates on ongoing collaborations,  including:

   
• the Council of the Federation's Economic Productivity  and Innovation Working Group;
   
• the Atlantic Growth Strategy, a five-point plan to  stimulate the economy in the Atlantic provinces;
   
• business development among  Indigenous communities;
   
• strategies to scale up high-growth firms to make them  globally competitive; and
   
• initiatives to strengthen innovation networks and clusters, which would drive the commercialization of new technologies and create jobs.

Ministers agreed to establish a permanent federal-provincial-territorial  ministerial table with a focus on innovation, economic growth and job creation,  which will be co-chaired by British Columbia over 2017-2018. The next meeting  will be held in 2017 in Vancouver.

With respect to that table, ministers agreed on a  two-year work plan to grow Canada's economy and create jobs. It will focus on:

   
• company growth;
   
• Indigenous economic development;
   
• people/talent;
   
• clean growth; and
   
• clusters and leading-edge technologies.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada has made it a priority to  collaborate with all orders of government in its mission to drive economic  growth through innovation. The Government recognizes that for Canadians to see  meaningful results when it comes to creating jobs and raising the living  standards of all Canadians, our country must work together. We must call on our  nation to think big, aim high and act boldly to make Canada a place of  creativity—a place where we can turn ideas into solutions, science into  technologies and skills into jobs. That's how we will create well-paying jobs  for the middle class and those working hard to join it."
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation,  Science and Economic Development

"British Columbia is very pleased to be  co-chairing the federal-provincial-territorial ministerial table for the  next two years, and we look forward to working with jurisdictions across Canada  to drive job creation and economic growth through innovation. We want Canada to  be a place where creative, cutting-edge ideas drive our economy and  help create sustainable, well-paying jobs and careers."
– The Honourable Shirley Bond, British  Columbia's Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training and Minister  Responsible for Labour

Associated  links

   
• Canada's Innovation Agenda
   
• Atlantic  Growth Strategy
   
• First  Ministers' Meeting—Vancouver Declaration on clean growth and climate change

 

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Contacts

 

Philip Proulx
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science  and Economic Development
343-291-2500

Media  Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca