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Industry Canada's Strategic Objectives

Industry Canada has identified five strategic objectives for achieving sustainable economic growth and building a world-leading innovative economy². As an agency of Industry Canada, CRC aligns its research objectives with the following:

CRC mainly supports the Innovation, Connectedness and Marketplace objectives, and all have been the subject of a great deal of activity during the past two years. In particular, after extensive cross-Canada consultations, Industry Canada (with its partner Department, Human Resources Development Canada) has articulated a number of targets to ensure Canada becomes one of the most innovative countries in the world during the next decade. CRC also supports trade and investment initiatives within the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. This support includes provision of technical advice and expertise for trade and investment missions.

Innovation is not only the generation of new ideas but also the commercialization of research findings in a timely manner and the adoption of new processes and technologies. CRC, with its ability to 'de-risk' new technologies, can play a valuable role in the innovation chain, positioned somewhere between the basic but perhaps unproven research performed in universities and the requirement by industries to get new ideas to the marketplace quickly.

Connectedness, a key part of an economy based on innovation, provides the required infrastructure and ensures that all Canadians have the means to participate in the creation and sharing of knowledge. One of the major innovation targets is the goal that high-speed broadband access is widely available to Canadian communities by 2005. Industry Canada has made a commitment to invest significant funds to achieve this target.

A fair, efficient and competitive Marketplace requires regulations, policies and standards that instill confidence and inspire investment. New standards and regulations arise from technological advances in sectors, such as telecommunications and information technology, where Canada must actively participate and defend its interests as a member of a world community. CRC plays an important role in this area by providing scientific advice to Industry Canada and by taking part in international technical committees.

² Industry Canada - Making a Difference - Our Priorities for 2002-2003