Executive Summary

The Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC), an agency of Industry Canada (IC), is one of the country's leading laboratories for research and development (R&D) in advanced telecommunications. CRC's vision is one of national leadership in R&D on telecommunications and information technologies. Through our unique expertise and collaborative ways of doing business, CRC is responding to the federal government's goal to increase Canada's innovation capacity and to make information and communications technologies available to all Canadians.

Working within Industry Canada's mandate to help make Canadians more productive and competitive in a knowledge-based economy, CRC's Strategic Plan identifies two overarching goals aimed at turning research into opportunities and outcomes that matter to Canadians.

Goal 1: Innovation Leadership

Develop core competencies in the telecommunications field to maintain a high degree of expertise and knowledge needed to respond to and drive advancements in science and engineering for the well being of Canadians.

Goal 2: Client Support

Carry out R&D for clients requiring expertise in communications technologies and provide technical advice. CRC will continue to provide advice on radio frequency (RF) spectrum use and communications technologies to its parent department Industry Canada. CRC will also continue to support its federal government clients, National Defence (DND), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and others, as well as academia and industry.

In addition, CRC will generate new opportunities for joint research activities that effectively combine resources and knowledge to meet Industry Canada's core strategic objectives: innovation, connectedness, marketplace, investment and trade.

Strategic Priorities

CRC developed six strategic priorities to help meet these goals:

Broadband Access: CRC's Rural and Remote Broadband Access (RRBA) Program will continue to help fill the R&D gap not addressed by industry by finding cost-effective technologies and solutions that will enable and facilitate the deployment of broadband access in Canada's rural and remote areas.

Radio Spectrum: In support of Industry Canada's mandate to regulate radio spectrum, CRC will continue to conduct research and provide technical advice for spectrum allocation and the development of policy and related technical standards.

Internet and Convergence: CRC will focus on predicting and understanding trends and underlying technologies for the convergence of the Internet and other telecommunications and broadcasting technologies. This will allow the Canadian government to make more informed policy and regulatory decisions for the eventual provision of fully integrated services to Canadians.

Network Security and Public Safety: CRC will expand its research in network security in support of a growing need for a secure national network infrastructure and to overcome emerging challenges, such as wireless network security. R&D will also be conducted to rationalize the use of RF spectrum and related communication technologies to improve public safety.

Defence Communications: CRC will continue to provide scientific and technical (S&T) advice to DND in order to enhance the capabilities of the Canadian Forces through advanced communications technologies.

Applications: CRC will continue to provide access to various national and international communications networks used to demonstrate novel broadband applications with potential social and industrial benefits.

In an effort to meet client needs, CRC must also address challenges such as succession planning and campus infrastructure planning — two key elements in building its level of expertise and maintaining its research capacity.

Focused on the Future

Working with our partners, CRC will address these goals and contribute its unique expertise to devise solutions for future telecommunications challenges.

Throughout the years, CRC has focused on research that makes a difference to Canadians. The upcoming years will be no different.