Ontario's Innovation Plan

Ontario's Innovation Agenda

McGuinty Government Investing In Research And Innovation To Create Jobs

    TORONTO, April 29 /CNW/ - A tax exemption that encourages businesses to
bring the research of universities and colleges to market and a 45-day service
guarantee on the $1.15 billion Next Generation of Jobs Fund are two key
pillars of Ontario's innovation agenda, which was unveiled today in Ottawa.

    Supported by close to $3 billion in spending over eight years, the agenda
builds on the strength of Ontario's creative environment, diverse culture,
highly skilled workforce, world-class educational system and internationally
recognized research community.

    Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson presented the guiding
principles for Ontario's innovation agenda today. It includes:

    -   Government acting as a catalyst for innovation and commercialization
        - and committing the necessary resources to do this effectively
    -   Investing significantly in peer-reviewed research excellence that
        will create jobs, a cleaner environment or better healthcare for
        Ontario families
    -   Focusing government investments on research and industries where
        Ontario has a global competitive advantage
    -   Streamlining and modernizing government programs and processes to
        move faster - at the speed of business, and
    -   Partnering with business to better communicate Ontario's research
        strengths and innovation success stories to the world.

    The innovation agenda is a key driver of the government's five-point plan
for Ontario's economy that is investing in skills and education, accelerating
provincial investments in infrastructure, lowering business costs and
strengthening key partnerships to maximize Ontario's potential, as well as
supporting innovation.

    QUOTES

    "Ontario's innovation agenda is a fundamental part of Ontario's
five-point economic plan, which will help us sustain the high quality of life
that we enjoy today - and create the high-value jobs of the future," said
Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson
(http://www.mri.gov.on.ca/english/about/MinisterBio.asp).


    "We're proud to have a long history of innovation in Ontario - pioneering
researchers and business champions have brought the world revolutionary
products like the BlackBerry (http://www.blackberry.com/) and the Canadarm
(http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/exploration/canadarm/default.asp). Today we're
sending the message to researchers and companies around the world that if
you've got an innovative project that will build on our research strengths and
create jobs, we'll make it happen in Ontario," said Madeleine Meilleur, MPP
for Ottawa-Vanier (http://www.madeleinemeilleur.onmpp.ca/en/index.htm).





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    LEARN MORE

    Learn More about Ontario's Innovation Agenda
(http://www.mri.gov.on.ca/english/default.asp)

    Learn More about Ontario's Next Generation of Jobs Fund
(http://www.ontario-canada.com/ontcan/en/nextgen_main_en.jsp)

    Learn how Ontario's Budget 2008 (http://ontariobudget.ca/english/) is
supporting innovation
http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2008/04/29/c2487.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html