Statement by the Honourable Greg Rickford on the Council of Canadian Academies' Report on Industrial R&D in Canada

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 28, 2013) - The Honourable Greg Rickford, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today issued the following statement:

"I would like to thank the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) and its expert panel for their work in analyzing the state of industrial research and development (IR&D). The report identifies our country's areas of strength and provides a good review on industry patents and publication patterns in Canada. Our government will continue to look at using Canada's strong R&D opportunities to deliver jobs and growth for all Canadians. We look forward to reviewing this report in more detail.

"Science and technology are key drivers of innovation, which is crucial to the standard of living of all Canadians. That is why our government is strengthening support for business-driven R&D. By enabling Canadian companies to become more innovative and realize the commercial potential of their research, we are helping to build on our successes while supporting more businesses, creating high-quality jobs and securing the long-term prosperity of Canada. Private sector leadership will be vital to further leveraging our country's potential in R&D.

"This report complements a previous CCA report, State of Science and Technology in Canada, which was released in September 2012 and focused on the public and not-for-profit sectors. Together, these reports, and other key reports, including the Expert Panel Review of Federal Support on Research and Development, provide comprehensive evidence on science and technology performance in Canada.

"Since 2006, our government has made significant investments in both discovery-driven and sustainable business-focused R&D because we understand the pivotal role innovation, science and technology can play to strengthening our economy and bettering our communities."