Ontario Canada Agricultural Policy Framework
Science and Innovation

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Funding: Canada - $9.42 million; Ontario - $5.78 million

Advances in science and technology have long been associated with success in Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector. One of the goals of the APF is to make the sector a world leader in innovation. In order to attain this goal, new knowledge and technology must be further developed and more quickly put to use by industry. Science and innovation improve productivity and are key to creating a whole new range of food and non-food products that will garner new markets at home and abroad. To increase Canada's competitiveness in the global marketplace for agriculture based products, we need to stay ahead of the competition and accelerate the pace of science and innovation, which will, in turn, attract even more investment funding and expertise.

The APF emphasizes priority setting, re-aligning investments in science and innovation to support the other elements in the framework, and co-ordinating efforts across governments, the sector and private research institutions to achieve maximum return on investment.

Benchmark studies of how public and private funds are currently invested will be conducted on the way to developing an action plan to achieve this goal.

Canada and Ontario will contribute $450,000 and $400,000 respectively to the Communication and Awareness Initiative to: work with farm organizations and commodity groups to produce communication material outlining the benefits of bioproducts; produce a series of seminars that will build awareness about innovation and business practices in the agri-food value chain; and establish an Excellence in Ag-Innovation Award for youth, researchers and entrepreneurs who develop value-added products.

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Co-ordinating Along the Whole Value Chain

Canada will commit $750,000 to encourage public- and private-sector institutions to align their science and innovation priorities in a manner consistent with the common goals. This funding will help develop a strategy to improve collaboration among and within governments, academic institutions and industry and develop partnerships with non-traditional sectors such as environment and energy.

Canada and Ontario will each provide $625,000 to complete the Soy 20/20 Project, which focuses on moving the Ontario soybean sector towards a comprehensive supply chain that is better able to take advantage of opportunities in life sciences.

Canada and Ontario will also provide $2.34 million and $900,000 respectively toward the MaRS LANDING project, which will foster the long-term networking of bio-clusters among Guelph (agri-food), rural Ontario and Toronto's Medical and Related Sciences (MaRS) Discovery District and provide commercialization process expertise.

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Creating an Innovation Climate

The governments, through the draft Implementation Agreement, will encourage new economic opportunities based on innovative bio-products and knowledge, as well as develop opportunities in priority areas, through such initiatives as:

• promoting business climate policies that will encourage access to capital for development and innovation;
• promoting the establishment of practices in a manner that will facilitate success by Canadian enterprises in new and premium markets;
• supporting mechanisms and infrastructure, including business-mentoring techniques, centres for innovation, incubators and physical infrastructure; and
• encouraging the establishment and growth of research facilities that attract world class scientists and advance innovation in the agriculture and the agri-food sector.

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In support of this initiative:

• Canada and Ontario will contribute $600,000 and $500,000 respectively to alternative renewable fuels research and development.
• The governments will undertake consultations with business, government and academic institutions to develop approaches to the management of intellectual property to better serve the agriculture and agri-food sector.
• The governments will also develop a strategy to increase investment in Canada's agricultural bio-based economy and implement it by June 2005.
• Canada and Ontario will each provide $1 million toward the Bioenterprise Corporation, a private non-profit organization designed to build bio-based businesses and accelerate the commercial success of emerging knowledge-based companies in the agri-food sector. To support start-up agri-food business, Bioenterprise Corporation brings together four interactive networks (research, investment, commercialization and entrepreneurial) and provides assistance in accessing early stage financing.
• Canada and Ontario will contribute $850,000 and $750,000 respectively to the Life Science and Agri-Food Innovation Fund to promote the pre-commercialization research of new technologies in the life sciences and agri-food sector.
• Canada and Ontario will each contribute $100,000 to the Ontario Agri-Food Research and Development Strategy to provide a long-term strategic vision to direct public sector funding, capacity building and co-ordination for agri-food research and development in Ontario.

For more information:

Maurice Bitran
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
(519) 826-4172
Maurice.Bitran@omaf.gov.on.ca

Lynn Pardoe
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
(519) 826-3380
Lynn.Pardoe@omaf.gov.on.ca

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