Innovation Superclusters Initiative: Third-Party Quotes

The Innovation Superclusters Initiative will allocate targeted, high-value investments worth a total of $950 million. Industry-led consortia were invited to apply under a two-phase process.

The first phase attracted more than 50 letters of intent, which represented more than 1,000 businesses and 350 other participants from all regions of Canada. The applicants put forward strategies to increase growth and create jobs across a wide range of innovative industries.

“The Innovation Superclusters Initiative will create a competitive advantage for Canada by bringing together high-value innovative industries and world-class researchers to accelerate innovation and energize the economy. The Superclusters Initiative will allow us to scale up our business partnerships by strategically leveraging our cutting-edge research facilities and world-class talent. In the initial stage of the supercluster competition, our research-intensive universities have worked closely with regional and sectoral leaders. We look forward to continuing to build these ambitious partnerships through the supercluster program and beyond.”
– Dr. Guy Breton, Chair, U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, and Rector, Université de Montréal

“All thriving advanced economies are anchored by concentrations of high-growth domestic innovative businesses. These groups of businesses are called superclusters. Canada’s superclusters are sources of high-margin exports and new revenue for our economy. I welcome the efforts by Minister Bains to design a strategic initiative that advances Canadian entrepreneurs and begins a sustained growth of Canada’s innovation outputs.”
– Jim Balsillie, Chair, Council of Canadian Innovators

“The Government’s bold supercluster initiative has advanced and deepened innovation ecosystems in key economic areas of the country. The inclusion of polytechnics and colleges in the supercluster program criteria has laid the ground for new innovation collaborations, as seen by the robust representation of our members in the competitive process for superclusters. The final selection of superclusters will benefit our economy precisely because they will harness polytechnic commercialization and innovation solutions for industry.”
– Nobina Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Polytechnics Canada

“Superclusters bring researchers, students and businesses together in new collaborative ways that will help transform Canada’s economy and improve lives. Harnessing discovery research in partnership with business and civil society creates lasting benefits for Canadians and positions us well in the new global economy.”
– Paul Davidson, President, Universities Canada

“Canadian businesses are eager to invest in promising technology, skills and research partnerships across the country. Thanks to this initiative, a large and growing number of companies, academic institutions and start-ups are exploring new ways of working together.”
– The Honourable John Manley, President & CEO, Business Council of Canada

“The ‘new competitiveness’‎ is all about leadership in transformative technologies and cutting-edge innovation applied to all sectors of the economy. To achieve this, countries need the depth and density of talent, technology and capital that, today, only global superclusters can attract and retain. That is why the Government of Canada’s Supercluster initiative is so pivotal: by creating Canada-based superclusters in various areas, it will boost high growth sectors and new jobs through  Canadian leadership in pathbreaking technologies and business innovation diffusion. Through such a technology and innovation focus, Canada can compete with the world’s best and win.”
– The Honourable Kevin G. Lynch, P.C., O.C., PH. D, LL.D, Vice-Chair, BMO Financial Group; former Clerk of the Privy Council, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Public Service of Canada

“Innovation will be critical for Canada’s future growth and for the prosperity of all Canadians in the coming decade. The Superclusters Initiative is a terrific way for us to consolidate and unleash our capabilities from across the country to accelerate the pace of innovation in key sectors. We believe this initiative will result in the development of new cutting-edge technologies, new businesses and quality jobs. The partnerships already formed as a result of this initiative are promising, and the initial proposals have tremendous potential to generate inclusive growth for Canada.”  
– Dominic Barton, Global Managing Partner, McKinsey