Thank you, Mr. Ciobanu, for that kind introduction, and thank you to the NRC team for hosting us here today. It's a pleasure for me to be with you this morning to deliver on our government's budget commitment and launch an exciting, new tool for small and medium-sized Canadian businesses.
Canada's culture of science, technology and innovation is vibrant and flourishing. In fact, a report released last fall showed that our science and technology enterprise is healthy, growing and recognized around the globe for its excellence. Authors of the world's top-cited scientific papers were surveyed for the report, and they ranked Canadian S&T fourth in the world, behind only the U.S., the U.K. and Germany—something I'm sure we can all agree Canadians can be proud of.
And, folks, that is not fourth on a per capita basis or as a proportion of GDP. That is an absolute score. Clearly, Canada is punching well above its weight in scientific expertise and is positioned to be a world leader in research and development.
We all know that scientific curiosity leads to discoveries, increases our wealth of information and inspires us to change how we see and do things each and every day.
And so much of that great discovery-oriented research is being done here in Canada. We continue to lead the G7 in higher education research and development investment as a share of our GDP.
Coming from a health sciences background, I have personally witnessed the benefits of these investments, and our government continues to make science, technology and innovation a priority.
Why? Because we know that scientific curiosity and innovation lead to the kinds of discoveries that will not only improve our quality of life but also strengthen the long-term prosperity of our communities.
Our country's long-term economic success depends on smart, innovative companies that create the high-quality jobs Canadians strive for and the products and processes we all desire to improve our standard of living.
And our country's small and medium-sized enterprises do a lot of the heavy lifting in this regard.
They are the backbone of our economy and the engines of growth in our communities, accounting for 98 percent of all businesses in Canada and 80 percent of our economy's new jobs over the past four years.
Folks, in short, their success is our success.
But it is also true that SMEs often don't have the resources to realize their true potential as drivers of innovation. This is no secret to anyone in this room.
Studies have repeatedly shown that Canadian SMEs lack the time, money and expertise to thoroughly conduct what could be extremely important for growth, productivity and job creation—that is, research and development.
Our government heard their cries for help, and we answered the call.
We set up an independent panel to identify the source of the innovation gap in Canada with the primary goal of unleashing Canadian SMEs' untapped potential for productivity and growth. We asked ourselves a tough question: If Canada is indeed a global leader in science, technology and innovation investment and is attracting some of the world's leading experts in their fields, why aren't Canadian businesses using the tools available to them to increase their productivity?
Folks, on behalf of all Canadians, we wanted answers.
This important effort became known as the Jenkins panel, led by Tom Jenkins, chairman of OpenText. The panel found that the process for SMEs to find—and leverage—relevant innovation support takes too long and is far too complex.
The panel therefore recommended that a national concierge service be developed to provide a one-stop shop for SMEs to gain easier access to the wide range of services already available. This way, they can spend their time on what really matters: ensuring their growth and taking their businesses to the next level in today's global economy.
And today, in direct response to that recommendation, I am proud to officially launch the Concierge Service—a single access point where any SME looking to innovate and grow can find professional and timely advice.
This new service will be administered through the National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program—or IRAP for short—because of its significant experience and strong track record in delivering support to Canadian entrepreneurs.
IRAP is an integral part of Canada's innovation system and is regarded worldwide as one of the best programs of its kind.
It engages in cost-shared research and development projects with its clients, who are ultimately better equipped to perform basic R&D, commercialize new products and processes, and access new markets.
It is this wealth of expertise and experience that makes IRAP the ideal choice to deliver the Concierge Service.
Whether delivered online, by phone or in person, the service will immediately provide customized referrals to a huge network of public partners and programs.
The Concierge Service will continuously grow and evolve to adequately meet the needs of SMEs and will progressively widen its range of services, moving from strictly funding-related support to include expert business advice and access to facilities and equipment.
Folks, this new service is just one example of how our government is encouraging greater collaboration between the public and private sectors to bolster our support for innovation and therefore strengthen our economy.
That is why Economic Action Plan 2013 introduced new measures worth $466 million to take business innovation to the next level.
This included transforming the NRC into an industry-focused research and technology organization to more adequately meet the needs of Canadian firms in business R&D.
It is also why we continue to engage with Canada's leading scientists, academics, entrepreneurs and business leaders. We want to make sure that our science and technology framework and support remain relevant to all players in Canada's innovation ecosystem.
I know that small businesses don't always have the resources to pursue much-needed research. But I also know that with the right tools and support, like the creation of the Concierge Service we're highlighting today, we are helping our small and medium-sized businesses grow and create jobs while ensuring the long-term prosperity of our communities.
I invite all of you—all of our SMEs—to take full advantage of this tool so you can take your businesses to the next level.
Canadians are counting on you.
Thank you.
