Among G7 countries, Canada places last in terms of developing technology fast and getting it to market, and "very low in the OECD in terms of stimulating industrial R&D," according to Arvind Gupta, CEO of Talent Innovation Canada (TICAN).
But that could soon change. TICAN, a not-for-profit organization that connects university graduate and post-doctoral students with companies, recently received $29.2 million over three years, as the federal government fulfilled a commitment made in its fall 2024 economic statement.
Dr. Gupta, a computer science professor at the University of Toronto (U of T) and a former president of the University of British Columbia, told University Affairs that he expects that the federal investment will support about 300 projects at universities across Canada. The bulk of the projects are just getting underway, after funding began rolling out in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
"We know that we have to accelerate advanced technology development and do a better job at exporting advanced technology to the world," he said.
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