Research Excellence Magazine

Health research in Canada has an illustrious and internationally acclaimed track record.

Why should we care?
Each one of us depends on health care that keeps us and our loved ones well, and saves or prolongs our and our loved ones’ lives. This care, on which we rely, does not spontaneously emerge. It comes from research. Today’s treatments are yesterday’s discoveries.

We cannot afford not to care.
Our health research enterprise is inventing the future of the health care on which we, our children and subsequent generations can rely. It works. Rates of illness and death caused by disease have dramatically dropped over the last 20 years. We’re living longer, and better. That’s because we’re discovering the root causes of disease, enabling the creation of better treatments and technologies.

Government Supports Community Jobs and Growth

New funding for leading-edge research to foster innovation at Centennial College

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 19, 2011) - Colleges across the country will be able to purchase tools and equipment for research projects that will improve health care, aid in forest management, provide better water testing and further the use of renewable energy. The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) was at Centennial College today to celebrate the recipients of the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program's Innovation Enhancement (IE) Grants and Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) Grants.

"Our government is focused on completing the economic recovery. These investments will create jobs, improve the quality of life of Canadian families and strengthen the economy," said Minister of State Bernier. "By working in collaboration with colleges, local businesses gain access to new equipment and resources that help them advance innovation at the community level."

Government Supports Innovation in the GTA

Toronto, Ontario —Ten businesses will work with Centennial College to develop new technologies, help conduct research and bring ideas to market, thanks to an investment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), celebrated the collaborations between Centennial College and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Visual Tour of Centennial Science and Tech Centre

The Applied Research and Innovation Centre, located at Centennial College’s Morningside campus, opened its doors in 2004 with funding received from an Ontario Innovation Trust infrastructure grant. Since its inception, the Centre has worked to foster a culture of research and innovation throughout the College community by supporting faculty and staff research projects and work with Ontario Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to help design, develop and launch market-ready solutions in partnership with Centennial’s faculty, staff and students.

Colleges Bring Market-Pull Innovation to Canada SMEs

Collaborations in applied research between Ontario (Canada) colleges and businesses are stimulating new R&D activity and spending by businesses—
and leading to actual innovations— that would not have occurred without college expertise and funding, according to a study by The Conference Board of Canada.

Moreover, the Board reports, “Ontario colleges are helping businesses and other organizations create new and improved products, services, and processes much more quickly, and with greater quality, than they otherwise would have been able to achieve without college support.” Currently, 20 out of 24 publicly funded colleges in Ontario incorporate a network of innovation centers called CONII–Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation (http://www.conii.ca). The centers provide one-stop assistance for innovators. Their unusual innovation model was described to CIMS Sponsors at their Fall 2010 meeting by Trish Dryden, AVP Research and Corporate Planning at Centennial College, one of CONII’s founding colleges.