NRC Annual Report 2001-2002

Prince Edward Island – a roadmapto the futureNRC co-led an initiative with the Atlantic CanadaOpportunities Agency (ACOA), the province, anduniversity and private sector partners to assessopportunities for P.E.I. to translate its economicstrengths in primary resources into a sustainablebioresources technology cluster. The BioresourcesTechnology Roadmap was completed in March2002. The exercise considered over 100 opportunityareas and recommended a focus on bioactivecompounds from marine and other sources whiletaking into account regional strengths and asustainable development context. The steeringcommittee commissioned supplementary reportson receptor capacity in Atlantic Canada and on thebioresource inventory in P.E.I. This exercise workedto bring the Atlantic community together around acommon vision for the growth of the bioactivestechnology cluster. The next steps in the processwill be to refine the research opportunity for thecluster, develop a business plan, identify aHighlights of communityinnovation initiatives• Ocean and marine technologies – St. John’s –creating new opportunities for this industry sectorlocally, regionally and nationally• Life sciences and marine biosciences – Halifax –building on community strengths and integratingplayers in these emerging fields• IT/e-Business – Fredericton, Moncton, Saint Johnand Sydney – integrating regional strengths tobuild a world-class IT/e-Business cluster• Aerospace manufacturing technologies –Montréal – assisting the SME community inCanada’s largest aerospace cluster• Advanced aluminium technologies –Ville Saguenay – building value-addedmanufacturing in a region housing 95 percentof Canada’s aluminium players• Photonics – Ottawa – supporting the emergingworld-class high-tech cluster in photonics andbuilding on Ottawa’s vibrant IT cluster• Medical devices – Winnipeg – building a clusterin precision and virtual manufacturing of medicaltechnologies• Crops for enhanced human health & nutraceuticals –Saskatoon – building new dimensions for this worldleadingagro-biotechnology cluster• Nanotechnologies – Edmonton – building Canada’sR&D capacity, infrastructure and programs• Fuel cells – Vancouver – supporting the developmentof a world-class cluster in fuel cell and alternativeenergy technologies.community champion, and create an AtlanticCanada Bioactives Cluster Network.To support further growth of innovation capacity inthe province, NRC has established an NRCInformation Centre and is expanding its NRC-IRAPand CTN presence. Negotiations were underway atthe end of the year to lease long-term space inCharlottetown to house NRC’s increased activities.Nova Scotia – life sciences, marinebiosciences and ITThe Greater Halifax region is emerging as one ofthe “smartest” and fastest growing research centresfor life sciences in Canada. Life sciences are one ofthe province’s most dynamic industries, expandingat more than double the national rate.To support this dynamic sector and help strengthenthe region’s innovation capacity, NRC has begun toincrease its R&D capacity in genomics, proteomics,bioinformatics and advanced imaging, allocating$15 million to NRC-IMB. Work also began on an IPFfor the institute to increase technology transfer andcommercialization strengths. In partnership withDalhousie University, the Queen Elizabeth II HealthServices Centre, and the Halifax medical community,NRC-IBD and NRC-IRAP completed plans for astrong R&D and business presence at the new brainrepair centre in Halifax. NRC’s key contributionswill be the installation and operation of a functionalmagnetic resonance imaging system and theestablishment of fundamental R&D infrastructureand capability for the centre. As well, the LifeSciences Development Association (LSDA), establishedin 2000-2001, elected a permanent boardand formed new executive and steering committees.The LSDA is vital to the integration, planning,cooperation and governance of the entire lifesciences community effort. NRC-IMB co-chairs theLSDA and NRC-IRAP is on the steering committee,contributing to LSDA outreach, networking andcommunications activities.35C o m m u n i t yS C I E N C E A T W O R K F O R C A N A D A