SASKATOON — A senior federal official visited Saskatoon on Feb. 18 to promote new research funding and court Saskatchewan’s growing tech sector.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry Kareem Bardeesy braved the snowy weather to meet and listen to presentations by some of Saskatchewan’s tech developers, as part of the federal government’s work to encourage promising entrepreneurs and strengthen the country’s innovation economy and booming tech industry.
Bardeesy visited the University of Saskatchewan, where he met with president and vice-chancellor Dr. Vince Bruni-Bossi, and toured Saskatchewan Polytechnic, focusing on the province’s critical role in boosting Canada’s research excellence and workforce development. He ended the trip by listening to four presentations by the U of S’ startup entrepreneurial incubator, Opus.
He said that his meetings and tour gave him a first-hand look at the province’s potential for new sources of economic growth and new ways of applying research, adding that the university has a lot of innovative projects, and the people producing them are well-versed on the problems that need solutions with the use of technology.
Bardeesy added that it is important for the federal government to be as visible and present in the Prairies, highlighting Ottawa’s commitment to helping Saskatchewan’s innovation and technology sector grow, arguing that federal investments in research, talent and infrastructure will translate into long-term economic gains for the province and the country.
“Saskatoon is a very innovative city, in a very innovative province, with people who come from all over the world to support and build on the innovations that have come out of here over generations. We want to stand beside you as you develop innovations that can solve local problems and national challenges alike,” said Bardeesy.
He also mentioned Rural Development Secretary of State Buckley Belanger, who is the Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River MP, as a strong voice for Saskatchewan in Parliament and an advocate for Saskatchewan’s innovation economy, which will benefit from close collaboration between Ottawa and local leaders through federal policies that can help turn Prairie-based research into commercial success.
Bardeesy discussed the federal government’s $1.7-billion Talent Attraction Strategy, a landmark initiative designed to attract the world’s top researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to Canada in leading and emerging fields such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, life sciences and clean energy.
Under the program, U of S is eligible to receive up to $6 million annually to help attract and retain researchers. He also pointed to the new $400-million Research Infrastructure Fund, administered through the Canada Foundation for Innovation, which will support the development of research labs and facilities nation-wide.
He noted Saskatoon’s growing reputation as a Prairie technology hub, with global companies such as Siemens already having a presence in the region, and said Parliament is working to make scientific research tax credits more accessible so entrepreneurs and companies investing in research can receive stronger support to continue with their work.
“We are also investing more in the scientific research being done at universities so that we have more innovations coming out of the research enterprise, andI think it's very important at a time when some countries are turning their backs on research that we are very much embracing it and seeing that as part of the economic future,” he added.
Bardeesy highlighted how Saskatchewan institutions are applying advanced technology to local economic needs, including mining, agriculture and veterinary science, calling the practical focus “very impressive” and tying research and innovation to national security, referencing recent federal announcements on defence industrial policy.
“I actually attended, a few months ago, a defence tech hackathon in Toronto that was all about solutions to help Arctic and northern security be done better. We know we can't patrol the entire Arctic and the north with just the humans we have. We know we can't defend our sovereignty just with the people and technology we have. So, we need innovations,” said Bardeesy.
He added that the presentation by Novigrad Technologies co-founder Christopher Elash is an interesting project that could help the country’s defence industrial policy, as recently announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney, by bringing new research ideas into the defence sector. One Health Medical Technologies president Amanda Zimmerling, PathoScan Technologies co-founder Ethan Done, and TrakPoint AI founder Jay Shah were the other Opus presenters.
The visit also focused on youth employment and on strengthening ties between post-secondary institutions and industry, as the federal government seeks to ensure that Saskatchewan graduates can build technology careers in the province or in the country.
