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Innovation Index Gives Ontario Edge as Innovation Leader in Canada

December 20, 2002

Ontario is performing from a base of strength in its transition to a knowledge-based economy, according to the Ontario Innovation Index recently released by the Ontario Science and Innovation Council (OSIC). Using 30 indicators, the report measures all aspects of the province's innovation system, from community awareness and support for science and technology (S&T) to levels of investment to support its infrastructure. It also looks at Ontario's incentives for commercialization and growth, innovative performance and innovation outcomes.

"The purpose of the index is to provide us with an ongoing portrait of Ontario's innovation environment," Dr. Suzanne Fortier, chair of OSIC, said in a press statement. "This allows the province to compare itself to other jurisdictions that are also leaders in science and innovation. We hope this will be a useful tool for government, academia and the private sector to gauge Ontario's strengths and key areas for improvement."

Ontario's base of strength – comprised of tax cuts, educational opportunities, investments in research and development (R&D), and programs that help finance S&T initiatives – gets treatment in the index. The province can improve its performance in areas such as venture capital investments, shortages of qualified science teachers and information transfers from universities to the private sector, and high technology exports, the index states.

Ontario performs well in its level of R&D investments in comparison with other Canadian provinces, according to the index. In 1999, its level of R&D expenditures per capita was tops in the country, and its ratio of R&D expenditures to provincial gross domestic product (GDP) of 2 percent was second only to Quebec. However, the province "is a relative under-performer when compared to jurisdictions such as California, Massachusetts and Michigan," using the same measure of R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP.

On November 5, Ontario's first international summit on innovation, Ontario's Innovation Challenge, Bright Ideas - Brighter Futures, enabled industry clusters to learn best practices from innovation leaders and experts from around the world. The event was marked by the release of a report by the Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress, an independent group to benchmark and measure Ontario's economic performance. Comparing Ontario with other provinces and U.S. states, the task force addresses in their report the challenges the province faces in the Knowledge Economy and offers recommendations in some key areas.

OSIC was created in June 2000 with a mandate to provide government with advice on S&T policy and how to make Ontario more competitive. Both the Ontario Innovation Index and the task force report are available at http://www.ontario-canada.com.

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