Canadian Government Rewards Collaborative Tech Groups for Team Projects

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Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains announced the groups chosen for up to $950 million in Canadian funding for AI technology, among other scientific ventures.

In what the government calls a jobs creation effort to incentivize companies to work together, Canada will invest $950 million over five years into five “supercluster” groups in industry, including one that focuses on AI-powered supply chains. The AI investment will benefit retail, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.

The Trudeau government plans to put the remaining funds into the four following clusters:

◆︎Advanced manufacturing supercluster. The goal of this Ontario-based bid is to drive collaboration between the tech and manufacturing sectors, using technologies like Big Data, intelligent machines and the so-called “internet of things” to scale up production and improve efficiency.
◆︎Digital technology supercluster. This British Columbia-based consortium aims to boost competitiveness in precision health, manufacturing and resource and environment technologies by advancing data collection, analysis and visualization.
◆Ocean supercluster. This Atlantic Canada-based finalist aims to maximize the potential and sustainable development of the ocean economy. It would invest in digital technologies for industries such as aquaculture, fisheries, offshore oil and gas and clean energy.
Protein innovations supercluster. The Saskatchewan bid would harness technologies to help Canada become the world leader in supplying plant-based proteins and related products.

More than 1,000 businesses participated in the nine-month process, which was narrowed to 50 applicants, then nine finalists. The Economic Development Minister, Navdeep Bains, said he believes the program will be a “job magnet” for the region.

Bains has said he was looking for bids that would promote research, create high-quality jobs and feature intellectual property strategies structured to keep benefits for Canada.

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