Today's News

Vancouver, BC, February 22, 2023--(T-Net)--Digital Technology Supercluster (recently renamed as Renamed to Digital Global Innovation Cluster) has announced up to $125 million in new funding from the Government of Canada.

The annoncement was made last week as part of an overal $700 million funding announcement to renew support for a number of Global Innovation Clusters.

The Digital Technology Cluster will receive up to $125 million to mobilize Canadian industry to build world-leading digital technologies that will make Canada a global leader in clean, healthy economic growth and see Canadian companies become digital anchor enterprises.

François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that each cluster will receive renewed support to expand its national presence and deepen its impact at home and abroad.

Following a competitive assessment process, based on financial track record and program metrics, other clusters will also be allocated the following funding amounts:

• Advanced Manufacturing Cluster - up to $177 million to support the commercialization of transformative projects that develop, scale up and apply advanced technology solutions in manufacturing, attracting talent and investments from within Canada and around the world
  
  
• Protein Industries Cluster - up to $150 million to facilitate investment in Canada's plant-based food and feed ecosystem and in the creation of new products and services, while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with agricultural production and food processing
  
  
• Scale AI Cluster - up to $125 million to establish Canada as a global hub for artificial intelligence dedicated to business productivity and intelligent supply chains, with Canadian technology setting the world standard and providing a competitive advantage for Canadian businesses
  
  
• Ocean Cluster - up to $125 million to accelerate solutions to address global ocean opportunities, building a stronger Canadian economy and a healthier planet

The clusters have adopted the following common missions: expanding their global presence, collaborating among the clusters to deepen their impact, fighting climate change, building more resilient supply chains, and supporting the growth and scale-up of Canadian SMEs. The clusters will also aim to increase industry co-investment by raising their industry match ratio, which will result in further positive impact on job creation and GDP.

"Since their implementation, the clusters have had positive impacts by fostering collaboration across Canada's innovation ecosystem, supporting hundreds of groundbreaking projects and creating thousands of well-paying jobs. Our government will continue to double down on spurring innovation and strengthen Canada's position as a global innovation leader." said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

Quick Facts

• Budget 2022 confirmed Canada's commitment to the clusters, with an additional investment of $750 million through to 2028, to support the further growth and development of Canada's Global Innovation Clusters, formerly called the Innovation Superclusters Initiative.
  
  
• As of December 2022, the clusters had supported more than 500 projects worth $2.37 billion, involving more than 2,465 partners and generating over 855 patent applications, copyrights, trademarks or trade secrets.
  
  
• Clusters are on track to meet or exceed the overall job creation target of 15,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs by 2023 and 50,000 by 2028.
  
  
• The clusters are also helping to build a skilled and diverse workforce by creating opportunities for women, racialized Canadians, Indigenous communities and other under-represented groups and offering workshops and formalized training in response to industry's need for members of these groups to develop their talent, learn about topics or gain new skills.

A backgrounder document on Global Innovation Cluster projects can be found here.

About Digital Supercluster

Ahead of the curve starts here. The Digital Supercluster is building a better Canada by growing Canadian businesses, creating a digitally skilled workforce and positively impacting lives across our Country. We accelerate the development and adoption of digital technologies that keep Canadians healthy, address climate change and drive economic productivity. Through a powerful combination of co-investment, cross-sector collaboration, IP creation and digital talent development, we unlock the potential of Canadians to lead and succeed in the digital world.