Federal Budget 2017-2018: Canada committed to innovation and entrepreneurship

MONTREAL, March 22, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Reacting to the federal budget 2017-2018 presented today, Alliance numérique welcomes the government's vision in support of innovation and digital technologies.

"With this new budget, the Government of Canada is demonstrating its commitment to our industry. There is a real understanding of the issues and especially the potential linked to the emancipation in the fields of creativity, digital technologies and innovation in general. The measures announced today will serve as levers for these important vectors of economic development in our society, "said Catherine Émond, Alliance numérique Executive Director.

Concrete measures to foster creativity and innovation
We are confident that several actions within this budget will have significant impacts on the development of the digital industry, notably:

• Investments of $ 527 million to stimulate innovation;
• Investments of $ 753 million to support skilled labor;
• The creation of Innovation Canada, a new platform that will act as a one-stop shop and simplify support for Canada's innovators and entrepreneurs;
• An additional financial support of $ 400 million in venture capital to innovative businesses through the Business Development Bank of Canada;
• $ 50 million investments over two years to support organizations delivering digital skills training, including coding, from kindergarten through high school;
• Particular attention to ensure that technology education encourages girls and women to participate in this digital shift;
• Measures to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills, as well as digital literacy;
• The launch of a PanCanadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy for research and talent that will be accompanied by a $ 125 million fund;

And finally, as an OBNL that focuses its actions on the development of the video game industry, we can only welcome the announcement of the investment of up to $ 950 million in support of a small number of business-led innovation superclusters, including the ones in digital technology.

About Alliance numérique

Alliance numérique represents and brings together Quebec video game companies of all sizes. With more than 100 active members, its mission is to promote and communicate the achievements and contribution of this sector to the media, government decision-makers and the general public.

SOURCE Alliance numérique

Caroline Emmanuel, Communications coordinator, Alliance numérique, Phone : [phone] | Cell : 514 250-6239, caroline.emmanuel@alliancenumérique.com