OTTAWA, March 30, 2012 /CNW/ - Engineers Canada is reassured by the federal government's commitment to support Canadian engineering and ingenuity.
Presented by Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty in the House of Commons on March 29, the budget outlines an investment of $1.1 billion over five years for direct research and development through streamlined programs, incentives and agencies.
"We hope that the investment in R&D will address some of the challenges Canada has faced in capturing the benefits of our engineers, researchers and innovators," said interim Chief Executive Officer Marie Carter, FEC, P.Eng. "Investing in research and development in fields such as health care and infrastructure are essential to the creation of solutions by Canadians for Canadians."
Engineers Canada participated in the consultations by the Expert Review Panel on Federal Spending on Research and Development, which presented recommendations such as streamlining the government's support for business innovation and making business innovation one of the core objectives of procurement.
"While we need to review the budget documents in more detail, we are pleased that the federal government intends to act on some of the recommendations made on R&D," said Ms. Carter. "The government's investment to enhance support for industry-academic research partnerships and its continued commitment to foreign credential recognition and public infrastructure are other aspects of the budget that will also facilitate the process and make innovation a priority."
Engineers are on the leading edge of innovation, and Engineers Canada, along with its constituent associations, is dedicated to continually working with the government to meet these goals and to help ensure that new technologies are implemented with Canadians' quality of life and public safety in mind.
Engineers Canada is the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial associations that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license the country's more than 250,000 members of the engineering profession. Engineers Canada is the business name of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers.
William Meyer,Manager, Communications
613-232-2474, ext. 249
[email protected]
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