Innovation Canada: A Call to Action

Program EffectivenessFigure 5.4 Satisfaction with Various Aspects of the Program“For this same program, please rate your firm’s satisfaction withdifferent aspects of the program.”Overall quality of program deliveryForm of supportConditions on eligibility to receive supportEligible expensesLength of time between decisionand receipt of fundsSkills and expertise for the assessment of projectAmount of supportReporting requirements for firmLength of time between application and decisionSelection process3 6 176 7 163 11 182 13 192 13 228 8 234 13 222 12 273 16 2316 5 22747168666361615958560 20 40 60 80 100PercentDid not know/no response Not satisfied (1–2) Neither (3) Satisfied (4–5)n = 488Source: Results from a survey of firms conducted for the Panel by EKOS Research Associates Inc., 2011.Recommendation 1Create an Industrial Research andInnovation Council (IRIC), with aclear business innovation mandate(including delivery of business-facinginnovation programs, developmentof a business innovation talentstrategy, and other duties overtime), and enhance the impact ofprograms through consolidationand improved whole-of-governmentevaluation.The Vision of the PanelFederal programs to foster business innovationmust play the central role in the government’sstrategy to boost Canada’s lagging productivitygrowth so as to ensure ongoing prosperity forCanadians. Programs to promote businessinnovation should be designed to address aspecific problem for which a governmentinitiative is needed as part of the solution.They should have a scale appropriate for theproblem at hand, be well known to business, beeasy and timely to access and use, be deliveredin coordination with other federal and provincialinitiatives, and have clear performance measuresto track progress and success.5-9