“By helping our businesses innovate and compete globally, we will create jobs in New Brunswick,” said Premier Brian Gallant, who is also the minister responsible for Innovation. “That is why we are making strategic investments that will foster innovation and encourage research and development activities in New Brunswick.”
Innovation is a key focus of the New Brunswick Economic Growth Plan, the government’s strategy to grow the economy and create job opportunities for New Brunswickers. This plan outlines how the government will mobilize to ensure there is a co-ordinated, complementary effort to improve New Brunswick’s economy and realize maximum benefits.
“Fostering innovation will also help us provide strong health-care services and educational opportunities for New Brunswickers,” said Gallant.
The $160 million will be invested to foster innovation through things such as:
– Exploring a single, secure digital ID.
– Implementing new enterprise resource planning.
– Providing open data.
– Investing $200,000 to encourage smart grid technology.
– Supporting startups and entrepreneurs, including investment in the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation.
– Enhancing education and research in the province’s education and post-secondary education systems.
– Building upon the research and development capacity in the province.
– Fostering innovation at a young age by continuing to support Brilliant Labs and its work with schools to encourage creativity, innovation, coding and an entrepreneurial spirit among New Brunswick youth.
– Maintaining support for research initiatives, such as work being done by the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation, and continuing to support research offices at post-secondary education institutions; developing and promoting innovation capacity in the school system; and supporting innovation infrastructure.
– Investing $1.9 million in the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity to research and develop cybersecurity technologies.
