One of Novalait's strengths is that when we say we want to invest in research and do it according to the needs of the industry, we put money on the table. However, it is also very important for us to use this money as a lever and to be surrounded by financial partners, whether at the provincial or federal level, so that they support our sector's approach to innovation.
We take care of the early stages of the process—research, knowledge development and proof of feasibility—but once that stage is complete, the company needs financial support. There are programs, but we've found that the wait time is longer. We can see that the continuation of this support from public finances is uncertain, but the message we are hearing is that in order to make a rapid economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to be able to support business. The dairy sector's willingness to invest in innovation must therefore be supported.
After part of the research is finished and knowledge and solutions have been found, the company still has to work a lot to develop processes or products. This is where business investment support is needed. It is not only about researchers in universities. A company may want to develop a good innovative idea, but it is on paper. It will then have to transform this idea into products or processes. This involves costs, equipment and changes within the plant. It's important that there be funding to support the company, especially when it comes to larger projects. Our shareholders include major players such as Agropur Cooperative, Saputo Group and Parmalat Canada. They tell us that there are gaps when it comes to larger investments in innovation.