Good morning, Mr. Chair and committee members.
My name is Peter Halpin. I'm the executive director of the Association of Atlantic Universities, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The AAU is an advocacy organization that represents the interests of universities across our region, thereby ensuring public visibility of the important role they play in preparing future leaders of our communities in path-breaking research and innovation, and contributing to the economic prosperity of life in Atlantic Canada.
The AAU's pre-budget submission to this committee is entitled “Solutions for Atlantic Canada's Future”.
The AAU's vision for Atlantic Canada is closely aligned with the core principles of Advantage Canada, which state that:
We can and must do more to turn ideas into innovations that provide solutions to environmental, health and other important social challenges, and to improve our economic competitiveness.
Since 1997, successive governments have made substantial investment in Atlantic Canada. Perhaps most significant has been the Atlantic Innovation Fund, the AIF. Launched in 2001, the AIF is highly complementary to the core principles of Advantage Canada: investing for sustainable growth; and strategically supporting the three pillars of the national science and technology strategy—the entrepreneurial, knowledge, and people advantages.
Much has been achieved in Atlantic Canada since the creation of the AIF. It provides a very strong foundation that can be built upon to further improve Atlantic Canada's productivity and prosperity.
The AAU recommends that the federal government invest $350 million over five years in support of a university-led initiative called “Solutions for Atlantic Canada's Future”. That proposed program is designed to successfully advance the core principles of Advantage Canada in Atlantic Canada. It will further improve regional partnerships, productivity, and prosperity.
The AAU's recommendation is comprised of six integrated program components that will ultimately advance Advantage Canada.
Our universities have responsibility to improve our region and the lives of the people who live there. That is precisely why our universities are embarking on this bold new strategy to create a brighter, more prosperous future for Atlantic Canada. Our approach is driven by the strength of ideas found in our universities and our ability to transform those ideas into economic and social value, which will determine Atlantic Canada's future prosperity. Our initiative, “Solutions for Atlantic Canada's Future”, aligns with the goals and priorities of the region's governments, business sectors, and communities. Our universities and their partners will play a powerful role in creating an innovative, successful economy and improved quality of life.
Times does not allow me to review all aspects of “Solutions for Atlantic Canada's Future”; however, I would like to draw your attention to the important role our universities play in Atlantic Canada as talent magnets.
By attracting thousands of new students, academics, and research scholars to the region, our universities play a vital role in Atlantic Canada's population strategy. This academic year, our universities have enrolled over 7,000 international students from over 165 countries worldwide. That is an astonishing 16.5% increase over the previous year. We also know that more than 30% of those international students will apply for permanent resident status in Canada, either during their studies or immediately following graduation. That is why many in our region agree that our universities are probably the single most effective immigration policy instrument for the region.
All of the details of our proposal are in the submission, and I hope you may have the opportunity to review them.
We are working right now on developing a process management and performance measures model for each of those proposed programs, and we would like to share that with the committee in the near future.
Again, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to present our submission to you this morning. I look forward to any questions you may have.
Thank you.