Distinguished members of the committee, thank you very much for inviting me today.
The Collège Shawinigan's Centre national en électrochimie et en technologies environnementales, or CNETE, is a college technology transfer centre that is part of the Réseau Trans-tech and one of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's (NSERC) technology access centres. Our scientific outreach is well known all over Quebec.
The Centre's mission is to contribute to the region's economic development through technology transfer in electrochemical and environmental technologies. We are recognized for our work in industrial bioprocesses, green chemistry, nanotechnologies, renewable energy, carbon management, membrane filtration—both liquid and gas—and electrochemistry.
CNETE has a team of 51 experts, researchers and technicians, all knowledgeable about the industrial reality within which businesses operate.
In the last five years, CNETE has seen its revenues increase by 460%. The centre has completed more than 450 projects with 250 companies and partners in Quebec, the United States, France, Brazil, the Netherlands and Mexico.
CNETE has successfully conducted technology transfer in 85% of its projects. We were honoured to receive Hydro-Québec's prize for research in technology on five occasions, as well as four other recognition awards from the Association pour le développement de la recherche et de l'innovation du Québec and from NSERC.
CNETE collaborates actively with a number of leaders in the field of innovation, universities, government research centres and colleges across Canada.
In terms of the Government of Canada's budget preparations, CNETE would like to draw your attention to the importance of the following three recommendations.
The first recommendation is to prioritize the entire research and innovation chain.
Basic research feeds applied research in a three- to six-year cycle, depending on the extent of its technological maturity that adapts it and transfers it to industry. Applied research, often conducted regionally, reduces the time taken for innovations to come to market and therefore to drive small and medium-sized businesses towards greater competitiveness and the maintenance of their highly skilled workforce.
Basic research is supported by NSERC to the tune of approximately $1 billion annually. It is important that this amount be maintained. The budget for applied research in colleges is currently $50 million for Canada as a whole. Given the tangible benefits and results with industry, it would be appropriate to increase this budget in order to be able to serve the pool of SMEs and allow them to take a sustainable position vis-à-vis the competition from around the world.
The second recommendation is to invest in the Government of Canada organizations that support applied research.
CNETE has seen its operations and its outcomes expand greatly over the last five years. The federal support organizations making major contributions are NSERC, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and Canada Economic Development. Maintaining their budgets and their regional offices is extremely important so that companies can develop and become competitive. CNETE would not have been able to help as many Canadian companies without those programs of support for research and for the acquisition of high-tech equipment. Canada's position in the global knowledge economy depends on it.
The third recommendation is to allow colleges to have access to the Government of Canada's research support fund.
Twenty-five years ago, applied research centres in colleges were mainly involved in small-scale technical assistance projects that required much more modest infrastructures. Since then, their research operations have evolved into cutting-edge applied research and technological development. Quebec now has 49 college technology transfer centres and there are 30 or so technology access centres in Canada. These are very high-tech centres and laboratories of excellence that are positioning Canada in a leadership role in their various fields.
The operation and maintenance of these infrastructures require corresponding funding. Universities have access to the Government of Canada's research support fund, but colleges do not if they receive project funding from NSERC. It is critical that colleges have access to the Government of Canada's research support fund if the research infrastructures in colleges are to endure. The equipment and the applied research centres in colleges support innovation in SMEs and Canada's economy benefits as a result.
CNETE is extremely grateful for the Government of Canada's support. We take seriously our role as a Canadian leader in environmental technology. Our intent is to be dynamic in continuing our industrial research projects so that we are recognized as a catalyst that allows innovations to be developed, adapted and speedily brought to market, thereby enhancing the productivity of SMEs in Canada.
In our CNETE i+ project, the PLUS stands for perfecting products and processes, launching new products and companies, uniting colleges and universities with industry, and simplifying procedures for SMEs. The project puts CNETE into the roles of both a host at the door and, together with our partners, a guide to better accompany the SMEs and reduce the risks that come with development and the time it takes to bring innovation to market. This completes the technology transfer chain so that the companies and the Canadian economy can benefit.
Thank you for your attention.