Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'll be equally brief. I'll abridge a few of the comments.
It is a great pleasure to be here before the committee on your final meeting of the discussion on Canada's manufacturing sector.
As Assistant Deputy Minister of the industry sector, I lead a team that is responsible for supporting innovation and competitiveness for Canada's manufacturing sectors. This includes aerospace, defence, space, automotive, life sciences, steel, chemicals and consumer products.
We also administer the industrial technological benefits policy related to military procurement as well as covering the investment review division.
Our work is done in collaboration with other sectors of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, as well as other government departments.
As the committee has learned over its study, this is a sector that makes a significant contribution to every region of Canada's economy across exports, R and D, and jobs.
However, manufacturing has been through a challenging few years. Canada lost a large number of manufacturing jobs, firms and investment during the 2008-2009 global recession. Despite these challenges, manufacturing employment has been stable since 2009 at close to 1.7 million people, or 10% of total employment.
While its share has fallen, manufacturing accounts for 10% of Canada's gross domestic product. We have seen a strong rebound in this area, but it remains below pre-recession levels.
Canadian manufacturing exports have climbed steadily since the recession. In 2015, manufacturing exports totalled $325 billion, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year. For all the discussion of Canada as a resource nation, manufacturing represents nearly 70% of Canada's merchandise exports, consistently higher than energy, mining, and agriculture exports combined.
The committee's work on the future of manufacturing has been of keen interest to the department. We have been closely following the witnesses' testimonies, and it has been especially timely, given the department's priority on the innovation agenda and the work our minister has been undertaking over the past number of months.
I'd like to recap some of the big themes very briefly that were brought up during the hearings that are important to the future of manufacturing in Canada and the work of the department.
First, access to talent.
Second, growing companies.
The third is focusing on emerging technologies. The fourth theme is accessing new markets through trade.
There are significant challenges facing the manufacturing sector, and they touch on the mandate of multiple federal departments. From ISED's perspective, they are also an important area of focus for the minister's innovative agenda.
The department continues to work with other federal departments and industry to support our ministers in delivering on the commitments outlined in their mandate letters.
I look forward to the discussion and the questions. Thank you.