Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses for being with us today.
I'm going to begin with Mr. McDonald.
On Monday, we had Marc Nantel, vice-president of research, innovation and strategic enterprises at Niagara College, appear. Niagara College is Canada's number one research college. On Monday, at the science and research committee, MPs learned how public institutions like Niagara College are turning research into real-world results, driving local growth and creating opportunities. In 2024-25 alone, Niagara College was able to leverage over $9 million in funding from a variety of sources to accomplish many great things in our community and for businesses that came to it for help. It worked with 166 unique industry and community partners on a total of 235 projects.
With regard to the applied research approach that colleges and CEGEPs undertake, I find it to be more responsive and more community-based. As you indicated, it's punching above its weight, if you consider that it's receiving only about 4% of the tri-council funding.
Why do you think this is so, and what recommendations would you make to help better create an atmosphere, an ecosystem, where innovation in Canada leads to growth in job creation here in Canada?