Industry committee  That's a very difficult question to answer in the sense that it will really be up to the researchers and the companies to determine how far they can go in terms of these new innovations. I would say that one of the things that we're trying to do through this strategy is to work smarter to better connect what we already have in the country that's funded through a fairly strong base of basic research funding to better enable our centres of quantum expertise to work together, to better connect what our start-up companies are doing to capabilities that are resident in institutions across the country, and to be more deliberate in how we pursue international collaboration.

Industry committee  When it comes to technologies like facial recognition, which is largely based on machine learning and artificial intelligence-based advances that have happened in the last number of years, there are relationships to quantum technology with respect to machine learning. However, more generally, when it comes to AI, there has been a fairly big investment in Canada over the last 10 years with respect to doubling down on the fact that we have very strong....

Industry committee  I would say with respect to the quantum strategy specifically, quantum materials are an important part of the quantum ecosystem. We have centres of expertise across the country that are focused on quantum materials, and quantum materials can be applied to a range of different things whether it's quantum computing or advanced solar cell technologies or batteries.

Industry committee  There are clearly some specific defence-focused priorities that the Department of Defence would have with respect to quantum technologies. I would say that the programs we have launched under the national quantum strategy actually enable collaboration with the Department of Defence so that we can leverage what they are doing and more strongly connect what they are doing with the academic research community and with industry to make sure that as our defence establishment is looking to develop needed quantum technologies in Canada, they are better linked to the research community and to companies so that you can be pulling those technologies to market.

Industry committee  Oh, sure.

Industry committee  Maybe I can give my comments, and then, Mr. Chair, if my colleague Geneviève has anything to add, maybe she could do so as well. The quantum strategy is built on top of a number of investments that were ongoing. I mentioned the billion dollars over the last 10 years. A number of those investments continue through things like these large-scale institutional research investments through the Canada first research excellence fund.

Industry committee  That's our hope, and our intent is certainly to make sure that we're capturing those benefits for Canada. You need a very strong foundation to make sure that you continue to attract economic investment in emerging technology fields. We've been very good at investing—

Industry committee  With respect to that question, I think my colleague, Dr. Tanguay, might actually be better positioned to respond because the NRC has a fairly important role with respect to semiconductor fabrication. If I may, Mr. Chair, if it's okay to turn to Dr. Tanguay, I think you may get a better answer.

Industry committee  Well, there's a fairly long history, to this point, with respect to the development of the strategy. Prior to budget 2021, there was an extended consultation amongst the research and industrial community in the quantum ecosystem to develop some recommendations on the types of investments that would be required to take the quantum sector in Canada forward.

Industry committee  The government's consultations were the round tables last year. There was actually a community-driven consultation process that was conducted even prior to the budget investment. There was a lot of stakeholder input even before the budget. Then, to better focus our thinking with respect to the programs and the longer-term plan, the government conducted a series of round tables over last summer.

Industry committee  Well, I'm not sure exactly what pieces. I mean, with respect to the programs, there are definitive timelines in terms of what's been launched, when applications will be due and when decisions will be taken. The strategy as a policy document is something that I don't have a definitive time for, but with respect to the program pieces that have been announced, I think there would be no problem in providing that to the committee.

Industry committee  I would say that generally we have been working very closely with provincial governments on the quantum strategy writ large. As I mentioned in my initial remarks, there is a lot going on in a lot of different parts of the country. When it comes to the governments, particularly in those provinces with a large concentration of effort in quantum, that being B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, we have been working very closely with those governments to make sure that what we're doing is complementing what they're doing.

Industry committee  Yes, that has come up. In the consultations we had last summer, there was a framing document that talked about the importance of security. In fact, one of the round tables was focused on security issues. With respect to the programs that are rolling out, there are security provisions embedded within those programs, specifically the alliance program at NSERC that I mentioned.

Industry committee  Thank you for the question. I guess there are two parts to that answer. One, when it comes to the investments relating to the strategy, those are already being announced. The kind of programmatic elements that will drive the objectives of the strategy have already been announced, to some extent.

Industry committee  The amount that I mentioned from NSERC was from the budget 2021 investment, yes, as is some of the funding that's going towards the NRC challenge programs that Dr. Tanguay mentioned.