Policy Papers & Submissions

Key recommendations include:

1. Modernize Canada’s academic research and development system with more flexible funding mechanisms that fully utilize capacity across the post-secondary research ecosystem
2. Create a dedicated Tri-Agency funding allocation for Indigenous-led applied research
3. Relaunch a $3.5 billion post-secondary infrastructure program that enables institutions to invest in green infrastructure and ensure campuses meet sustainability standards
4. Establish a $25 million per year training equipment fund for Canada’s hands-on learning institutions to support skills development for a rapidly evolving labour market
5. Restructure the Canada Training Benefit to increase awareness, navigation and upfront financial supports for workers
6. Establish permanent baseline funding for the Student Work Placement Program, with additional investments designed to address the lingering impact of the pandemic on Canada’s youth

Key recommendations include:

1. Enhance the capacity of Canada’s innovation intermediaries to boost performance within small- and medium-sized companies by investing $331 million over five years in the College and Community Innovation Program
2. Renew support for experiential learning by making the Student Work Placement Program permanent and expanding eligibility to include post-secondary institutions and international students
3. Strengthen awareness of and navigation to lifelong learning by ensuring Canadians have relevant labour market information and guidance to available training
4. Invest in the research and learning infrastructure designed to develop a future ready workforce. Ensure all new infrastructure programs can be accessed by post-secondary institutions to make their campuses more sustainable, accessible and better equipped with the tools and technologies used by employers

Key recommendations include:

1. Enhance the capacity of Canada’s innovation intermediaries to boost performance within small- and
   medium-sized companies by investing $331 million over five years in the College and Community
   Innovation Program
2. Renew support for experiential learning by making the Student Work Placement Program permanent
   and expanding eligibility to include post-secondary institutions and international students
3. Strengthen awareness of and navigation to lifelong learning by ensuring Canadians have relevant labour
   market information on skills in demand, flexible financial supports to pursue training and guidance to
   available courses
4. Relaunch a post-secondary infrastructure program that enables investments in green infrastructure,
   new technology and systems designed to develop a future-ready workforce

Key recommendations include:

1. Activate applied research to enable business innovation
2. Increase access, navigation and support for lifelong learning
3. Make investments in post-secondary infrastructure a part of Canada’s long-term growth and development plan
4. Support a robust and inclusive economic recovery

Key recommendations include:

1. Leverage applied research capacity at Canada’s polytechnics and colleges to deliver innovation and transformation support to the business community
2. Empower Canadians to rapidly retrain and upskill by providing financial support and navigation to short-cycle training programs focused on career-relevant skills
3. Relaunch the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, building in flexible project eligibility criteria to enable both new construction and green retrofits, the repurposing of existing buildings and digital learning transformations

Key recommendations include:

1. Create Economic Recovery Hubs hosted at Regional Development Agencies with a view to enabling small- and mid-sized businesses to enhance their productivity and innovation potential with the support of local innovation intermediaries
2. Empower Canadians to rapidly retrain and upskill by providing financial support and navigation to short-cycle training programs focused on career-relevant skills
3. To ensure talent pipeline continuity for frontline occupations, invest in the digital learning infrastructure required for the delivery of remote, simulated and hybrid hands-on training
4. Relaunch the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, building in flexible project eligibility criteria to enable both new construction and green retrofits, the repurposing of existing buildings, and health & safety-related transformations required to keep campuses safe, innovative and sustainable
5. Introduce a Technology Access Grant within the Canada Student Loan Program to address equity of access to the hardware, software and broadband internet required for postsecondary education delivered in remote and hybrid formats

Key recommendations include:

1. Invest in Canada’s post-secondary infrastructure to ensure training can occur in an environment that responds to physical distancing and other safety protocols while also supporting green retrofits
2. Support the digital adaptation of learning and training in Canada, enabling learners who will face challenges to in-person instruction and ensuring applied learning can be delivered in a broad range of new ways
3. Empower Canadians to retrain and upskill at this critical juncture by offering all Canadian Emergency Response Benefit recipients a one-time boost to the Canada Training Benefit
4. Enable the business- and innovation-enhancing services available at Canada’s polytechnics, ensuring they are positioned to support Canada’s small- and medium-sized enterprises and deliver meaningful, real-world work-integrated learning opportunities to learners

Key recommendations include:

1. Invest in Canada’s post-secondary infrastructure to ensure training can occur in an environment that responds to physical distancing and other safety protocols while also supporting “green” retrofits
2. Support the digital adaptation of learning and training in Canada, enabling learners who will face challenges to in-person instruction and ensuring applied learning can be delivered in a broad range of new ways
3. Empower Canadians to retrain and upskill at this critical juncture by offering all Canadian Emergency Response Benefit recipients a one-time boost to the Canada Training Benefit
4. Enable the business- and innovation-enhancing services available at Canada’s polytechnics, ensuring they are positioned to support Canada’s small- and medium-sized enterprises
5. Support the expanded participation of industry and non-profit partners in polytechnic applied research, ensuring all enterprises in Canada have the support they need to survive and thrive

Key recommendations include:

1. Targeted investments in polytechnic/college applied research capacity to scale up the critical support these institutions offer to SME partners
2. Expanded funding to existing grant categories and broader eligibility criteria to ensure enterprises that need support can access it
3. The temporary suspension of employer cash contributions on applied research activity