Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
October 6, 2017

NL Innovation Council Focused on Advancing Innovation Agenda

Following its inaugural meeting yesterday, the NL Innovation Council outlined commitments to support to government in advancing the provincial innovation agenda. A key commitment coming out of the meeting was to develop performance indicators for innovation, both for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation and province-wide. These targets will allow the council and department to measure effectiveness of programs and services.

As announced previously, as part of InnovateNL, all funding programs and services of the Research & Development Corporation will be integrated into the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation. There will be no changes to program funding allocations. In total, InnovateNL will bring the department’s current combined budget for economic development to approximately $40 million. Council members discussed expanding provincial outreach of programs through economic development officers at offices throughout the province as well as diversifying investments from former RDC programs.

The next meeting of the NL Innovation Council will be in November.

Quotes
“Members of the NL Innovation council are excited about being engaged in advancing the province’s innovation agenda. Through the creation of InnovateNL and the NL Innovation Council, we are working together to foster greater innovation and accelerating business growth in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as deliver provincial innovation programs and services in a seamless, efficient manner. Innovation is not limited to a sector or region. Rather it is aligning with opportunities in all regions of the province across the business continuum from concept to seed through start-up, scale-up, and growth.”
Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

“I am encouraged by the inaugural meeting of the NL Innovation Council. Members of the council engaged in productive dialogue with senior executive members from Innovate NL and Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation. Challenges that we face, strategies to meet these challenges, and steps to capitalize on the many opportunities in front of the province were all extensively explored. Members of the council, with their diverse backgrounds and experiences, committed the time and energy necessary to further our innovation agenda.”
Mark Dobbin
Chair, NL Innovation Council

- 30 -

Learn More
Minister Mitchelmore Releases What We Heard: Business Innovation Agenda

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @TCII_GovNL