Canada
Canadian Intervention
Investing in Industrial Development
10:00 am ? 1:00 pm, Thursday May 4, 2006
Conference Room 4
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
Canada has significant experience in investing to meet current challenges and to pursue
opportunities to help foster industrial development. In particular, Canada places
tremendous importance on creating a business climate that does not hinder industrial
development. We strive to ensure that our industrial policies along with our regulatory
frameworks serve both industry and the public interest.
One of our main goals is to enable industry to adopt new technologies that address
sustainability challenges. Several not- for-profit organizations exist with assistance from
the Government of Canada. There are two examples that we would like to highlight as
they have been quite successful.
The Canadian Environmental Technology Advancement Corporation aims to assist small
and medium sized enterprises engaged in the development and commercialization of new
environmental technologies. It does this by linking technology producers, industry
experts, and investment sources to ensure that these firms are successful.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada is a not-for-profit foundation that finances
and supports the deve lopment and demonstration of clean technologies that provide
solutions to environmental issues such as air quality and climate change. It achieves this
by scaling up technologies from the laboratory setting and tests them in real world
situations.
Coupled with direct research and commercialization programmes, Canada has found
technology roadmapping to make an important contribution. Canada facilitates this
industry- led planning process that assists companies in identifying product or service
needs, then mapping them onto technology alternatives, and to develop plans to ensure
that the required technologies are available when needed.
Another area of Canada?s efforts to create an enabling environment for sustainable
industrial development is in the area of voluntary agreements. We have been successful
in negotiating voluntary agreements with the automotive industry in areas such as fuel
efficiency, emissions, pollution prevention, and safety. Improvements in these areas will
reduce transportation energy demand, GHG emissions and other particulates, and
enhance public safety. However, Canada will not be relying solely on voluntary
agreements. We have begun reforming our domestic regulatory regime to enhance
competitiveness and safeguard the investment climate while continuing to protect
Canadians and the environment.
Canada also offers programs to encourage the adoption of corporate social responsibility
and other similar concepts. We have assisted industry in developing guidelines and
indicators that address ethics, transparency, sustainability, and accountability. As a
result, many industry groups have now adopted corporate social responsibility programs.
Canada?s goal is to create an environment where the business community can easily
incorporate new technologies into its industrial activities, subscribe to voluntary
agreements, and adopt corporate social responsibility programs. We believe that this
approach will continue to improve productivity in a sustainable manner.
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
Investing in Industrial Development
10:00 am ? 1:00 pm, Thursday May 4, 2006
Conference Room 4
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
Canada has significant experience in investing to meet current challenges and to pursue
opportunities to help foster industrial development. In particular, Canada places
tremendous importance on creating a business climate that does not hinder industrial
development. We strive to ensure that our industrial policies along with our regulatory
frameworks serve both industry and the public interest.
One of our main goals is to enable industry to adopt new technologies that address
sustainability challenges. Several not- for-profit organizations exist with assistance from
the Government of Canada. There are two examples that we would like to highlight as
they have been quite successful.
The Canadian Environmental Technology Advancement Corporation aims to assist small
and medium sized enterprises engaged in the development and commercialization of new
environmental technologies. It does this by linking technology producers, industry
experts, and investment sources to ensure that these firms are successful.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada is a not-for-profit foundation that finances
and supports the deve lopment and demonstration of clean technologies that provide
solutions to environmental issues such as air quality and climate change. It achieves this
by scaling up technologies from the laboratory setting and tests them in real world
situations.
Coupled with direct research and commercialization programmes, Canada has found
technology roadmapping to make an important contribution. Canada facilitates this
industry- led planning process that assists companies in identifying product or service
needs, then mapping them onto technology alternatives, and to develop plans to ensure
that the required technologies are available when needed.
Another area of Canada?s efforts to create an enabling environment for sustainable
industrial development is in the area of voluntary agreements. We have been successful
in negotiating voluntary agreements with the automotive industry in areas such as fuel
efficiency, emissions, pollution prevention, and safety. Improvements in these areas will
reduce transportation energy demand, GHG emissions and other particulates, and
enhance public safety. However, Canada will not be relying solely on voluntary
agreements. We have begun reforming our domestic regulatory regime to enhance
competitiveness and safeguard the investment climate while continuing to protect
Canadians and the environment.
Canada also offers programs to encourage the adoption of corporate social responsibility
and other similar concepts. We have assisted industry in developing guidelines and
indicators that address ethics, transparency, sustainability, and accountability. As a
result, many industry groups have now adopted corporate social responsibility programs.
Canada?s goal is to create an environment where the business community can easily
incorporate new technologies into its industrial activities, subscribe to voluntary
agreements, and adopt corporate social responsibility programs. We believe that this
approach will continue to improve productivity in a sustainable manner.
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
Stakeholders