Innovation is not just a concept “for the rich” aimed at creating wealth in business, pleads the Minister of Economy and Innovation, Pierre Fitzgibbon. With its new strategy in this regard, the Legault government wants to demonstrate that research can be used to resolve societal issues.
“Innovating is not fair to make a new Bombardier plane,” nuance the minister, Thursday, on the sidelines of the unveiling of the Quebec Strategy for Research and Investment in Innovation 2022-2027 (SQRI).
“People have to feel that it will help them too,” he adds. If we address societal issues, I think we will succeed in getting people to accept that innovation is at the heart of Quebec’s economic development in the coming years. »
By encouraging innovation, Québec wants to contribute to the search for solutions to societal issues such as global warming, health or the aging of the population.
Mr. Fitzgibbon also wants the government apparatus to innovate in the way it delivers services. He gave the example of the health care system. “We have the best therapists. We have good doctors, but the system is a bit flawed. »
The government is therefore allocating an additional $2 billion to the new version of the SQRI, which brings its funding to $7.5 billion over five years. Of this $2 billion, $1.3 billion comes from budget appropriations, another tranche of $600 million will be made up of investment capital and $75 million comes from the Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI).
With the new SQRI, Mr. Fitzgibbon wants to facilitate the use of basic research by companies. “Quebec’s problem is that we are recognized worldwide for being good at basic research,” he says. Where there were shortcomings was that we weren’t able to get it to market. We are trying to correct this situation. »