Question Period Note: 2021–22 DEPARTMENTAL RESULTS REPORT (DRR)

What results has Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) achieved for Canadians as the economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?

• While the COVID-19 pandemic continued throughout 2021–22, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and its portfolio partners provided much-needed support to Canadians and Canadian businesses to help stimulate economic recovery.
• The department invested in cutting-edge, flexible and rapid-production capabilities to significantly strengthen Canada’s health security and develop more resilient supply chains.
• ISED and its portfolio partners also supported targeted regional investments to ensure that no Canadian communities were left behind as the economy recovered.
• These investments included support for small and medium-sized enterprises across the country, and hard-hit sectors of the economy like tourism, travel, entertainment and hospitality.

• Through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), ISED continued to invest in made-in-Canada biomanufacturing technologies and domestic facilities, health product development and manufacturing industries.

• ISED worked with its portfolio partners to continue delivering government relief programs, including the $2 billion Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF).

• ISED supported entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises across the country to adapt and grow, and invested in reliable, high-speed Internet for rural, remote and underserviced communities.

• To ensure that all Canadians can participate in the digital economy, ISED continued to improve access to digitally enabled technologies, including the $1.4-billion Canada Digital Adoption Program.

The 2021–22 DRR reflects the department’s performance during the April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 reporting period. The report was tabled in Parliament on December 2, 2022.

Departments submit their DRRs to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the President of the Treasury Board tables them in Parliament.

In combination with the Public Accounts, DRRs inform members of Parliament and the public of the monies spent and results achieved for Canadians through government programs.

ISED’s DRR summarizes the monies spent and results achieved under each of the department’s three core responsibilities.

The department’s DRR also presents the progress achieved in championing innovative Canadian companies and growing a strong, inclusive economy, and includes details on specific initiatives, such as:
• Global Innovation Clusters (formerly the Innovation Superclusters Initiative);
• Innovation Solutions Canada;
• Accelerated Growth Service;
• Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy;
• Clean Growth Hub;
• CanCode, Digital Skills for Youth and the Digital Literacy Exchange;
• Intellectual Property Strategy;
• Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund;
• CyberSecure Canada;
• Canada Digital Adoption Program;
• Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy and National Shipbuilding Value Proposition;
• Tourism Relief Fund; and,
• Women Entrepreneurship Strategy.

Additional ISED accomplishments in 2021–22 include:
• 16 new SIF contribution agreements representing $1.76 billion in federal government funding towards $8.34 billion in total project costs. These projects secured approximately $4 billion in R&D investments and commitments to create and maintain 18,000 jobs and 4,000 four-month co-op student positions;
• Holding a 3500 MHz spectrum auction to support the deployment of 5G networks and services in Canada;
• Facilitating access to 5,004 loans worth $1.23 billion for small and medium-sized businesses across the country through the Canada Small Business Financing Program; and,
• Investing $101 million in clean technology projects and supporting a total of 109 new projects through Sustainable Development Technology Canada.