OREANDA-NEWS. October 04, 2016. The Government of Canada has a plan for making this country a global centre for innovation. That was one of the central messages to North and South American participants at the sixth Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) that took place last week in Toronto, Kitchener–Waterloo, Hamilton and the Niagara Region.

The sixth ACE, which was highlighted during the 2016 North American Leaders' Summit, was a premier opportunity to share Canadian best practices and demonstrate how Canadian businesses, academia and government work together to research, innovate and create global leaders. The event also helped establish new networks with influential decision makers from the Americas and beyond.

During ACE, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains, Government House Leader and Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger and Science Minister Kirsty Duncan held productive discussions with hemispheric counterparts. They included Minister Jerome Fitzgerald of The Bahamas, Minister Gale Rigobert of St. Lucia and Minister Roselyn Paul of Dominica.

The tour's highlights were numerous. ACE participants had an opportunity to tour innovative hubs such as MaRS Discovery District, Communitech, the Institute for Quantum Computing, the University of Toronto, McMaster University, Niagara College, and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

They participated in discussions on women in science and entrepreneurship; learned about advancements in big data, artificial intelligence and robotics; and heard from Canadian fintech experts. ACE participants also received an overview of Canada's digital media sector and toured some of Canada's largest incubators for emerging tech start-ups. Participants heard about the importance of investing in innovation and how Canada is transforming into a leading centre for advanced manufacturing and life sciences. The event concluded with tours in the Niagara Region with a focus on agri-food innovation.

Quote

"I would like to thank all participants for attending the sixth Americas Competiveness Exchange. The level of cooperation and commitment from the 27 participating countries was extraordinary. I look forward to continued dialogue and collaboration in the months and years to come. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Texas as it begins preparations to host the seventh ACE in 2017."

– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

Quick facts

  • ACE tours are a joint initiative of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network, the Organization of American States, and the United States departments of Commerce and State, in partnership with the host government.
  • Previous ACE events have taken place in the United States, Mexico and Argentina.
  • The sixth ACE, a six-day, cross-government event, focused on key Canadian economic sectors such as advanced manufacturing, information and communications technology, clean tech, life sciences and financial services. The tour included various sites in Toronto, Kitchener–Waterloo, Hamilton and the Niagara Region.