Provincial Organizations Research

Research, Provincial Organizations

Research, Provincial Organizations All provinces except Newfoundland and PEI have provincial research organizations functioning to promote economic development through the application of modern TECHNOLOGY to regional INDUSTRY. The first to be established was what is now the ALBERTA RESEARCH COUNCIL (1921); the latest, the CENTRE DE RECHERCHE INDUSTRIELLE DU QUÉBEC (1969). Most are CROWN CORPORATIONS, but the MANITOBA RESEARCH COUNCIL operates essentially as a government branch and the BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH COUNCIL is an independent, nonprofit society. The organizations co-operate with other agencies in federal programs. The NOVA SCOTIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION CORPORATION and NEW BRUNSWICK RESEARCH AND PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL may be expanded to serve the entire Atlantic region. The organizations fulfil their mandates by a combination of free advice to small business, advice to government, and contracted, nonprofit short-term research and longer-term investigations. Emphasis varies according to provincial needs and the activities of other provincial agencies. All have achieved expertise in fields appropriate to regional resources, varying from textiles by the ONTARIO RESEARCH FOUNDATION to uranium by the SASKATCHEWAN RESEARCH COUNCIL. Although a number of economists criticize the emphasis on small business, most agree that the provincial research organizations play a vital role in helping Canadian industry keep pace with technological developments.