The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science was a

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

ministry of the

Province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. Founded in 2005, the ministry became part of the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation in 2011. It intermittently became a separate ministry in again from 2013 until 2018, when it became part of the

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (formally known as Ministry of Economic Development and Growth) in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for programs to attract and retain business and economic development in ...

History

The research and innovation agenda in Ontario was previously the responsibility of the Science and Technology Division of the

Ontario Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic Eastern Canada, eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located ...

(MEOI). During the Conservative governments of

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle o ...

and Eves, the province organized itself to facilitate partnerships between the

public sector The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, infra ...

and

private sector The private sector is the part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government. Employment The ...

. One such arrangement was a sole-source management agreement between the MEOI Science and Technology Division and the

Innovation Institute of Ontario Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entity ...

(IIO). The IIO is essentially a private corporation that was contracted to administer the $1.25 billion

Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. The Science and Technology Division of MEOI was the subject of a provincial audit in 2003. The Provincial Auditor was particularly critical and in the report said: "A major concern was that the Ministry had committed to spending $4.3 billion without an overall strategic plan to set parameters and consistent policies for existing programs or to guide the development of new programs to meet the objectives of promoting innovation, economic growth, and job creation." At that time the division had 50 staff, had spent $1.3 billion, and had committed a further $4.8 billion primarily on research grants to universities, colleges, and research hospitals.

Funding

Research funding is also a significant source of funding for higher education. The creation of this new ministry is closely aligned with the 2005 provincial budget, and the "Reaching Higher" initiative to provide $6.2 billion in funding for higher education in 2005-2010. Funding for research and innovation is also provided by the Canadian Government, and administered through

Industry Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED; french: Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada; french: ISDE, label=none)''Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal I ...

. The Provincial-Federal relationship will be key to the success of the new Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and may present an opportunity for Premier McGuinty to further the "Strong Ontario" agenda which is attempting to close the $23 billion gap between the tax dollars collected in Ontario by the Federal Government, and the amount the Federal Government returned to the province through federal programs.

Initiatives

The Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation administered these programs: *Early Researcher Awards *Green Focus on Innovation and Technology (GreenFIT) *Green Schools Pilot Initiative *Health Technology Exchange *Innovation Demonstration Fund *International Strategic Opportunities Program (ISOP) *Investment Accelerator Fund *Ontario-China Research and Innovation Fund (OCRIF) *Ontario Centres of Excellence *Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund (OETF) *Ontario Innovation Agenda *Ontario Institute for Cancer Research *Ontario's Life Sciences Commercialization Strategy *Ontario Network of Excellence *Ontario Research Fund *Ontario Tax Exemption for Commercialization (OTEC) *Ontario Water Innovation Award *Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) Program *Premier's Innovation Awards

Ministers

Ministers of Research and Innovation

Reza Moridi Reza Moridi ( fa, رضا مریدی; born ) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2007 to 2018 who represented the riding of Richmond Hill. He served as a cabinet ministe ...

2013–2016 * Glen Murray August 18, 2010 – 2011 *

John Milloy John Christopher Milloy (born June 29, 1965) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 to 2014 who represented the riding of the Kitchener Centre. He served as a cabinet ...

June 24, 2009 – August 18, 2010 * John Wilkinson 2007–2009 *

Dalton McGuinty Dalton James Patrick McGuinty Jr. (born July 19, 1955) is a former Canadian politician who served as the 24th premier of Ontario from 2003 to 2013. He was the first Liberal leader to win two majority governments since Mitchell Hepburn nearl ...

2005–2007

Minister of Research, Innovation and Science

2016—2018

References

External links

Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science Research, Innovation and Science