Plans at a glance
A departmental plan describes a department's priorities, plans and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.
Key priorities
- Develop a sustainable battery innovation and industrial ecosystem, establishing Canada as a leader in battery manufacturing, recycling and reuse.
- Advance the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy through strategic investments to strengthen Canada's domestic biomanufacturing capacity.
- Advance broadband delivery by connecting more households, including those in rural and remote regions across Canada, to achieve Canada's target of connecting 98% of Canadians to high-speed internet by 2026 and 100% of Canadians by 2030.
- Help Canadians improve digital literacy skills, and support Canadian businesses in adopting digital technologies, to ensure all Canadians can thrive in the digital economy.
- Advance recovery measures to support tourism businesses and help them position themselves for future growth and
- Make Canada's entrepreneurial ecosystem more accessible by providing opportunities and support for individuals from under-represented groups to start, scale, grow, and maintain their businesses.
Refocusing Government Spending
In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over the next five years, starting in 2023–24, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.
As part of meeting this commitment, Innovation, Science and Economic Development is planning to contribute the following amounts:
- 2024-25: $141,182,000
- 2025-26: $158,071,000
- 2026-27 and after: 313,701,000
To achieve this objective, Innovation, Science and Economic Development will be implementing three savings initiatives:
- Operating Efficiency Savings: The department aims to generate savings of $24.3M in 2024-25, ramping up to $38.8M ongoing by 2026-27 through a series of measures that will reorganize work to generate operational and administrative efficiencies and by not backfilling certain positions as they vacate through attrition. Implementation of these savings measures are not anticipated to impact the delivery of programs and services to Canadians.
- Temporary Savings from Transfer Payment Programs: The department will contribute an amount of $81.7M from two temporary transfer payment programs. First, the department will self-fund the 2024-25 CANARIE program estimated at $38M by leveraging available funding from the Digital Research Infrastructure Strategy envelope, rather than accessing new funding. In addition, the department will reduce the Canada Digital Adoption Program funding envelope by $43.7M in 2024-25.
- Permanent Savings from Transfer Payment Programs: Starting in 2025-26, ISED will return an amount of $11.4M per year from the Canada Foundation for Innovation program and will reduce the overall funding envelope for the Strategic Innovation Fund by $38.2M in 2025-26, ramping up to $141.4M in 2026-27 and subsequent years.
In addition, the department is also committed to supporting government savings through the following efforts:
- Increase to revenue: The department aims to contribute an additional $7M in 2024-25 and 2025-26 and $52.1M ongoing starting in 2026-27 to the fiscal framework through new or increased user fees for services providing benefits to specific enterprises, organizations or individuals.
- Rescaling of the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) Program: The department supports a government decision to scale down spending on the ISC program by $28.2M in 2024-25 and $70M ongoing starting in 2025-26, with savings achieved through reduced contributions to the programs from participating departments across government. Allocation of the savings by department will be determined in spring 2024 and reflected through the government's supplementary estimates process.
The figures in this departmental plan reflect these reductions.
Highlights
A Departmental Results Framework consists of an organization's core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve, and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
Companies, Investment and Growth
Departmental results:
- Canada has a clean and sustainable economy
- Canadian businesses and industries are innovative and growing
- Businesses, investors and consumers are confident in the Canadian marketplace, including the digital economy
Planned spending: $4,279,156,052
Planned human resources: 4,352
In 2024–25, ISED, through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), will continue prioritizing transformative investments in the Canadian economy, which will be instrumental in creating more jobs, developing world class infrastructure and expertise, and positioning Canada as a leader in clean technology and innovation. Through SIF, the Department will support the development of Canada's critical mineral economy across value chains and priority mineral deposits and is expected to make significant investments in Canada's battery ecosystem and projects related to semi-conductors. The program will also support the recovery and green transformation of the aerospace sector, as well as vaccine development. ISED will further work to implement the Net-Zero Accelerator, an initiative under SIF, to support large-scale investments in clean technology solutions that will help transition Canada to a low-carbon economy.
Another critical element in developing a competitive and innovative economy is the protection of Canadian-developed intellectual property (IP). In 2024–25, ISED will deliver timely and quality IP services, and provide strategic IP advice and training to Canadians, including Indigenous organizations. ExploreIP, a database showcasing public-sector IP held by the government, and the ElevateIP program, will help Canadians, including Business Accelerators and Incubators (BAIs), by providing the tools to strategically manage and leverage their IP.
Fostering diversity in Canada's workforce and supporting its talent development continues to be a priority in improving Canada's competitiveness and productivity. In 2024–25, ISED, through the Digital Skills for Youth and Computers for Schools Internship programs, will provide underrepresented youth with valuable work experience and digital skills aimed at enhancing their employability. Programs such as the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) and the Upskilling for Industry Initiative (UII) will supplement these efforts by providing students with work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities, fostering partnerships between employers and training providers to deliver short-cycle upskilling for mid-career workers, and connecting them with high-growth industries.
The Department will continue supporting the Canadian tourism sector's recovery and long-term growth through the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy. In 2024–25, ISED and strategy partners will address the needs of tourism businesses across Canada, including Indigenous-owned tourism businesses, and will support them in enhancing tourism products, facilities and experiences.
As wireless communication remains an integral part of the Canadian economy, ISED will implement the modernization of spectrum monitoring equipment through its spectrum management program, ensuring Canadians have access to the latest new wireless infrastructure. In 2024–25, the Department will implement new spectrum licensing frameworks for the deployment of 5G technologies that will benefit rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
With the aim of helping Canadian SMEs become more competitive globally, ISED will continue to invest in programs such as the Global innovation Clusters (GIC), which convene the country's experts to help businesses scale up and position Canada as a leader in innovation. The Accelerated Growth Service (AGS) and the Global Hypergrowth Project (GHP) programs are also expected to provide targeted support to SMEs aiming to find the right opportunities and resources for growth in order to become anchor firms.
The Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy aims to grow a strong and competitive domestic life sciences sector. ISED will continue to support Canada's biomanufacturing and life sciences sector by investing in cutting-edge biomanufacturing capabilities and ensuring domestic preparedness for pandemics and other health emergencies. For this strategy, funding is delivered through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundations for Innovation, adMare BioInnovations, the Stem Cell Network, and the Strategic Innovation Fund.
More information about Companies, Investment and Growth can be found in the full departmental plan.
Science, Technology, Research and Commercialization
Departmental results:
- Canadian science, technology and innovation research contributes to knowledge transfer
Planned spending: $969,539,190
Planned human resources: 114
In 2024–25, ISED aims to stimulate an innovative economy and improve the well-being of Canadians through support for research and innovation in the fields of science and technology, providing advice on scientific issues, and funding programs that promote collaboration among research organizations.
The Strategic Science Fund (SSF) determines where funding for science and technology research and innovation is best placed to optimize the effectiveness of federal investments. Using a principles-based framework, recipients are selected through a merit-based, competitive review process. This new approach to allocating federal funding was recommended by an independent advisory panel and external monitoring of this approach will ensure that funding is fairly distributed and appropriately targeted. Following the negotiation of contribution agreements with the successful recipients of SSF funding announced in 2023–24, the SSF will launch its first year of funding activity in 2024–25. Funding will support fundamental and applied research in areas that are critical to the health, and the economic and social well-being of Canadians, such as genomics, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence.
ISED is dedicated to developing emerging technologies in a way that leverages a close collaboration between academia and industry. Through the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the National Quantum Strategy, ISED aims to drive the adoption of AI and support AI research and innovation, and position Canada as a leader in quantum research and development. To deliver on these goals, ISED will continue working with its key partners, which include the CIFAR, the National Research Council, Innovation Solutions Canada, the Global Innovation Clusters, the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, and the Standards Council of Canada. In addition, work will continue with three not-for-profit organizations—Amii in Edmonton, Mila in Montreal, and the Vector Institute in Toronto—to support the advancement of AI research, training, and innovation.
In 2024-25, the Department will continue to support research and development in key emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) through the ongoing implementation of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy (PCAIS) and support leading-edge technology development in quantum science through the National Quantum Strategy. Lastly, ISED will fund initiatives that support the development and advancement of cyber security research in Canada. Through the Cyber Security Innovation Network, funding will be provided to develop cyber security talent across Canada and support academic-industry collaboration within Canada's cyber security ecosystem.
More information about Science, Technology, Research and Commercialization can be found in the full departmental plan.
People, Skills and Communities
Departmental results:
- People and communities from all segments of Canadian society participate in the economy
Planned spending: $703,840,962
Planned human resources: 178
In 2024–25, ISED will continue to foster an inclusive economy by supporting people and communities from all segments of society in cultivating essential skills, knowledge and resources to participate in the digital economy.
Through the Black Entrepreneurship Program, the Women's Entrepreneurship Strategy, and Canada's first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program, the Department will continue to provide financial and non-financial support to help reduce barriers to economic participation for under-represented entrepreneurs, enabling them to start and grow their businesses.
To promote inclusive participation in the digital economy, ISED will continue to advance the Government's commitment under the Universal Broadband Fund to connect 98% of Canadians to fast and reliable high-speed internet by 2026 and 100% of Canadians by 2030, with a special focus on people living in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. Through the Connecting Families Initiative, ISED will also continue providing affordable Internet access plans to low-income families and seniors.
For more information on ISED's plans, see the "Plans to deliver" section of this plan.
More information about People, Skills and Communities can be found in the full departmental plan.