Innovation plan needed

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This article was published 28/09/2023 (751 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The world is in the midst of a profound economic shift, and Manitoba is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated a trend of digital adoption that has already been underway for many years.

Every part of our economy is more reliant on digital services, devices and connectivity than ever before. Whether you’re a lawyer, a teacher, a farmer or you’re in the resource industry, how different would your job be today if you didn’t have email, scheduling software, digital payment processing, and a range of other software tools to help you organize, plan, and communicate with your colleagues?

All of this digital activity has massively transformed the way our economy works. Value is no longer primarily derived from tangible assets like physical commodities and goods.

Today, intangible assets like software, data and intellectual property are the life-blood of our economy. The ability to thrive in the 21st century digital economy is vital for economic growth, good jobs and long-term sustainable prosperity.

Moreover, without economic growth and homegrown innovative companies that compete in the digital economy, Manitoba will not be able to generate the tax revenue to pay for the public services that we all value.

The good news is that we already have many of the raw ingredients to thrive in the innovation economy. We have excellent post-secondary institutions, a comparative low cost of living, and abundant in-demand natural resources, including critical minerals. Manitoba’s history of excellence in agricultural technology and biotechnology also positions the province well.

Winnipeg, in particular, is home to many Indigenous entrepreneurs and innovators who are founding their own startups. Supporting the province’s innovation economy is another step in advancing economic reconciliation, a primary goal articulated by Invest Manitoba’s recent Opportunities for Economic Growth Action Plan.

What we desperately need, though, is a government partner with a clear vision to take Manitoba’s innovation economy to the next level.

The most successful innovation hubs around the world were built on hand-in-glove co-operation between private-sector entrepreneurs and government leaders. To truly succeed, high-growth technology companies need access to talent, access to capital, access to customers, and marketplace frameworks that support growth.

There are some simple and practical measures that any government can take to support innovators. Tweaks to the province’s work-integrated training supports, our intellectual property regime, targeted funding and improvements to how the government makes its own purchasing decisions are an excellent place to begin.

In many areas, including health, education and service delivery, the government should be championing innovative solutions. Around the world, technology is revolutionizing health care in particular, and leading Canadian medical technology companies consistently say that they are able to sell their products and services around the world, but they struggle to make inroads here at home.

By embracing industry best practice for software deployment, and leveraging digital services, the government can improve services and save money. And by using strategic procurement, where appropriate, to support our homegrown companies, we give Manitoban companies a leg-up.

The last provincial budget gave a nod to “buying Manitoban,” but stopped short of specifically mentioning tech companies in this contest. We’re asking our future leaders to build on that vision.

But more broadly, as we head into a hotly contested election, we’re calling on all political parties to show up with a clear and ambitious vision for how the Manitoba government will build a more innovative economy, and support our most promising companies as they scale-up and compete globally.

Now is the time to be asking your local candidates and party leaders what their vision is to shore up the province’s digital economy, which sustains tens of thousands of good paying jobs right here in Manitoba.

There’s a critical role for innovation and technology adoption to play in our economy and in our everyday world. We’re looking for all parties to prioritize how this can happen. We’re calling on all parties to show us a bold vision for future prosperity that will benefit every area of this great province.

Benjamin Bergen is the president of the Council of Canadian Innovators and Kelly Fournel is CEO of Tech Manitoba.