The Upper Ottawa Valley is powered by a growing cluster of businesses focused on discovery and commercialization transforming it into Innovation Valley North.
Innovation Valley North represents jobs, growth, and the long-term prosperity of the Upper Ottawa Valley, Eastern Ontario and Canada.
Central to Innovation Valley North is the hub. A hub is an ideas generator which turns into new employers.
In the Upper Ottawa Valley we are very fortunate to already have two hubs that form the nucleus of Innovation Valley North.
The Neutron Hub
The first hub is the Chalk River Laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada.
Economic Action Plan 2013 invests in the upper Ottawa Valley is a partnership, taking advantage of the AECL platform of knowledge, assisted by many initiatives announced in Economic Action Plan 2013 including $144 million in the continued operation of AECL’s Chalk River Laboratories to ensure Canada has a reliable supply of medical isotopes.
The field of nuclear science and technology has potential for innovation in clean energy technologies, both directly related to nuclear energy and in strategic areas of technology overlap such as hydrogen technologies. The next generation of nuclear reactors, generation four technologies, will reduce capital cost, enhance nuclear safety, minimize generation of nuclear waste and further reduce of the risk of weapons proliferation through the use of natural uranium.
Economic Action Plan 2013 provides $325 million to support the development and demonstration of new, clean technologies in Ontario and across Canada that create savings for Canadian businesses and support job creation for Canadians.
Neutron Science is helping to power the Ottawa Valley’s transformation into Innovation Valley North.
The Security Hub
The second hub in the upper Ottawa Valley is Canada’s Centre of Excellence in Soldiering, CFB Petawawa.
Our government is committed to providing our men and women in uniform with the best equipment to do the many tasks we ask them to do on our behalf. It only makes sense for defence procurement to support economic opportunities for all Canadians. As “Training Ground of the Warriors”, Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, the people of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke have greatly benefited from the implementation of our Conservative Government’s Canada First Defence Strategy.
This synergy has the potential to create new employment and sustain existing jobs as our local economy positions itself to take advantage of such budget measures as the almost $1 billion in the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) to enhance the competitiveness of Canada’s economically important aerospace and defence industries, which include businesses like Magellan Aerospace in Haley Station and Arnprior Aerospace.
By encouraging new innovations in Canada’s Aerospace Sector , and by creating the Aerospace Technology Demonstration Programs ($110 million over five years, beginning in 2014-15, and $55 million each year after), we will support large-scale technology projects with commercial potential for companies like Allen-Vanguard Inc. in Pembroke.
As part of the renewal of FedDev Ontario, $200 million will be invested in a new Advanced Manufacturing Fund to help the province’s manufacturing industry innovate and become more competitive.
These companies are helping to secure Canada’s border while securing our long-term prosperity in Innovation Valley North.
The Security Cluster is our Present and our Future
Innovation Valley North is here, brimming with potential. Along with our nuclear and defence industries, our agriculture and forestry industries are also at the cutting edge of bio and agri-science.
Our government is focused on the long-term prosperity of Canada’s economy.
Here in the Upper Ottawa Valley, we will play our part for Canada by continuing to generate and manufacture the innovations of tomorrow.
As the Federal Member of Parliament for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke I am ready to work together to help make our future dreams a reality.