Ontario. Research and Commercialization Division

• Research and Commercialization Division

In 2002, within the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology (MEST), under the Science and Technology Division, the Research, Technology and Innovation Branch was created including the following units: Applied Science and Technology, Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund Liaison, Ontario Science and Innovation Council Secretariat, Premier's Research Excellence Awards, and Science and Technology Awareness and Innovation.

In 2003, after MEST was superseded by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, under the Science and Technology Division, the Research, Technology and Innovation Branch included the following units: Commercialization and International Research and Development, Innovation Information and Awareness, and Innovation Programs and Policy.

In 2005, with the formation of the Ministry of Research and Innovation (MRI), the Research, Technology and Innovation Branch was transformed into the Research and Commercialization Division and considered the core of the new ministry. The division included the following units: Commercialization Branch, Infrastructure and Innovation Partnerships Branch, and the Research Branch.

In 2011, the MRI became part of the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI) and the Research and Commercialization Division was divided into the Innovation and Commercialization Division and the Science and Research Division.

Between 2013 and 2018, the MRI intermittently separated from MEDI, renamed the Ministry of Economic Development Trade and Employment (MEDTE). The division was renamed Research, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Division. In 2016, MRI was renamed the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science (MRIS).

In 2018, MRIS became part of the newly named Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. The division was renamed the Research, Science and Commercialization Division including the following units: Science and Research Branch, Scale-up Services Branch, Commercialization and Scale-up Networks Branch, and Ontario Capital Growth Corporation (OCGC).

Initially, in 2002, the Research, Technology and Innovation Branch was responsible for the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund, the Premier's Research Excellence Awards, the Premier's Platinum Medal for Research Excellence, the Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Research Performance Fund, Ontario's internal science and technology agreements, promoting science and technology awareness, building an innovation culture in Ontario, and the development of policy to support all program areas. The branch also provided secretariat support to the Ontario Science and Innovation Council and the ADM's Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. It prepared annual reports of science and innovation activity in Ontario and fostered liaison across all “science ministries” and other stakeholder groups, including relations with other provinces and the federal government.

In 2003, in addition to the liaison functions mentioned above and promoting science and technology awareness, the Research, Technology and Innovation Branch was specifically responsible for programs that built and supported research capacity and commercialization, that supported the attraction and retention of research talent, and that supported science and technology awareness with a focus on youth.

Beginning in 2005, the Research and Commercialization Division worked with other divisions in the Ministry of Research and Innovation and with stakeholders inside and outside of government to implement the ministry's Research and Commercialization Strategy. The Strategy was built around four goals: to sustain and build world class research; to enhance commercialization activities; to build and link regional innovation networks across the province; and to attract and retain talent.

As of 2018, the Research, Science and Commercialization Division is responsible for maximizing scientific and research funding mechanisms to support world-class research across Ontario, building strong relationships with members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem to provide them with access to capital and services, to scale up the growth of their business and create jobs resulting in building Ontario's capacity to innovate, and to improve the province's economic, scientific, and technological future.

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

INFO-GO

Results-based Plan Briefing Book for Ministry of Economic Development

KWIK 2004 and 2006

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