INDU Committee Report
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APPENDIX D:
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY WITNESSES
| Policy Issue | Recommendation | Witnesses |
|---|---|---|
| Monetary | encourage the Bank of Canada to relax its interest rate policy to reduce the upward pressure on the Canadian dollar | Canadian Auto Workers Union; UNITE HERE; United Steelworkers; City of Oshawa |
| discourage other countries from using non-floating currencies to generate unfair economic advantages | Platinum Tool Technologies | |
| Taxation: General | reduce taxes on business investment | Global Insights Inc.; Forest Products Association of Canada |
| reduce taxes on capital gains | Global Insights Inc. | |
| support a scheme to reduce corporate, personal, property, and other taxes, and replace them with an increased sales tax, in order to balance the tax burden in prices of domestically manufactured and imported goods | Electro-Federation Canada | |
| accelerate planned reductions in corporate income tax | Global Insights Inc.; Toronto Board of Trade | |
| reduce corporate tax rate to 17% within 5-6 years | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| Taxation: General (cont'd) | maintain government's commitment to lower the federal corporate tax from the current 21% to 19%, and eventually 17% | Electro-Federation Canada; Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters |
| ensure meaningful advantage in the overall corporate tax rate with respect to the United States | Canadian Council of Chief Executives | |
| take steps to ensure a highly competitive tax structure (e.g., marginal effective tax rates) |
Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada; Forest Products Association of Canada | |
| shorten the implementation period for corporate tax reductions, using the federal budget surplus | Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce | |
| reduce marginal tax rates on personal income for low to modest income families ($25-45,000), and evaluate "claw backs" (reductions in GST/child benefit allowances because of income increases) |
Canadian Chamber of Commerce | |
| increase threshold for highest marginal tax rate on personal income to $150,000 from $118,000 | Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce | |
| Taxation: General (cont'd) | harmonize provincial retail sales tax with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) | Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada; Canadian Council of Chief Executives; Retail Council of Canada |
| introduce tax relief for work relocation expenses | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| if government provides incentives for people to buy vehicles, it should take a technology-neutral approach | General Motors of Canada Ltd. | |
| if the capital gains tax is abolished, ensure that the benefits are re-invested in the companies ' infrastructure | Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| ensure that user fees are applied to the purpose for which they were collected, with an auditable paper-trail | Electro-Federation Canada | |
| focus tax cuts / incentives to improve industry on a sectoral level (e.g., tax benefits for research and development activities, or investment in new technologies or equipment) | United Steelworkers | |
| review income trust laws to encourage corporations to reinvest profits into developing their products or expanding capacity |
Canadian Labour Congress | |
| Taxation: General (cont'd) | in industries (e.g., automotive) where there are temporary investment tax credits for purchasing new machinery, equipment, etc., the credits should encourage the purchase of Canadian-made equipment | Canadian Labour Congress |
| use tax incentives to encourage companies to invest in training their own workforce | Polytechnics Canada | |
| allow companies to give performance bonuses and other employee incentives tax free, up to $2500 for employees earning less than $50 000 / year | J. D. Irving Limited | |
| employer-sponsored health and wellness programs for employees should be tax-exempt | J. D. Irving Limited | |
| adjust the tax system so that pensioners and EI recipients do not lose money by going back to work | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| encourage provinces to move from retail sales tax to a value-added tax like the GST / HST, and consider future reductions in the GST in the context of assisting that transition | Toronto Board of Trade | |
| Taxation: General (cont'd) | develop a formal system for transferring losses between members of the same corporate group within common ownership | Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce |
| enhance investment tax credits and credits for capital acquisition which would immediately offset costs | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| promote domestic purchasing ( e.g., by giving a tax credit to people who buy products made in Canada) | Caoutchoucs et plastiques Falpaco inc. | |
| consider a reduction of marginal tax rates on personal income for low to modest income families | Retail Council of Canada | |
| reduce GST / HST an additional 1% | Retail Council of Canada | |
| Taxation: SR&ED Tax Incentive Program | make SR&ED tax credits more accessible / improve the SR&ED tax incentives program | Canadian Plastics Industry Association; Canadian Textiles Institute; Canadian Apparel Federation; Aerospace Industries Association of Canada; Canadian Steel Producers Association; Bernard Mould |
| Taxation: SR&ED Tax Incentive Program (cont'd) | make the SR&ED tax credit more accessible: allow the refund to be included in project assessment; include international collaborative work; include cost of pre-commercialization work (e.g., patenting, prototyping) |
Electro-Federation Canada |
| give Industry Canada (not CRA) the responsibility for evaluating SR&ED proposals | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| make SR&ED tax credits refundable, and exclude them from the taxation base | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters; Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| allow the SR&ED credit to cover international collaborative R&D, and the costs of the patent process | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| incorporate an incentive in the SR&ED tax credit system for creating a viable (i.e., ready-for-market) product | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| ensure that companies can use accumulated SR&ED tax credits against EI premiums or capital investments | Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd. | |
| Taxation: SR&ED Tax Incentive Program (cont'd) | increase allowances for capital costs within the SR&ED program | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. |
| Taxation: Capital Cost Allowance Rates | accelerate depreciation for equipment and technology investments |
Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec; Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada; Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd. |
| accelerate capital cost allowance system | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters; Canadian Apparel Federation; Forest Products Association of Canada | |
| capital cost allowance rates: match useful life of assets to economic realities | Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Toronto Board of Trade | |
| introduce a two-year write-off for machinery and equipment | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters; Canadian Plastics Industry Association; Canadian Steel Producers Association; Electro-Federation Canada; Canadian Chemical Producers' Association; J. D. Irving Limited; Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce; Edmonton Economic Development Corporation |
|
| Taxation: Capital Cost Allowance Rates (cont'd) | change the capital cost depreciation rate from 4% to 8% on the natural gas distribution system |
Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Gas Association |
| change the capital cost depreciation rate from 8% to 12% for electricity infrastructure, and up to 45% for smart meters and other communications – or software-based capital |
Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Electricity Association |
|
| formally review the eligibility criteria for inclusion in both the accelerated capital cost allowance rate and recent temporary enhancements by an industry/government committee | Canadian Gas Association | |
| match capital cost allowance depreciation rate to the equivalent US rate for railway equipment | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| start capital cost depreciation as soon as an investment commitment is made, rather than after the project is in use | J. D. Irving Limited | |
| Labour Skills | speed up processing of skilled immigrant workers and selection of those with needed skills | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters |
| ensure the work permit system responds to labour needs | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | enhance efficiencies in getting people into the country to fill labour needs; more resources focused on target areas (e.g., Asia) | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters |
| better integrate immigrants and Aboriginal people into workforce |
Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Retail Council of Canada | |
| improve recognition of credentials | Canadian Chamber of Commerce | |
| facilitate more effective integration of immigrants into appropriate employment by more effective certification policies, and reduce the inter-provincial barriers to certification of trades and professions | Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Wood Council | |
| put in place a national, coordinated, streamlined accreditation system, starting with a focus on up to 10 "crisis sectors" with most severe skill shortages |
Conference Board of Canada | |
| introduce ways to offset employee training costs against other payroll taxes (e.g., Employment Insurance program) | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| introduce training leave within the Employment Insurance system |
Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec |
|
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | place more emphasis on continued upgrading and provision of skills | Bank of Canada |
| federal government, provincial governments and private sector should increase commitment to employee training | Global Insights Inc. | |
| revise the Employment Insurance system | Global Insights; Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce | |
| increase the incentive for inter-provincial migration to more promising labour markets | Global Insights Inc. | |
| increase investment for higher education | Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Mancor Industries | |
| increase funding for apprenticeships | Canadian Chamber of Commerce; City of Oshawa | |
| tax incentives for SMEs, recognizing their role in providing apprenticeships and training that usually end up benefiting larger organizations | Association Québécoise de l'Aérospatiale | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | consider incentives to enhance training opportunities for certain companies, especially focusing on small and medium sized enterprises | Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Platinum Tool Technologies; City of Oshawa |
| reintroduce Program for Older Worker Adjustment (POWA) |
Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec; Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| implement an older-worker adjustment program that includes workers in the apparel industry, especially in Montreal |
UNITE HERE | |
| set up a system to help small and medium-sized businesses adopt newer, more co-operative employee management practices |
Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| examine progressive retirement options to deal with an aging population of skilled workers | Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| re-involve the federal government in skills training, and especially retraining workers who are on EI to be able to adapt to new industries / jobs without losing their benefits (similar to existing apprenticeship programs) |
United Steelworkers | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | implement a levy of 1% on corporations which do not do their own training (following Quebec model) | United Steelworkers |
| invest in basic literacy / numeracy training for workers | Canadian Labour Congress | |
| re-examine the position of maternity leave in the EI system to improve incentives for employers to offer sufficient maternity leave benefits | Canadian Labour Congress | |
| use the EI system as an incentive for skills training by employers, similar to how EI premium rebates are currently given for employers that offer their own maternity benefits | Canadian Labour Congress | |
| do more to improve on the job-training so that workers can keep their skills up-to-date | Canadian Labour Congress | |
| implement a national "people and skills" strategy to develop short and long term goals to sustaining a skilled workforce |
Polytechnics Canada | |
| develop a national credit-transfer system between educational institutions, as well as a system of credit for prior learning by adult students | Polytechnics Canada | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | enhance Canada's e-learning capacity | Polytechnics Canada |
| encourage cooperation between governments, industries, and Polytechnic institutes to produce needed skilled workers |
Polytechnics Canada | |
| create a tax credit against EI premiums for employer-financed workforce training |
Canadian Steel Producers Association; Electro-Federation Canada; Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| focus governmental human resources programs on advanced technical skills and trades | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| government should work with industry to promote careers in manufacturing to young people | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| government needs to develop a policy to protect and increase skilled industrial jobs | Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| make government subsidies and programs for labour training easier to access, less bureaucratic; eliminate restrictions to workers currently receiving EI | J. D. Irving Limited | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | ||
| change immigration policies to better fit labour needs; encourage younger, entrepreneurial immigrants | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| make it easier for companies to bring in guest workers, e.g., from Mexico | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| reform the EI program to reduce barriers to labour mobility | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| reduce the public-sector workforce to make more workers available for the private sector | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| encourage community colleges to enhance formal industrial training initiatives in cooperation with industries and unions | Maritime Steel and Foundries Limited | |
| encourage immigration to help provide a younger demographic | Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd. | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | encourage industry partnerships with secondary-school technology training programs (such as the high tech regional program at Port Credit SS) | Port Credit Secondary School |
| allow students / apprentices to write-off tools expenditures | Port Credit Secondary School | |
| focus on attracting young workers to the manufacturing trades, and giving them the necessary training while still in the education system | Celestica | |
| help support companies that invest in training students through internships, etc. | Celestica | |
| increase investment in trades-focused education and training, including retraining for displaced older workers | Windsor and District Labour Council | |
| ensure that government investment in skills development is focused on industry needs by maintaining regular dialogue with industry leaders | Windsor and District Labour Council | |
| Labour Skills (cont'd) | encourage co-development of college and university programs with industry, and create an interface between industry and academic institutions so that the institutions are more aware of industry's needs; provide federal government funding for these types of programs | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. |
| apply current budget surpluses to support continuous training programs | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| design a "modern" immigration strategy to focus on trainable as well as already skilled workers | Retail Council of Canada | |
| review fiscal policies that may discourage the participation of mature Canadians in the labour market | Retail Council of Canada | |
| work with the provinces and territories to promote child care programs to assist with the participation of women in the workforce | Retail Council of Canada | |
| Energy | develop an energy strategy to support a competitive business environment | Canadian Chamber of Commerce |
| consider energy from a continental perspective | Canadian Chamber of Commerce | |
| Energy (cont'd) | develop a national policy on energy and resources | Canadian Auto Workers Union and Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec |
| provide incentives and expertise to industrial producers to support energy efficiency | Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec |
|
| develop an energy framework which ensures adequate feed stock for manufacturing and the stabilization of energy prices |
Canadian Plastics Industry Association | |
| integrate biofuels into the refined petroleum products stream "in a way that makes markets work better" | Energy Dialogue Group | |
| support new hydro electric projects to maintain Canada's advantage in electricity prices, etc. | Energy Dialogue Group | |
| develop a more coherent energy framework | Energy Dialogue Group | |
| put time limits on subsidies for alternative energies | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Gas Association |
|
| encourage use of biodiesel and other renewable fuels | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| Energy (cont'd) | develop a strong energy framework which includes nuclear energy as a way of generating a stable supply of electricity without emissions | Canadian Chemical Producers' Association |
| integrate energy sources and distribution systems | Energy Innovation Network | |
| accelerate the development of alternative energy sources | Energy Innovation Network | |
| improve public awareness / cooperation on the need to create new energy infrastructure | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Gas Association |
|
| clarify climate change policy so that oil industry can make appropriate long-term decisions | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Petroleum Products Institute | |
| review current and proposed programs, particularly those intended for lower income Canadians, to ensure that energy efficiency and fuel switching opportunities are fully considered in meeting affordability and environmental goals. | Canadian Gas Association | |
| increase program support for the demonstration, deployment and adoption of integrated energy technologies and projects | Canadian Gas Association | |
| Energy (cont'd) | encourage the development of new, and in particular "green," technologies for producing energy (e.g., wind) | United Steelworkers |
| encourage investment in renewable energy, particularly retrofitting plants to generate their own electricity through biomass or wind – possibly with a 150% investment write-off | J. D. Irving Limited | |
| create a national energy strategy that supports R&D, creates a framework for stable energy prices, and produces a competitive business environment | City of Oshawa | |
| provide incentives for meeting energy efficiency targets | City of Oshawa | |
| encourage the federal government, through NRCan, to support CO 2 utilization-biomass generation projects | Alberta Research Council | |
| Trade | focus on regional and bilateral trade agreements that provide effective market access | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters |
| Canada needs to stay focused on the importance of the multilateral trade regime and making an active contribution to bringing down barriers globally | Canadian Council of Chief Executives | |
| continue to press for liberalized trade environment | Canadian Chamber of Commerce | |
| Trade (cont'd) | withdraw from free trade negotiations with South Korea | Canadian Auto Workers Union; Canadian Labour Congress |
| identify a solution that will achieve a sustainable manner of opening up South Korea's automotive market imports (e.g., market metric approach, with tariff snap-backs) |
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association | |
| LDC rules of origin need to be revisited | Canadian Textiles Institute | |
| all custom duties on fabric should be removed as long as these fabrics are not produced in a commercial way in Canada |
Apparel Manufacturers Institute of Quebec | |
| work closely with counterparts in U.S. on issues surrounding WHTI | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| encourage the United States to reduce ethanol subsidies and / or match their subsidies | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Petroleum Products Institute | |
| Trade (cont'd) | ensure that duty exemptions for imports from developing countries are removed once those countries become established industrial competitors | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers |
| help with sales promotion / subsidizing trade missions in international markets, particularly China | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| continue / speed up bilateral free trade negotiations in wake of suspension of WTO talks | Food and Consumer Products of Canada | |
| implement temporary safeguard measures under WTO to cap apparel imports from China | UNITE HERE | |
| where appropriate (e.g., following a recommendation by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal), implement temporary protection measures to allow industries time to change or adapt | Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| consider other countries' (e.g., China's) possible lack of enforcement of patent rules or environmental standards as equivalent to industrial subsidies when negotiating trade agreements |
Canadian Labour Congress | |
| Trade (cont'd) | do not support C-24 (Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006) | Independent Lumber Remanufacturers' Association |
| reconvene international trade committees on softwood lumber with the US, to allow more input from businesses now that they have an understanding of the current agreement; in particular, ensure that any duties imposed are clear and consistent (no retroactive duties), so that businesses can predict their costs properly | Independent Lumber Remanufacturers' Association |
|
| utilize existing trade rules to adjust for market distortions caused by rapidly developing countries (e.g., China and India) which heavily subsidize certain industries | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| do not proceed with Canada-EFTA agreement unless other policies are in place to allow Canadian ship builders to compete with the protected Norwegian industry | Offshore/Onshore Technologies Association of Nova Scotia and Secunda Marine Services Limited | |
| support the Asia-Pacific gateway initiative, and put in place an Atlantic gateway corridor | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters | |
| improve the ability to efficiently transport goods across the Canada-US border (particularly at Windsor-Detroit) | Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce; Tempress Ltd.; Celestica; Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce; Accucaps | |
| Trade (cont'd) | improve Canada-US border crossings, not only for goods, but also for people | Canadian Association of MoldMakers / DMS Corporation |
| ensure that any future trade agreements (particularly with auto manufacturing countries) are fair and reciprocal | General Motors of Canada Ltd.: City of Oshawa | |
| "level the playing field" against foreign competitors that offer protections and subsidies for their industries | Canadian Association of MoldMakers / DMS Corporation; Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce | |
| prevent large companies from transferring parts manufacturing that was developed in Canada to lower-wage countries | Windsor and District Labour Council | |
| examine global transfer pricing to prevent product dumping in Canada | Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce | |
| create an auto-pact with China, Korea, and others to counteract current protectionist tariffs and regulations in these countries | MidWest Precision Mould Ltd | |
| Trade (cont'd) | clarify the government's vision of export strategies for manufactured goods | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters - Alberta Division |
| impose tariffs on Asian imports of products that are also made in Canada | Plastiques Cellulaires Polyform Inc. | |
| use punitive tariffs on imports from countries with poor environmental standards | Plastiques Cellulaires Polyform Inc. | |
| expand the current trade mission program, with more incentives for companies to develop strategic relationships required to keep Canada a net exporter | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| ensure that foreign importers have to account for the same environmental restrictions as Canadian businesses | MRC of Haute-Yamaska | |
| do not introduce international credit trading systems for environmental matters; a better system would be to force countries that have failed to meet their environmental obligations to pay a percentage penalty on all exports to compliant countries | Caoutchoucs et plastiques Falpaco inc. | |
| aggressively pursue both regional and bilateral trade agreements, but not to the detriment of multilateral negotiations | Retail Council of Canada | |
| Intellectual Property Rights Protection | improve implementation of trade rules at our borders to protect against importation and exportation of counterfeit products |
Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters; Accucaps Industries Limited; Flexxaire Manufacturing Inc.; Plastiques Cellulaires Polyform Inc.; Caoutchoucs et plastiques Falpaco inc. |
| enforce trade rules and protect intellectual property rights to maintain domestic and U.S. confidence in our trading partnership |
Canadian Council of Chief Executives | |
| provide assistance to companies to offset legal fees and other expenses in pursuing international patent protection suits | Caoutchoucs et plastiques Falpaco inc. | |
| Regulatory | speed up regulatory approvals (in pharmaceutical industry) | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters |
| effectively enforce the Federal User Fees Act – ensure fees are accountable and internationally competitive | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters; Canadian Federation of Independent Business | |
| eliminate regulatory and paper burden | Canadian Federation of Independent Business | |
| institute a regulatory review process: measure regulatory burden, institutionalize measurement and reporting | Canadian Federation of Independent Business | |
| Regulatory (cont'd) | regulatory regime should enable labour mobility and minimize disincentives to relocation | Canadian Council of Chief Executives |
| implement recommendations of the 2004 External Advisory Committee on Smart Regulation | Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Canadian Wood Council |
|
| simplify, rationalize and evaluate the current regulatory framework |
Conference Board of Canada | |
| regulations should have net accounting (economic, environmental, health, etc.) |
Conference Board of Canada | |
| review Competition Act to ensure the application of merger review more fully accounts for economies of scale | Forest Products Association of Canada | |
| regulate electricity in such a way that prices can move to adjust to changing economic realities | Energy Dialogue Group | |
| more regulatory latitude to allow long-term energy contracts (particularly re natural gas) to smooth out price volatility |
Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Gas Association |
|
| Regulatory (cont'd) | do not reverse successful deregulation in oil and gas sectors | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Gas Association |
| ensure that electricity price regulation allows for partnerships that can recover costs from investment by industry in efficiency technologies | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Electricity Association |
|
| review and revamp Canadian regulatory environment (for food and consumer products), particularly re: reducing product assessment times, improving jurisdictional and departmental cooperation, flexibly adjusting to international standards and utilizing international scientific data |
Food and Consumer Products of Canada | |
| ensure a responsive regulatory environment and a more certain long-term business environment | Energy Innovation Network | |
| speed up approvals of new hydro projects by increasing coordination between jurisdictions and federal departments, and by improving timelines on regulated assessments | Energy Dialogue Group / Canadian Electricity Association |
|
| support regulatory change and investment to make it easier for industries to get involved in cogeneration of electricity | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| Regulatory (cont'd) | ensure that environmental regulations take into account sector-by-sector differences in emissions and previous emission reductions | Canadian Chemical Producers' Association |
| ensure the regulatory process is competitive in cost and timeliness |
Electro-Federation Canada | |
| introduce agreements with other jurisdictions to reduce overlap in the regulatory process | Electro-Federation Canada | |
| initiate a cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide emissions, with offset credits for biomass | J. D. Irving Limited | |
| ensure that environmental regulation has a sound scientific basis, and is not merely mimicking other jurisdictions | Maritime Steel and Foundries Limited | |
| maintain harmonized regulations with the United States | General Motors of Canada Ltd. | |
| Research & Development / Commercialization | continue Technology Partnerships Canada with adequate resources and recognize the changing nature of R&D investment through the R&D continuum |
Aerospace Industries Association of Canada |
| Research & Development / Commercialization (cont'd) | government and funding agencies should distinguish between different phases of R&D, and treat each differently |
Association Québécoise de l'Aérospatiale |
| commercialize research (get industry involved in R&D); e.g., expand the freight incentives program or rail technology development program | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| reinstate the freight sustainability development program, or create a similar program supporting innovative technologies |
Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| support R&D in general, but especially getting new technologies to market | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| ensure that research being done at Canadian universities, and subsidized by the Canadian government, ends up being developed and commercialized within Canada, not elsewhere |
United Steelworkers | |
| improve opportunities for venture capital investment in new technologies within Canada | Canadian Labour Congress | |
| invest in applied research, in addition to basic research | Polytechnics Canada | |
| Research & Development / Commercialization (cont'd) | eliminate the 14-year sunset clause on Networks of Centres of Excellence (i.e., allow NCEs to renew their 7-year mandate more than once, for as long as the industry sector remains committed to the program) |
AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence |
| introduce a coordinated, systematic approach to the various research funding programs | AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence | |
| include inflationary increases in funding for long-term research projects | AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence | |
| integrate R&D with industry and consumers into an "innovation supply chain"; in particular, need to share innovation and implementation risks (from converting new discoveries into pilot projects) with the private sector, e.g., by some sort of insurance mechanism |
Energy Innovation Network | |
| involve the private sector more in supervising publicly-funded research and development programs to ensure research meets market needs |
Energy Innovation Network | |
| allocate long-term stable funding to the CFI, starting in the spring budget | Canada Foundation for Innovation | |
| Research & Development / Commercialization (cont'd) | couple project funding to other support services that encourage collaboration between industry and academic sectors, especially during commercialization stage for new technologies |
Precarn Incorporated |
| encourage market-driven research projects | Precarn Incorporated | |
| encourage more R&D in the private e.g., by placing conditions on government R&D grants to academia to require cooperation with industry | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| encourage and simplify industry-university collaborative R&D programs | Maritime Steel and Foundries Limited | |
| support increased funding for research and development within the manufacturing sector | City of Oshawa | |
| increase investment in R&D, particularly academic-industry partnerships | University of Ontario Institute of Technology | |
| improve technology transfer between businesses and universities | Tempress Ltd. | |
| Research & Development / Commercialization (cont'd) | encourage commercialization-driven research that focuses on industry needs within universities; invest and help fund commercialization programs in industry | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. |
| invest in research and development, e.g. by reviewing / expanding the SR&ED program, but also more up-front grants, not just tax credits | Accucaps Industries Limited | |
| ensure that investment in R&D is linked to true business needs and commercializable products | Alberta Research Council | |
| get the federal government involved in the I-CAN (Innovation Canada) program by direct funding or by ensuring they are eligible for existing R&D funding programs | Alberta Research Council | |
| extend existing support mechanisms for R&D to support the commercialization of new products and the patent process, including international patents | Flexxaire Manufacturing Inc. | |
| Industrial | federal government should encourage reduced subsidization of manufacturing sectors | Global Insights Inc. |
| Industrial (cont'd) | continue offering support for strategic major investments in the auto industry by participation in the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council | Canadian Auto Workers Union |
| provide government loan guarantees | Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec |
|
| provide direct subsidies for new equipment | Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec |
|
| use money from Canada Pension Plan to fund capital investments for SMEs | Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec |
|
| procurement policies for Canadian content, which could be used along with marketing programs to promote Canadian products to Canadians | Apparel Manufacturers Institute of Quebec | |
| continue programs under Canadian Apparel & Textiles Industries Program (CATIP) | Apparel Manufacturers Institute of Quebec | |
| promote Canadian-made clothing | UNITE HERE | |
| Industrial (cont'd) | implement an outward processing program for the textile industry (imported apparel made with Canadian textiles would enter Canada duty free) | Canadian Textiles Institute |
| do not implement outward processing | Apparel Manufacturers Institute of Quebec | |
| programs should reserve a portion of funding for SMEs (e.g., aerospace) | Association Québécoise de l'Aérospatiale | |
| provide support for organizations to deal with the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) |
Association Québécoise de l'Aérospatiale | |
| promote the use of wood in non-residential construction | Canadian Wood Council | |
| create a forum whereby workers can be involved in the reorganization of their industry to improve productivity | Centrale de Syndicats du Québec | |
| invest in and support a new, "greener," industrial policy, particularly in the automotive sector | United Steelworkers | |
| Industrial (cont'd) | create a long-term job strategy for the Canadian manufacturing sector, with "an innovative and highly productive manufacturing base," by investing in R&D, skills development, and new infrastructure | Canadian Labour Congress |
| create a "sector development bank" to help invest in restructuring of industries | Canadian Labour Congress | |
| don't have special programs for particular industries | Canadian Chemical Producers' Association | |
| recognize and encourage the development of domestic industrial clusters and supply-chain relationships | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| develop partnership mechanisms between key stakeholders in particular industrials sectors to identify medium- and long-term manufacturing interests | Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| do not provide direct capital or production subsidies to industry |
Canadian Steel Producers Association | |
| ensure government subsidies focus on productivity, not simply job creation | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| Industrial (cont'd) | create a national incentive program that allows municipalities to compete effectively with foreign jurisdictions in attracting new investment | City of Oshawa |
| focus on attracting large manufacturers to Canada | Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd. | |
| allow more incentives to be offered to Canadian companies to expand and invest in Canada, to compete against incentives offered by other jurisdictions | Mancor Industries | |
| create a loan financing system, for government-shared investment in capital costs and skills development, that bases repayment on future cash flows from product and process innovation | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| create programs to help companies gain the financial resources to invest in the latest technology and equipment; possibly include a loan forgiveness plan based on employment maintenance and job creation | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| create an industrial manufacturing strategy that will include assistance in upgrading capital equipment, as well as increasing knowledge of and investment in "lean" manufacturing technologies | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| Industrial (cont'd) | continue the Technology Partnerships Canada program, and support programs such as the Ontario Automotive Investment Strategy | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. |
| create an overall federal government policy for the automotive and manufacturing sectors, including investment incentives, tax structure improvement, shared risk programs, and trade policies | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. | |
| protect tool manufacturers against financial risks due to the long time span between the start of production and receipt of payment by (a) allowing tool shops to secure liens against their products; (b) continuing EDC insurance of receivables with similar program for non-exports; (c) allowing for greater coordination of GST payments and credits; and (d) encouraging banks to accept greater risk in loans and financing | Platinum Tool Technologies | |
| discourage the use of misleading "Designed in Canada" marks on products made elsewhere | Plastiques Cellulaires Polyform Inc. | |
| create incentives for companies to establish operations in Canada, similar to what many U.S. states already do | Plastiques Cellulaires Polyform Inc. | |
| Inter-provincial Trade and Infrastructure | develop a binding dispute resolution mechanism for inter-provincial trade |
Conference Board of Canada |
| need a national transportation infrastructure strategy, including discussion of public-private partnerships | Canadian Chamber of Commerce | |
| enhance the physical infrastructure at the Canada-U.S. border |
Canadian Auto Workers Union | |
| invest in transportation to adjust to changing natural gas sources |
Energy Dialogue Group | |
| create incentives for "greener" freight transportation with an umbrella policy incorporating both trucks and rail | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| encourage Transport Canada to fund new technologies / upgrades to passenger rail systems | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| help reduce capital cost of new equipment from public transit authorities as a way to reduce fares | Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers | |
| Inter-provincial Trade and Infrastructure (cont'd) | create a comprehensive national strategy to coordinate different sectors involved in trade, transport, and security | Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters |
| improve transportation and highway infrastructure to create more direct links between manufacturers and markets | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies | |
| reduce inter-provincial barriers to investment, trade and labour mobility | Atlantic Institute for Market Studies; Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters - Alberta Division | |
| improve highway infrastructure, in particular the construction of highway 407 to bypass Toronto | Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce | |
| invest in transportation and energy infrastructure | Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd. | |
| invest in transportation and trade infrastructure | Tempress Ltd.; Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters - Alberta Division | |
| increase investment in highway infrastructure, e.g., through gas-tax sharing with municipalities | Toronto Board of Trade | |
| Inter-provincial Trade and Infrastructure (cont'd) | commit a billion dollars from the Strategic Infrastructure Fund to public transit every year | Toronto Board of Trade |
| pursue inter-regional trade missions within Canada, instead of international trade missions | Windsor and District Labour Council | |
| set up region-to-region business partnerships across Canada, similar to an existing pilot project partnership between Calgary and Quebec city | Team Calgary | |
| Security | Security & Prosperity Partnership initiative should remain a top priority | Canadian Chamber of Commerce |
| create a long-term manufacturing strategy integrated within a national defence renewal strategy, whereby companies supported must be prepared to support Canada's manufacturing requirements in the case of national emergencies | Valiant Machine & Tool Inc. |