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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.