Participation of Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin in the work of the Standing Committee on Science and Research of the House of Commons of Canada

CIRANO highlights the participation of Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin, President and CEO of CIRANO, CIRANO Fellow, and Professor at Polytechnique Montréal, in the work of the Standing Committee on Science and Research of the House of Commons of Canada, where she was invited to testify as part of the study on research funding in Canada and the attraction of private investment.

During her appearance, Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin presented several key structural issues that, in her view, should guide public action to strengthen Canada’s scientific performance and capacity for innovation. She notably emphasized:

• The importance of stable and predictable public investment in research, essential for supporting research infrastructure, attracting and retaining talent, and enabling research ecosystems to play their full role in the continuum leading to innovation.

• Canada’s deficit in private R&D investment, which remains lower than in comparable economies, and the levers that could increase business contributions and stimulate collaboration between industry and academia.

• The critical role of Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs) as intermediary platforms capable of accelerating technology transfer, supporting innovation in SMEs, and de-risking industrial investments. She underlined that greater support for RTOs in Canada would strengthen the country’s ability to convert research into tangible economic impacts.

• The need to accelerate science–industry collaboration mechanisms, drawing on international models that combine public funding and private partnerships to support applied research and innovation.

• The essential role of research networks and platforms such as CIRANO, which facilitate partnerships, the production of evidence, and the transfer of knowledge to inform public decision-making.

She reiterated the importance of supporting evidence-based public policy and modernizing the tools that enable more effective mobilization of scientific expertise within the public administration.

CIRANO congratulates Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin for this important contribution to parliamentary work and for her continued commitment to advancing an ambitious science policy in Canada.