Make strategic investments in the clean technology sector.

What success looks like

The clean technology sector's contribution to Canada's Gross Domestic Product grows, creating more good-paying, middle class jobs and increasing the number of high-growth companies in Canada.

Government's narrative on progress

Since 2016, the Government of Canada has committed more than 2.3 billion to several measures to grow clean technology in Canada as part of the Innovation and Skills Plan and the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. The government is supporting clean technology companies through several major programs including the $155 million Clean Growth Program, the $75 million Impact Canada Clean Tech Challenges, and the $25 million Agricultural Clean Technology Program. These programs are currently reviewing and/or approving applications. To date, all five planned innovative clean tech challenges have been launched under the Impact Canada initiative. The Women in Cleantech Challenge aims to help level the playing field for Canadian women entrepreneurs in the area of clean technology; the Sky’s the Limit Challenge is seeking a breakthrough on green aviation fuels; the Power Forward Challenge is a collaboration with the UK to design better power grids; the Generating New Opportunities: Indigenous Off-diesel Initiative which complements other diesel reduction efforts; and the Crush It! Challenge is seeking efficiencies in mining technologies for rock crushing. The government also enhanced its financing support to the clean technology industry through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Sustainable Development Technology Canada. The 2018 Fall Economic Statement further increased the venture capital available to clean technology firms by $50 million under the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative. In addition, supports are being put in place to help companies access and grow in global markets. Export Development Canada has started the Cleantech Co-investment Program and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Services has launched a new International Business Development Strategy. Finally, the new Clean Growth Hub is a whole-of-government focal point supporting clean technology producers and users which has provided services to over 930 clients in the first 14 months. Budget 2019 proposes to provide $100 million over four years, starting in 2019–20, to the Strategic Innovation Fund, leveraging private sector co-investments, in order to support the Clean Resource Innovation Network to develop ground-breaking clean tech and emission-lowering solutions through collaboration.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.