What Is Canada’s Digital Technology Cluster?

The Digital Technology Cluster is Canada’s response to a vision of being a global leader in the digital technology sector. This independent and non-profit organization supports innovative Canadian businesses by advancing the creation and adoption of digital technologies that address multiple issues, from augmenting the healthcare system to stimulating economic growth. Discover more about collaborative technology efforts through this government initiative.

Formerly Known As The Digital Technology Supercluster

When the Government of Canada created the Innovation Supercluster Initiative in 2018, the Digital Technology cluster was initially called the Digital Technology Supercluster. In the summer of 2022, Innovation, Science, and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne proposed the program get a new name that better reflects its goals — the Global Innovation Clusters initiative.

The decision came after Mr. Champagne spoke with the heads of all five independent, not-for-profit organizations that make up the program. His rationale behind making the change is encouraging each entity to do more with research and development, IP creation and commercialization, and support groundbreaking efforts to combat climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and problems in supply chains.

Mr. Champagne also stressed more effective collaboration among cluster partners. The rebranding expresses that the government program leverages global talent to drive innovation in Canada. In the 2022 budget, the Government of Canada invested $750 million directly in the Global Clusters Innovation to show their support for the initiative.

What Are the Digital Technology Cluster Program Streams?

The Digital Technology cluster connects businesses, researchers, data scientists, and government agencies empowering them to work together to further innovation in digital technology and infuse talent in the nation’s largest industries. The program offers collaborative research and development opportunities, co-investment, digital talent development, and assistance with IP creation to augment various sectors in Canada.
The cluster consists of five streams, each addressing a distinct concern impacting the country. These streams include:

• Digital + Precision Health: Implementing data-driven strategies for monitoring health, including virtual care models, predictive diagnosis, disease prevention, and tailored treatment plans.
• Digital Twins: Devising cyber production environments to test operations management, training, and other tasks in real time
• Data Commons: Gathering information from numerous sources into organized, shared platforms for more effective usage of vast data sets
• Digital Talent + Capacity Building: Working alongside employers, educators, and other key players to enhance job-ready digital talent and leadership skills in local communities.
• COVID-19: Formulating digital strategies to better respond to potential crises like the COVID-pandemic and augment economic recovery

What Are the Goals of the Digital Technology Cluster?

While the five streams of the Digital Technology Cluster indicate the program supports multiple sectors and organizations in achieving different objectives, it features three overarching goals that guide the projects it backs. These goals include:

• Enhancing healthcare: Making health systems more sustainable and care more accessible to boost outcomes
• Attaining net-zero production: Taking an ethical and environmentally-sound approach to situate Canadian agri-food and natural resource sectors as more competitive on the global market
• Building: Creating clear pathways to digital technology occupations by assisting with leadership programs and community-led capacity projects

Advance Funding with Easly

Although Canada’s Digital Technology Cluster has a new name, it continues providing financial support to innovative organizations nationwide. If your business receives capital from government programs, such as Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credits, consider Easly Advances to obtain those funds sooner.

We work directly with companies that access these funds, accelerating the time it takes for this money to reach their bank accounts. Businesses partnering with Easly obtain on-demand and non-dilutive funding through our easily-accessible Capital-as-a-Service platform.

Contact us today to learn more about our services.