Canadian Science Policy and the Public Research Organisations in the 20th Century

Across OECD nations, public/private partnerships have recently become popular
mechanisms in advancing science and technology policies. But Canada has a long
tradition of such partnerships. The federal government was involved in the promotion
of relations between public research organisations (PROs) and the private sector
as early as the start of the twentieth century. In this paper, we trace the evolution
of policies promoting the economic utility of public science in Canada. We then
present the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRCIRAP)
and Industry Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program as
contrasting cases of federal steering. By developing an understanding of these flagship
instruments, we seek insight into the wider implications of state intervention in
relations between PROs and Canadian industry.