Canada
- Jul 08, 2019
- eccp
Canada and the EU are engaged in a strong historical partnership - willing to be reinforced by the recent Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed by both parts on October 30th, 2016.
Canada has developed a large and promising cluster & supercluster community, supported by ambitious governmental policies in favour of research and innovation. Key sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean technologies and energies, digital economy, agri-food, health and bio-sciences. The Canadian government has decided to concentrate its action by supporting the five superclusters thanks to a $950 million CAD investment for 5 years, as of 2018.

Economic and political context and framework
Canada is considered as one of the most attractive countries in terms of business environment, with an easy access to business investments, in a particularly stable political context. The current government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is looking towards strong policies to support research and innovation, in high value-added sectors such as advanced manufacturing, agri-food, clean technologies and digital industries.

Cluster community in the country
Essentially based in the provinces of Ontario and Québec, some of the largest Canadian clusters could be considered as “superclusters”, such as Toronto Waterloo Corridor, Ontario Aerospace Council or Toronto region’s Human Health & Sciences cluster. In Québec, the Montréal’s Metropolitan clusters is a huge cluster network strongly advanced in the field of cluster policy and firmly international-looking.
In addition, there are five superclusters, funded at the federal level on strategic domains, as the result of the Innovation Superclusters Initiative. The five superclusters are the following: the Digital Supercluster, the Protein Supercluster, the Artificial Intelligence Supply Chain Supercluster, the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster and the Ocean Supercluster. A cluster data base is available on the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity’s website, and the related mapping currently under construction. The Institute has listed a total of 67 clusters around the country.

Cluster policies encouraging the development and internationalisation of clusters
Mainly driven by the ambitious Innovation & Skills Pan, a governmental program launched in March 2017, and the new Global Markets Action Plan, cluster policies are also supported by Innovation Canada, with a $50 million CAD contribution to research and innovation. Read more...
For the period 2017-2022, the Innovation Superclusters Initiative will be at the heart of cluster policies. This competition providing a $950 million investment budget will help giving an accurate typology of Canadian clusters and superclusters by rewarding few of the best initiatives across the country. Read less.

Cluster to cluster cooperation opportunities and potential interest from European clusters and SMEs
Cluster cooperation between the EU and Canada is not led by a specific bilateral convention, however the enforcement of cooperation policies and an increasing number of bottom-up initiatives contribute to a global collaboration process. International partnerships involving businesses are already supported by local initiatives, such as the Enterprise Canada Network, or European ones, like the Enterprise Europe Network.
Also, the International Cleantech Network should be mentioned, as one of the main cluster networks specialised in clean technologies. Canada is also targeted by a number of European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCPs-4i) within their internationalization strategy, in sectors like agri-food, health and bio-sciences, clean technologies and transportation.
. In these sectors, some success stories deserve to be mentioned, such as the Skywin and Aero Montréal collaboration (aerospace) or the Alsace BioValley and MEDTEQ partnership (healthcare). Read less.
Events
Date | Name | Target | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, 28 October, 2020 - 18:00 | Canadian Superclusters Showcase | Cluster managers, SME | Webinar |
Wednesday, 30 September, 2020 - 17:00 | Trade and investment opportunities in Alberta, Canada | Cluster managers, SME | Webinar |
Thursday, 11 June, 2020 - 16:00 | CETA Market Access Programme Webinar: How to Find a Business Partner in Canada | Cluster managers, SME | Webinar |
Monday, 9 December, 2019 - 17:00 | Webinar: Shaping Future Ocean Clusters. The View from Iceland & Canada | Large audience | Webinar |
Wednesday, 26 June, 2019 - 16:00 | Webinar: How to Export to Canada & Benefit from CETA | SME | Webinar |
Wednesday, 5 June, 2019 - 09:00 | EU-Canada Cluster Matchmaking Event | Cluster managers, Cluster Policy Makers, Project coordinators, SME | Matchmaking |
Monday, 1 April, 2019 - 10:45 | EU CLUSTER WEEKS' MAIN ANCHOR EVENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HANOVER FAIR | Cluster managers, Cluster Policy Makers, SME | Conference, Matchmaking, Seminar, Workshop |
Friday, 25 January, 2019 - 11:30 | Gender Diversity and Inclusion in Innovation | Cluster managers, Cluster Policy Makers, Project coordinators | Workshop |
Thursday, 18 October, 2018 - 10:30 | Global Matchmaking at TCI 2018 | Cluster managers, Project coordinators, SME | Matchmaking |
Tuesday, 16 October, 2018 - 09:00 | 21st TCI Network Global Conference (TCI 2018) | Cluster managers, Cluster Policy Makers | Conference, Matchmaking |
Pages
Achievements
ESCP-4is targetting this country
Acronym | Name | Sector(s) | Targeted third countries | No. of SME involved | No. of Partners |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AdPack | Future Materials and products for advanced smart packaging |
Paper and Packaging AGROFOOD INDUSTRY›Technologies for the food industry›Food Packaging / Handling |
Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, United States | 373 | 5 |
AdPack² | European Strategic Cluster Partnership for Advanced Smart Packaging |
Paper and Packaging AGROFOOD INDUSTRY›Technologies for the food industry›Food Packaging / Handling |
Canada, China, United States | 530 | 6 |
bioXclusters plus | ESCP on Personalised Healthcare |
Biopharmaceuticals BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES›Medicine, Human Health›Pharmaceutical Products / Drugs |
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), United States | 880 | 4 |
C2Future | Clusters for Cities of the Future |
Information Technology and Analytical Instruments ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Information Processing & Systems, Workflow›Internet of Things, PROTECTING MAN AND ENVIRONMENT›Environment›Clean Production / Green Technologies |
Algeria, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, United States | 400 | 6 |
DECISION | DElivering Cluster International Strategies Into Overseas Networks |
Downstream Chemical Products ENERGY›Renewable Sources of Energy›Waste to energy - other |
Canada, China, India, United States | 320 | 2 |
DIA | European Digital Industry Alliance |
Production Technology and Heavy Machinery ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Electronics, Microelectronics›Digital Systems, Digital Representation |
Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, United States | 865 | 6 |
EACP ABROAD | Activities and Businesses from Real Opportunities for Aerospace Developments (EACP network) |
Aerospace Vehicles and Defence INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL AND TRANSPORT›Aerospace Technology›Aeronautical technology / Avionics |
Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, United States | 1355 | 11 |
ELBE | Europe Leading Blue Energy |
Electric Power Generation and Transmission ENERGY›Energy production, transmission and conversion›Generators, electric engines and power converters |
Canada, China, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Taiwan, United States | 467 | 5 |
ELBE PLUS | European Leaders of Blue Energy |
Electric Power Generation and Transmission ENERGY›Renewable Sources of Energy›Wind energy |
Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Taiwan, United States | 400 | 6 |
ELCA4i | European Lighting Cluster Alliance for Internationalisation |
Lighting and Electrical Equipment ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Electronic circuits, components and equipment›Semiconductors, INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL AND TRANSPORT›Construction Technology›Construction engineering (design, simulation) |
Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States | 270 | 3 |
eT4S | European Technologies for Sustainability |
Information Technology and Analytical Instruments ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Information Processing & Systems, Workflow›Computer Software, ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Information Processing & Systems, Workflow›Smart Appliances |
Canada, China, Singapore, United States | 700 | 5 |
EU KETs4Dual-Use | European Key Enabling Technologies for Dual-Use Worldwide |
Aerospace Vehicles and Defence ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Electronic circuits, components and equipment›Micro and Nanotechnology related to Electronics and Microelectronics, ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Electronic circuits, components and equipment›Optical Networks and Systems |
Canada, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United States | 200 | 4 |
EUT | EU Techbridge |
Environmental Services ENERGY›Energy efficiency›Energy management, ENERGY›Energy efficiency›Process optimisation, waste heat utilisation |
Canada, United States | 624 | 5 |
FoodNet | Food In Eco Network |
Transportation and Logistics INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL AND TRANSPORT›Transport Infrastructure›Logistics |
Algeria, Canada, China, India, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Turkmenistan, United States, Uzbekistan | 362 | 5 |
GEO ENERGY EUROPE 2 | Geo-Energy for the XXIst Century |
Electric Power Generation and Transmission ENERGY›Renewable Sources of Energy›Geothermal energy |
Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico | 600 | 9 |
GEO-ENERGY EUROPE | Geo-Energy for the XXIst Century |
Electric Power Generation and Transmission ENERGY›Renewable Sources of Energy›Geothermal energy |
Canada, Chile, Kenya | 320 | 8 |
INTonomous | INTonomous |
Automotive ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›IT and Telematics Applications›Applications for Transport and Logistics |
Canada, United Arab Emirates, United States | 1200 | 6 |
LASER-GO | European Cluster Partnership in Photonics for Health |
Lighting and Electrical Equipment BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES›Medicine, Human Health›Medical Technology / Biomedical Engineering |
Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, United States | 231 | 3 |
LASER-GO GLOBAL | European Cluster Partnership in Photonics for Health |
Lighting and Electrical Equipment BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES›Medicine, Human Health›Medical Technology / Biomedical Engineering |
Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Singapore, United States | 240 | 6 |
MobiGoIn | Mobility Goes International |
Transportation and Logistics ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›IT and Telematics Applications›Applications for Transport and Logistics |
Canada, China, Malaysia, Singapore, United States | 1100 | 4 |
MobiGoIn-Action | Mobility Goes International - In Action |
Transportation and Logistics ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›IT and Telematics Applications›Applications for Transport and Logistics |
Canada, China, Singapore, United States | 1270 | 4 |
New Frontier in Food | New Frontiers for Emerging Industries in Food |
Food Processing and Manufacturing AGROFOOD INDUSTRY›Technologies for the food industry›Food Technology |
Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Taiwan, Thailand, United States | 514 | 4 |
NF4 | New Frontiers in Food Fast Forward |
Food Processing and Manufacturing AGROFOOD INDUSTRY›Technologies for the food industry›Food Additives/Ingredients/Functional Food |
Brazil, Canada, China, United States | 561 | 5 |
PERCY | PolymER reCYcling |
Downstream Chemical Products INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL AND TRANSPORT›Materials Technology›Plastics, Polymers, INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL AND TRANSPORT›Materials Technology›Rubber |
Canada, India, Indonesia, Israel, United States | 0 | 4 |
PIMAP Partnership | PIMAP Partnership – Photonics for International Markets and APplications |
Production Technology and Heavy Machinery ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Electronic circuits, components and equipment›Optical Networks and Systems |
Canada, United States | 900 | 4 |
PIMAP Plus | Photonics for International Markets and Applications Plus |
Production Technology and Heavy Machinery ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Electronic circuits, components and equipment›Optical Networks and Systems |
Canada, China, Japan, United States | 1000 | 6 |
PRESTIGIOUS | European strategic cluster partnership to go international for UAV SMEs |
Aerospace Vehicles and Defence INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING, MATERIAL AND TRANSPORT›Aerospace Technology›Aeronautical technology / Avionics |
Canada, Chile, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria | 100 | 4 |
REINA PLUS | Renewable Energy Internationalisation ESCP project for European SMEs |
Electric Power Generation and Transmission ENERGY›Renewable Sources of Energy›Wind energy |
Algeria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Morocco, Tunisia, United States | 322 | 4 |
SPACE2ID | Space Clusters International Industrial Diversification |
Information Technology and Analytical Instruments ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Telecommunications, Networking›Satellite Technology/Positioning/Communication in GPS |
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, United Arab Emirates | 757 | 9 |
SPACE2IDGO | Space Clusters International Industrial Diversification |
Information Technology and Analytical Instruments ELECTRONICS, IT AND TELECOMMS›Telecommunications, Networking›Satellite Technology/Positioning/Communication in GPS |
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, United Arab Emirates | 757 | 8 |