Presentation provided by Craig Wardlaw, NRC-IRAP during the ONEIA breakfast meeting on January 26, 2012.

1. NRC-IRAP
Industrial Research Assistance Program
ONEIA Government Programs Breakfast
Jan 26 2012
Toronto, Ontario
Presented by Craig Wardlaw

2. IRAP Quick Facts
• Program of the National Research Council, reporting to
Industry Canada
• >60 years in business, oldest funding program in the G8
• Approximately 250 Industrial Technology Advisors serving
more than 10,000 companies across Canada
• IRAP assists SMEs who are developing innovative products
by providing advice and possibly funding
• The interaction between company and IRAP Advisor is
based on a trusting relationship
• IRAP can provide financial support for projects related to
R&D, business improvement, technology adoption/
adaptation and the hiring of recent graduates
2

3. What does IRAP do?
Supporting innovative Canadian SMEs grow
stronger, grow faster, grow bigger, through
technology
Ø Customized technical and business advisory
services to firms to support and enhance their
innovative R&D projects in S&T.
Ø Networking opportunities and linkages to many
other organizations to meet firms developmental
needs.
Ø Competitive Technical Intelligence (CTI).
Ø Financial assistance specifically towards
specialized labour costs and clients typically co-
invest at least 25% of the total project costs.
3

4. What sort of financial support
do we give?
Ø Non-repayable contributions to
firms for R&D projects
Ø Small projects for business
improvement or R&D (up to $50k
contribution)
Ø Contributions to organizations
(innovation collaborators)
Ø Youth Employment Program (YEP)
Ø Support technical labour and sub-
contracted labour only
4

5. Basic Eligibility Criteria
Ø Incorporated in Canada
Ø 500 employees or less
Ø At least one full time salaried employee
Ø Innovating to create new products that have a significant
potential market
Ø Funding decisions are based on the business case for the
product and company and the anticipated overall benefits
to Canada
5

6. IRAP supports all sectors of the
economy
Total Expenditures by Industry Sector in 2010-2011 ($ in Ms)
$90
$80
$70
$60
$50
$40
$30
$20
$10
$-
6

7. Where are our clients?
3037
IRAP worked
with 8,578 SMEs* in
2009-2010, of which
1936
2,871 received some
form of funding
1201
954
− 84% < less than
50 employees 377
352 222 352
188
74
− 65% < fewer than
20 employees BC AB SK MB ON QC NB NS PE NL
* Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – Firms with up to 500 employees

8. Cleantech
Ø IRAP supports all sectors but WIND
targets key sectors by focusing BROWNFIELDS
staff in these areas and forming
WATER
“Sector Teams”
SOLAR Grid Integration
Ø Work with organizations such as AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ONEIA to support the sector ENERGY EFFICIENCY
GHGs
Ø Support as many firms and
organizations as possible in this HAZARDOUS WASTE
sector BIOFUELS
WASTEWATER
LANDFILLS
MONITORING AND ANALYSIS
8

9. NEW!
Digital Technology Adoption
Pilot Program (DTAPP)
• Is a component of the Government of Canada’s overall Digital Economy
Strategy
Ø to accelerate digital technology adoption and investment in Canada,
which lags the U.S. and many other developed countries in this
regard
Ø to consequently boost productivity of SMEs in all business sectors
• An $80 million pilot program that will run until March 31, 2014
• Is delivered by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research
Assistance Program and its teams of Industrial Technology Advisors
• Funding to firms and colleges; project funding to help adopt digital technology
and/or hire a technology specialist
• Only labour funded – installation, optimization, training, productivity
assessment – firm pays capital costs
9

10. Areas of Technology Included
in DTAPP
Design, Engineering and Virtual Manufacturing
• CAD, virtual manufacturing, simulation technologies, etc.
Business Systems
• Electronic work order management, warehouse management
systems, computerized maintenance management systems, etc.
Plant Systems
• Robotics and automation, automated inspection, test & repair,
human/machine interfaces, etc.
Information and Communications Technologies
• Inter-company networks, wireless communications for
production, document imaging and management, etc.
Other Digital Technologies

11. Case Study #1: Soil Test Cell – Automated Test Cell
• 20 employees
• Digital technology: process automation for measurement (pressure,
temperature, relative humidity & soil variables)
• Impact on productivity:
Ø Decrease in number of test reruns (increasing capacity of
existing equipment)
Ø Decrease in person hours/test (enabling the addition of new
equipment and expanding testing capacity)

12. One
IRAP
Success
Story
“That
was
the
breakthrough
that
got
me
the
Sutherland-­‐
Schultz
contract
because
we
Sales to
Ernie Davidson, were
probably
the
only
Sutherland-Schultz
an IRAP ITA, urged were so strong that
company
in
town
that
even
Mike Lazaridis to RIM’s annual
knew
what
surface
mount
revenue went over
apply for IRAP
funding to technology
was.”
the $1M mark in
investigate Surface 1990 for the first
Mount Technology. Mike Lazaridis time in the
Founder and co-CEO company’s history.
Research In Motion (RIM)
Source: Blackberry: The Inside Story of Research in Motion, Rod McQueen,
Key Porter Books, ©2010, pp 55-57.

13. Contact us
Craig Wardlaw (Oakville) 905-849-3796
Toll-free number: 1-877-994-4727
Web http://irap-pari.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca