Develop & Deliver: Making the Case for Social R&D Infrastructure

Innovation is Canada’s policy frame du jour. After ‘ifs’ ‘ands’ and ‘buts’, ‘innovation’ was the word most used in the 2017 federal budget. If innovation is a catalyst of economic growth, then social innovation is a catalyst of inclusive growth. And yet, social innovation is even less understood and incentivized than business innovation. How can Canada move beyond good intentions to real social impact?

We make five arguments and offer 10 suggestions – some big, some small – for how the federal government can step into this space.