Innovation news

Health Canada’s February 2025 guidance marks a significant step in clarifying how machine learning–based medical devices will be assessed in Canada. The document outlines expectations for transparent model reporting, dataset documentation, and the submission of structured “change control” plans that track how algorithms evolve after approval. For developers, that means AI-enabled devices classed from II to IV will face more consistent evidence and monitoring requirements—fact

Canada’s Sovereign AI Compute rollout is marking a turning point in how local innovators access high‑performance computing. Through 2025, new installations across the country are expected to open shorter routes from research to commercialization for small and medium‑sized companies as well as university teams. Subsidized access to powerful systems—once reserved for national labs or large corporations—will now allow smaller groups to train complex models, test data pipelines,

Canada’s new student-policy framework is reshaping how early-stage companies hire and plan for growth. The 2025 cap on study permits, combined with new provincial attestation rules and revised post‑graduation work permit (PGWP) criteria, is already influencing the flow of international talent entering the startup scene. Many founders who once relied on short-term interns or freshly graduated international recruits are now facing narrower timelines and a smaller pool of potent

Canada’s changing immigration and education rules are redrawing the pathway from classroom to company formation. Starting in 2025, capped study permits, a narrower list of eligible academic programs under the Classification of Instructional Programs, and a 24‑hour work limit per week will shape how international students participate in the country’s innovation economy. For those hoping to transition from a research project to a startup, the adjustments will make timing and pr

Canada’s latest changes to the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program are drawing attention from early‑stage founders and established research teams alike. The 2025 update raises the refundable credit ceiling and broadens eligibility for smaller firms, a shift that could bring more early projects into the national R&D ecosystem. Faster review timelines are also anticipated as automated systems begin to handle parts of the administrative process, redu

Canada’s federal procurement system is set for a significant reset in 2025, one that could reshape how early‑stage companies and research teams enter public markets. New reciprocity rules aim to balance foreign access with domestic value, while a shift toward “solutions‑based” competitions will reward innovation over routine task fulfilment. Instead of prescribing specific services, departments will define the outcome they want and invite creative proposals to achieve it. For

Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program remains one of the country’s most important tools for encouraging private‑sector research. The 2025 updates, set to take effect early next year, are reshaping how founders and small firms plan their first steps in innovation. Expanded room for eligible R&D spending, a broader definition of what counts as experimental development, and the reinstated treatment of capital costs all point toward a more incl

Canada’s new research security framework, set to take effect in 2025, is quietly redrawing the path from campus lab to commercial launch. The introduction of the Sensitive Technology List marks a shift in how universities, startups, and industry partners handle projects with potential geopolitical or dual‑use implications. Areas such as advanced materials, quantum computing, and biotechnology now face additional checks before collaborations proceed. Researchers who once focus

Canada’s cybersecurity landscape is entering a pivotal moment. A new federal certification program, scheduled to come fully online in 2025, is quietly rewriting the playbook for how young technology firms prepare to compete in defence, utilities and other critical‑infrastructure sectors. Its early focus on a national baseline and a level‑1 self‑assessment has already sparked movement across the startup community, as founders begin to formalize their risk policies and document

Canada’s expansion of the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program is changing how equity participation takes shape in major projects. The increase in both its scale and scope means that Indigenous communities can take meaningful ownership stakes in resource, infrastructure, and clean energy developments with lower borrowing costs and greater financial autonomy. For many Nations, this marks a move from simply being consulted to becoming co-owners and long-term economic partners in v