Saskatchewan Should Pursue New Approaches to Old Problems — That Means Leveraging Innovation

By Jess Sinclair
CCI Director of Prairie Affairs

Premier Scott Moe waited until the eleventh hour to drop the writ, but Saskatchewanians finally have an election date: October 28.

Both major parties are focussed on healthcare and the cost of living, trends we’re seeing across the country as other provinces prepare for their own voting days. Incidentally, Canadians are beginning to recognize that these issues are connected to the country’s low productivity and the absence of forward-thinking, practical policy frameworks designed for the 21st century economy.

Like that of Brad Wall before it, the Moe government has underplayed innovation policy as a key issue, but the province has been making some quiet moves in this area. Saskatchewan has had a patent box since 2017 — the Saskatchewan Commercial Innovation Incentive. The province’s Ministry of Trade and Export Development is working on improvements to streamline the program’s application process and eligibility requirements. Our team has provided input on that work, though data on the efficacy of sub-national patent boxes is spotty. It will be interesting to see where this program lands in advance of budget 2025 in the province.

The province’s tech sector employment has doubled over the past four years, and venture capital attraction is beginning to bounce back after some lean years during the pandemic. There was a lot of enthusiasm at Conexus Cultivator’s recent Startup Summit in Regina, and Cultivator’s fund recently launched a second $30 million funding round for startups in the province.

We’re also encouraged by recent indications the province’s two universities are working to update their IP commercialization frameworks. They need not reinvent the wheel to do so, as Saskatchewan can look to what provinces like Ontario have already done in this area.

Industry and post-secondary institutions have also made moves toward integrating technology into healthcare service delivery in the province — something our team at CCI has long advocated for. However the provincial seat count shakes up on the 28, policymakers should make it a priority to modernize health tech procurement practices to speed this work up.

That said, neither party has yet committed to directly supporting innovators in the province through updated innovation policy frameworks. Domestic companies that scale from millions to billions are the most important drivers of economic growth across national and provincial economies, and government support for domestic innovators pays significant dividends.

As a native Saskatchewanian I can attest to the fact that folks in the province possess a tendency toward reserve and tempered expectations. Whatever the result on October 28, government should orient itself toward the policies that will keep more bright minds and big ideas in Saskatchewan. New approaches to old problems will unlock the province’s full potential and ensure a prosperous future for all.

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To learn more about CCI's work in Saskatchewan, get in touch with Jess Sinclair at jsinclair@canadianinnovators.org

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À propos du Conseil des innovateurs canadiens

Le Conseil des innovateurs canadiens est une organisation nationale basée sur ses membres qui remodèle la façon dont les gouvernements à travers le Canada pensent à la politique d'innovation, et qui soutient les entreprises d'envergure nationale pour stimuler la prospérité. Fondé en 2015, le CCI représente et travaille avec plus de 150 entreprises technologiques canadiennes à la croissance la plus rapide. Nos membres sont les chefs de la direction, les fondateurs et les cadres supérieurs qui sont à l'origine de certaines des entreprises à grande échelle les plus prospères du Canada. Tous nos membres sont des créateurs d'emplois et de richesses, des investisseurs, des philanthropes et des experts dans leurs domaines de la technologie de la santé, des technologies propres, de la fintech, de la cybersécurité, de l'IA et de la transformation numérique. Les entreprises de notre portefeuille sont leaders sur leur marché vertical, commercialisent leurs technologies dans plus de 190 pays et génèrent entre 10 et 750 millions de dollars de revenus annuels récurrents. Nous plaidons en leur nom pour des stratégies gouvernementales qui augmentent leur accès aux talents qualifiés, au capital stratégique et aux nouveaux clients, ainsi qu'à une liberté d'exploitation élargie pour leurs poursuites d'échelle à l'échelle mondiale.