To develop economic strategies that stimulate productivity through greater innovation is important. All levels of government must provide legislative and economic support to Canadian innovators (provide tax relief to start-up companies, for example). The resulting higher productivity will lead to a greater GDP.


Five Innovations That Could Change the Global Economy
(Canadians are participating in research in all these areas.)


Contextual commerce allows customers to purchase products wherever and whenever they need them.

For example, your fridge notices that you are low on milk; it suggests buying a litre, which you do online.

This technology is in its infancy.
Epigenetic drugs modify DNA, but they do not alter it. They can switch targeted genes on or off. These drugs can stop cancer cells from reproducing, and allow other drugs to eliminate cancerous cells already present in the body.

This technology is in its infancy.
The "smart box" is a standard by which all smart devices can communicate with each other, and interact.

For example, when your car senses it is five minutes from your home, it will turn on the coffee pot.

This technology doesn't exist yet.


With a larger code base to draw from, industrial robots could be programmed to perform advanced tasks that require more collaboration and communication.

Likely, sharing code will require corporate commitment to co-operation.


Undersea oil is a growth area for the oil industry, but costs associated with steel pipes are high.

Plastic pipes last longer, are cheaper to make, and are easier to install. This would lower oil industry costs significantly.

This technology is in its infancy. If you are interested in more information, visit m-pipe®.
 

Think about this...

Which do you think would be easier for a corporation to gain approval: to pipe oil undersea or to pipe it overland?

No one can be certain of the answer.

Much of the resistance to overland pipelines is the NIMBY response: Not in My Backyard!

If no group decides the ocean is in their backyard, undersea pipelines are unlikely to generate the same resistance as overland pipelines do.