Mitacs Showcases BC’s Innovation Ecosystem 

Vancouver, BC — In a powerful demonstration of British Columbia’s leadership in innovation, Mitacs brought together around 120 leaders from government, businesses, post-secondary institutions, and the not-for-profit sector for an evening of insightful discussions and connections in Vancouver. Yesterday’s Mitacs Connect: Talent for Tomorrow event spotlighted the scope and impact of innovation across the province. 

The event showcased meaningful transformation through the support of bold ideas. Dr. Trevor Lanting, Chief Development Officer at D-Wave, delivered an overview of the talent challenges and opportunities for the quantum computing sector, while underscoring the critical role of partnerships in advancing BC’s economy.  

Since 2023, Mitacs has been a part of the National Quantum Strategy, providing a top-tier talent pipeline to propel companies forward and position Canada as a leader in quantum research. 

Another highlight of the event was the panel “The Mitacs Effect: Creating a Resilient Workforce for a Changing World.” Moderated by Mitacs’s CEO, Dr. Stephen Lucas, the discussion featured Dr. Paula Wood-Adams, Vice-President, Research and Innovation at the University of Northern British Columbia, Dr. Frank Wood, CEO and Co-Founder at Inverted AI, and Dr. David Black, a former Mitacs intern at Rogers and Mitacs Innovation Award winner. 

Their conversation centered on how to develop and support highly skilled talent aligned with the demands of both industry and the country in an ever-changing global ecosystem. 

Mitacs Connect: Talent for Tomorrow also represented an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s impact in the province. In the past fiscal year alone, Mitacs connected 507 BC-based enterprise partners with 1,288 outstanding post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellows, delivering 3,183 internships that contributed to 916 innovation projects.  

Notably 53 percent of partner companies in BC have reported that they have actively commercialized — or plan to commercialize — results of Mitacs-supported projects, including among many small and medium-sized enterprises. 

Quotes

“British Columbia is gaining global recognition for its innovative technologies and skilled people, and we have the necessary elements to build an ecosystem where both can thrive. Thanks to partnerships like the one with Mitacs, businesses and entrepreneurs are able to connect with highly skilled individuals and develop the next generation of talent. At Mitacs Connect, we saw how collaboration drives economic growth and prepares BC for the future. The BC government is proud to support initiatives that fuel innovation, create jobs and prosperity in our province.”  

Honourable Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Trade, Government of British Columbia  

“Mitacs is proud to honour our strong ties with BC by hosting Mitacs Connect in Vancouver, the city where our organization was born over 25 years ago and where we have fostered many fruitful partnerships across different sectors. This special evening brought together top talent with leaders from across businesses, post-secondary institutions, and governments — sparking meaningful discussions and strengthening the connections that propel Canada forward. By connecting enterprises and researchers, we help drive our country’s economic growth, productivity, and global competitiveness.”

Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs 

“D-Wave was honored to be part of the Mitacs Connect: Talent for Tomorrow event, which brought together interns and post-secondary institutions with business and government in support of furthering innovation in Canada. We recognize the importance of fostering a vibrant talent ecosystem in order to inspire, educate, and attract the next generation of quantum computing professionals. The tight collaboration between industry, national labs and academia is paramount to building tomorrow’s quantum-ready workforce.”

Dr. Trevor Lanting, Chief Development Officer, D-Wave

About Mitacs

As a leading Canadian innovation organization, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers with unrivalled access to talent, financial support, and the partnerships needed to turn ideas into impactful innovations. Through unique collaborations, Mitacs is driving productivity and positioning Canada as a global innovation leader. 

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.