Ontario Investing to Protect Homegrown Research and Innovation

Provincial funding will help protect and commercialize made-in-Ontario discoveries at colleges, universities and research institutions

 The Ontario government is protecting the province’s homegrown research and innovation by investing up to $8 million through Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) to expand intellectual property supports for publicly assisted colleges, universities and research institutions. This expansion delivers on the government’s plan to protect Ontario by ensuring discoveries made in the province create jobs, attract investment and build a stronger, more self-reliant economy.

“Developing made-in-Ontario technologies and bringing them to market quickly has never been more important,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. “With this new investment, we’re making sure that Ontario’s innovators have the support they need to realize their potential and build the technologies of the future, as we continue delivering on our plan to protect Ontario.”

The expansion was announced today by Premier Ford at IPON’s annual provincial summit and builds on IPON’s successful pilot program to support education, protection and commercialization services for postsecondary research, bringing the province’s total investment in intellectual property support for the postsecondary sector to more than $17.5 million.

The expanded supports include:

• Co‑investment in research‑driven intellectual property, with IPON covering up to 80 per cent of eligible costs for participating postsecondary and research institutions.
• A new Innovation Fellowship Pilot Program, which will provide up to 180 entrepreneurs at Ontario’s postsecondary institutions with three months of financial support, entrepreneurship training and intellectual property education to bolster their ideas.
• Enhanced technology transfer and commercialization services through collaboration among Ontario’s world-class postsecondary and research institutions.

“Now more than ever, it is imperative that Ontario continues to protect our homegrown innovation, transforming ideas into solutions that strengthen our economy,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Through this investment into IPON, our government is safeguarding our epicentres of discovery, our postsecondary institutions, to ensure Ontario continues to benefit first and foremost from research developed in our own backyard.”

Established in 2022, IPON is an Ontario government agency that supports Ontario innovators, institutions and businesses to both commercialize and protect their intellectual property. Since its inception, Ontario has invested more than $85 million to translate ideas into solutions that protect the province’s industries and economy.

“Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research institutions continually generate ideas and inventions that are world-class,” said Paul Paolatto, CEO, IPON. “This significant investment in commercialization ensures that these innovations start here, scale here, and stay here, to the economic and social benefit of all Ontarians both now and in the future.”

Ontario’s research sector plays a vital role in cementing the province as a global leader and innovator in critical sectors. By investing in Ontario-made research, the government is protecting the province’s workers, innovation, and wellbeing.

Quick Facts

• IPON has supported more than 1,400 small- and medium-sized business clients across priority sectors, including the life sciences, AI, medical technologies, agriculture, mining and more. Through these supports, over 1,700 homegrown IP assets, such as trademarks and patents, have been protected.
• IPON recently completed a successful pilot program with 20 colleges and universities across Ontario, supporting the protection of nearly 800 Ontario-made IP assets.
• Since taking office, the government has invested over $2 billion into the research sector, including support for nearly 1,800 research projects that drive economic growth in key sectors like agri-food, critical minerals, information technology, life sciences and manufacturing.