NRC Unveils Saint John Action Plan

(November 18, 2005, Saint John, NB) — National Research Council (NRC) officials met today with Saint John community partners to present an action plan designed to strengthen existing partnerships and support the growth of health research and development.

NRC is focusing on its activities in Saint John to ensure that existing synergies with the community are not only maintained, but strengthened. For example:

• Along with the presence of NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) staff, NRC Institute for Information Technology (NRC-IIT) will maintain workspace in Saint John.

• NRC will establish the NRC Saint John Working Group, including an NRC-IIT Director responsible for mentoring relations with the community. As a result, a member of NRC senior management will be closely informed of stakeholder priorities.

• NRC will foster and facilitate a wider scope of research interactions, including a partnership workshop to be held in January, 2006. This event will extend invitations to other health-related NRC institutes across Canada and to other New Brunswick researchers outside NRC-IIT labs. This will offer Saint John greater access to an even broader scope of NRC expertise.

While NRC's research institutes are regionally based, they have national mandates, collaborations, partnerships and linkages occur across Canada. NRC-IIT is working to develop its partnership with Saint John in a similar way. While research staff will move physically from the NRC-IIT Saint John location, existing R&D collaborations will be actively nurtured, maintained, and grown.

With today's stakeholder meeting as a first step, NRC is reinforcing its long-term commitment to its partners and the community.  "NRC will continue collaborating with partners in Saint John, to build effective health-related research projects and programs," said Dr. Richard Normandin, Vice-President, Physical Sciences, NRC. "We will pay close attention to our relationship with Saint John, particularly in light of previous work we have done together. And NRC will continue to serve and support the local SME community here through the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program."

Recognized globally for research and innovation, Canada's National Research Council (NRC) is a leader in the development of an innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through science and technology.

For more information, please visit the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca, or contact: