OTTAWA, November 25, 2003 — Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, today announced the launch of the Language Industry Program, a new funding initiative that will help Canada's language industry to market and brand its products and services. Industry Canada will contribute $2 million over five years to the program, meaning coverage of 50 percent of the costs, up to $10 000, toward individual language industry companies undertaking promotional campaigns in Canada and abroad.
"This program will provide an important advantage to Canada's language industry companies, allowing them to showcase their expertise, knowledge, skills and innovation, and to compete on a level playing field here at home and around the world," said Minister Rock. "Whether attending an international trade mission or participating in a trade fair in Canada, companies receiving funding through the Language Industry Program will be making their mark as world leaders in translation, technology and training."
"This support for marketing and branding activities will help our industry increase awareness, and promote the quality services and products developed by Canadians," said Daniel Vincent, President of the Language Industry Association.
The creation of the Language Industry Program follows Minister Rock's announcement on September 29, 2003, of the launch of Canada's first national association for language industry companies, the Language Industry Association, to which the Government of Canada will contribute $3 million over the next five years.
The first deadline to submit a proposal for marketing and branding activities taking place before the end of March 31, 2004, is December 31, 2003. For more details on the Language Industry Program and its application criteria, visit http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inlip-pil.nsf/en/Home.
For more information, please contact:
Mylène Dupéré
Office of Allan Rock
Minister of Industry
(613) 995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
(613) 943-2502
Alain Thibault
Communications
Language Industry Association
(514) 843-2152, ext. 2826
Backgrounder
Developing Canada's Language Industry
The Language Industry Program
The Language Industry Program is a marketing and branding funding initiative that will allow Canadian companies to enhance and promote the image of the language industry, and its products and services in Canada and abroad.
Canadian language industry companies may apply for funding to undertake marketing and branding campaigns, both domestically and internationally. Activities may include participation in trade missions, in trade fairs and in other promotional activities. Industry Canada will cover 50 percent of the costs, up to $10 000, for a given activity.
Industry Canada will administer this initiative.
The first deadline to submit a proposal is December 31, 2003, for activities that will take place before the end of March 31, 2004.
More information about the program and application criteria is available at the Language Industry Program Web site.
The Language Industry Association
The Language Industry Association is a non-profit organization that includes more than 75 members; mostly companies working in the language industry (technology, translation and training). Its mission is to join industry forces and become the voice of the language industry in Canada, and the vision of its members is to make Canada a world leader in language industry products and services.
For more information on the Language Industry Association, please visit http://www.ailia.ca.
Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages
The Language Industry Association, the Language Industry Program and the creation of a Language Technologies Research Centre are among the key initiatives identified to support the implementation of the Action Plan for Official Languages, announced in March 2003.
The Language Technologies Research Centre, a joint initiative of Industry Canada and the National Research Council, in partnership with Université du Québec en Outaouais and the Translation Bureau, is scheduled to be operational later this year. Funding for the Centre will be $10 million over the first five years.
For more information on the Action Plan for Official Languages, please visit http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia.
Canada's Language Industry
There are approximately 15 000 people working in Canada's Language Industry, which includes self-employed professionals as well as the Government of Canada Translation Bureau. The industry provides products and services in translation, training and technology. The translation sector alone reports average revenues of upwards $450 million annually, or 6 percent of the world market. The Canadian language training market is estimated at $300 million per year, which is about 10-12 percent of the world share. It is anticipated that there will be an annual average increase of 4 percent for these sectors, with Canada's language technology sector expected to follow this trend.