NRC has established key initiatives that are national in scope, yet focused on building and supporting regional R&D activities across Canada.

The development of regional and community-based technology clusters is vital to nurturing innovation to sustain economic growth, secure Canada's leadership position in key technological areas and meet the future needs of all Canadians.

The Institute for Chemical Process and Environmental Technology (ICPET), along with other NRC research institutes and centres, is contributing its core competencies and establishing specific programs that will develop and deploy technologies targeted to these initiatives: fuel cells, life sciences, nanotechnology and EMRLnet.