ARCHIVED - Parliamentary Secretary Bob Dechert recognizes Toronto firm as a Canadian Innovation Leader

March 12, 2010 — Ottawa, Ontario

Mr. Bob Dechert, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today recognized Toronto-based Intrafinity Inc. as a Canadian Innovation Leader for its cutting-edge approach in developing software services and products to create, publish and manage digital content.

"Our government is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve Canadians' quality of life," said Mr. Dechert. "Our ideas, innovation and inventiveness ensure our long-term economic competitiveness. Today, I am proud to recognize Intrafinity Inc., a successful Canadian firm, as a Canadian Innovation Leader."

Intrafinity Inc. provides services and products enabling organizations to get the most value out of their digital content through integrated web-based software and expertise. Intrafinity's software solutions improve the collaboration potential for portals, web sites, communities, online learning and mentoring.

Intrafinity Inc. has expanded to become a recognized and respected international vendor in both Canadian and U.S. markets. Its clients include multi-national companies such as Intel and Nationwide Insurance, as well as government agencies, educational institutions and health centres across North America.

A Canadian Innovation Leader is a small- or medium-sized enterprise that demonstrates specific advances in research and development within its industrial sector. The National Research Council of Canada created the Canadian Innovation Leader Certificate Program to recognize Canadian firms that have successfully developed and applied innovative technologies.

"Investing in science and technology is critical for developing highly skilled people and improving the long-term competitiveness of Canadian firms," said NRC Acting President Daniel Gosselin. "That's why the NRC Industrial Research Assistance program (NRC-IRAP) is helping innovative Canadian businesses like Intrafinity Inc. grow stronger, faster and bigger."

"Intrafinity simplifies and accelerates IT projects by providing a powerful integrated software suite and top web professionals," said John Cabrey, a founder of Intrafinity. "We discovered a huge international demand for integrated web-based services.  With the help and support of NRC-IRAP, we have improved focus on providing top-notch software services and products that enable organizations to get the most value out of their digital content."

About NRC and NRC-IRAP

The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified innovative Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The program is delivered by a field staff of 240 professionals in more than 100 communities across Canada. NRC-IRAP is committed to working with small- and medium-sized enterprises while they realize their full potential, turning knowledge and innovation into strategic opportunities, jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.

The government's Economic Action Plan has provided new resources of $200 million over the next two years to bolster NRC-IRAP support for innovative Canadian firms. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Backgrounder

National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC‑IRAP)

NRC's main outreach to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is through its Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) which provides support to innovative companies in Canada undertaking research and technology development projects for commercial purposes.

NRC-IRAP provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified innovative Canadian SMEs. The program is delivered by a field staff of 240 business and technology experts in more than 100 communities across Canada. Working directly with SMEs, NRC-IRAP supports innovative research and development (R&D) and helps companies become commercialization-ready with their new products and services.

While the program operates three separate contribution programs — contribution to firms, contribution to organizations and a Youth Employment Program — NRC-IRAP's main contribution component is in the form of a non-repayable contribution that reimburses the labour costs of a research and development (R&D) project directly to firms.

Science at work for Canada

NRC-IRAP received an investment in Budget 2009, Canada's Economic Action Plan, of $200 million over the next two years. NRC-IRAP is committed to using this new funding to help the Government build a competitive advantage for Canada based on excellence in science and technology (S&T).

The funding includes $170 million to double NRC-IRAP's contributions to firms and $30 million to help hire more than 1,000 new post-secondary graduates via its Youth Employment Program.

The budget commitment reinforces NRC-IRAP's mandate to help SMEs take knowledge from the lab to the marketplace. The budget commitment also broadens NRC-IRAP's ability to provide S&T expertise to SMEs. NRC-IRAP estimates that this new money will allow it to support approximately 1,400 additional SMEs over the next two years.

Canadian Innovation Leader (CIL) Certificate

A Canadian Innovation Leader is a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) that demonstrates specific advances in research and development within its industrial sector.  This advance must contribute to the wealth of the country, either from a corporate growth perspective, job creation, or through a particular investment in research and development that has improved the lives of Canadians.  NRC created the Canadian Innovation Leader (CIL) Certificate Program to recognize Canadian firms that have successfully developed and applied innovative technologies, linking scientific research to commercialization, jobs, and economic growth.

Intrafinity Inc.

Intrafinity Inc. provides software services and products enabling organizations to get the most value out of their digital content through effective management of web sites, documents, customers, collaboration and online learning. Intrafinity's software solutions improve the potential collaboration for portals, web sites, communities, document management, event coordination and mentoring.

Intrafinity Inc. has expanded to become a recognized and respected international vendor in both Canadian and U.S. markets. Its clients include multi-national companies such as Intel and Nationwide Insurance, as well as government agencies, educational institutions and health centres across North America.

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Enquiries: Media relations
National Research Council of Canada
613-991-1431
media@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca