From the
Mozilla internet browser to the Linux-based
Red Hat operating system, open source software development has been one of the biggest technologies stories of the millennium. Along the way, Toronto's Seneca College has been an academic leader in teaching and research on the subject -- indeed, the school has worked with both companies mentioned above to get their students involved in innovating on real-world open-source projects.
Late last month, the federal government announced
$2.3 million in funding over five years aimed at helping that research benefit local businesses by taking "innovations from the campus into the marketplace," in the words of the government. The funding is part of $15 million in grants announced under the federal government's
Community Innovation Program -- Centennial College, another local school, was also among those receiving grants.
Although the number of jobs that could be created by the investment was unclear at this stage -- jobs will flow from businesses bringing innovations to market, which is a difficult process to predict -- employment was the driving motivation indicated by federal cabinet minister Gary Goodyear in announcing the grants. "Our government supports innovation because it creates jobs, improves the quality of life of Canadians and strengthens the economy," he said. "We are supporting this project at Seneca College to strengthen the competitiveness of ... businesses and enable young Canadians to prepare for the jobs of the future."
Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Martine Perreault, Media and Public Affairs Officer, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
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