October 28, 2021
The 13th annual Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC) will be held virtually from November 22nd to 26th, 2021, with two weeks of preconference sessions from November 8 to 19th. Under the overarching theme ‘Building Forward Better’, CSPC 2021 decodes the post COVID-19 world and the crucial role of science in policymaking and rebuilding society on all fronts; social fabric, economic development, healthcare, climate, and other areas.
This is the largest multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy issues in Canada, and a major global forum. Genome Canada and the Centres are involved in five events – one pre-conference session and four conference sessions.
Session #805 — “Bringing the bio-revolution to Canada: Towards a pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy”
Nov. 10, 12:00 – 1:30 pm ET.
Twenty years after the Human Genome Project, genomics is delivering on its promise: a big data science that—combined with AI, gene editing and biomanufacturing—is revolutionizing our wellbeing and economies. The U.K., U.S. and others are launching genomics strategies to maximize impact for their citizens. Canada is doing the same. Budget 2021 announced $400M for a new Pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy to build on the excellence Canada has built in genomics. This session will explore what it will take to build an effective Strategy, opportunities for Canada’s continued leadership in genomics, and the confluence of genomics with other transformational technologies.
Session #906 — “Evidence-based policies to build the future of agriculture in Canada”
Nov. 22, 8:30 – 10 :00 am ET.
Agriculture has a considerable impact on population health and the economy, both in terms of production methods and the quality and accessibility of the food it produces. It is for this reason, among others, that this sector is involved in the achievement of several sustainable development goals. In recent years, the Government of Canada and provincial governments have worked in collaboration with the research community to build policies and strategies to stimulate innovation in agriculture and food processing from a sustainable perspective. In this panel, we will discuss how Agriculture Canada and the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) have integrated research and development into their policies, and how they have established strategic inter-jurisdictional collaborations. For example, we will discuss strategic investments by Canada and Québec in precision agriculture and in research aimed at improving diagnostic and biovigilance capabilities.
Session #371 — “Growing through Crisis – Canada’s Cellular Agriculture Opportunity.”
Nov. 23, 2:30pm – 4:00pm ET.
The global population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. Novel and sustainable food systems are essential to meet this growing global food demand. The alternative protein industry, including cellular agriculture, uses ground-breaking techniques, to create foods and new products, such as meat, dairy, eggs, and ingredients. This industry is expected to reach $290B in global revenues by 2035. As a rapidly emerging and innovative industry, cellular agriculture is poised to revolutionize and augment Canada’s strong agriculture and food industries. With expertise from across industry, venture capital investment, government, and not-for-profits, this diverse panel will discuss Canada’s advantage, key recommendations, and necessary next steps to compete in the global cellular agriculture market.
Session #677 — “Role of genomics to reshape public health policy.”
Nov. 24, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET.
Genomic sequencing has directly informed the global public health response to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including Variants of Concern, border closures, and managing public health interventions. Data sharing and access have proved essential to advance any government’s ability to mitigate the spread and prevent new infections. While genomics and large-scale data sharing can aid the control of COVID-19, ethical and social issues need to be considered, such as equitable access, privacy, legal and ethical frameworks, public trust, and interoperability of data. Our panel will discuss the role of genomic data during the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health challenges.
Session #917 — “Mission Possible: Using genomics missions to build back stronger post-COVID.”
Nov 25, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm ET.
What is mission-driven research, and how can a mission framework for investment in research and innovation optimize impact on national challenges? As a cross-sectoral platform technology, genomics research is well-suited to implementation through missions, which was recognized in Budget 2021’s investment in Genome Canada’s mission-driven vision to support recovery and long-term economic growth. This session will bring together experts in mission-driven investments, forward-looking leaders in genomics, and strategists in high-risk high-reward science and innovation systems. The discussion will focus on the mission-driven approach, its structural elements, and wide-ranging societal benefits for Canada through the lens of genomics.
You can register to attend this event at https://sciencepolicyconference.ca
