New Funding Aims to Protect Homegrown Innovation and Drive Economic Growth
TORONTO — The Ontario government is investing up to $8 million to expand intellectual property (IP) supports across the province’s postsecondary and research institutions, a move aimed at accelerating commercialization and ensuring locally developed innovations contribute to economic growth.
The funding, delivered through Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON), is designed to help colleges, universities and research institutions better protect and scale their discoveries. Provincial officials say the initiative will help secure Ontario’s position as a leader in innovation while fostering job creation and attracting investment.
“Developing made-in-Ontario technologies and bringing them to market quickly has never been more important,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. “With this new investment, we’re making sure that Ontario’s innovators have the support they need to realize their potential and build the technologies of the future, as we continue delivering on our plan to protect Ontario.”
Expansion Builds on Existing IPON Programs
The announcement was made at IPON’s annual provincial summit and builds on the agency’s earlier pilot program, which focused on providing education, protection and commercialization services for postsecondary research.
With this latest funding, Ontario’s total investment in intellectual property support for the postsecondary sector will exceed $17.5 million. The province says the expanded programming will strengthen institutional capacity to manage and commercialize IP assets generated through publicly funded research.
Key Measures Include Co-Investment and Entrepreneur Support
The expanded supports include a co-investment model for research-driven intellectual property, with IPON covering up to 80 per cent of eligible costs for participating institutions. This approach is expected to reduce financial barriers and encourage more institutions to pursue patenting and commercialization opportunities.
A new Innovation Fellowship Pilot Program will also be introduced, offering up to 180 entrepreneurs at Ontario’s postsecondary institutions three months of financial support, entrepreneurship training and intellectual property education. The program is intended to help early-stage innovators refine and scale their ideas.
In addition, the province will enhance technology transfer and commercialization services through increased collaboration among Ontario’s research institutions, aiming to streamline the path from discovery to market.
Government Emphasizes Economic and Strategic Importance
Officials say the investment aligns with broader efforts to strengthen Ontario’s economic resilience by ensuring innovations developed within the province remain domestically owned and commercialized.
“Now more than ever, it is imperative that Ontario continues to protect our homegrown innovation, transforming ideas into solutions that strengthen our economy,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Through this investment into IPON, our government is safeguarding our epicentres of discovery, our postsecondary institutions, to ensure Ontario continues to benefit first and foremost from research developed in our own backyard.”
Established in 2022, IPON plays a central role in helping Ontario innovators and institutions protect and commercialize intellectual property. Since its launch, the provincial government has invested more than $85 million into IP-related initiatives.
“Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research institutions continually generate ideas and inventions that are world-class,” said Paul Paolatto, CEO of IPON. “This significant investment in commercialization ensures that these innovations start here, scale here, and stay here, to the economic and social benefit of all Ontarians both now and in the future.”
Research Sector Seen as Key Economic Driver
Ontario’s research ecosystem is considered a critical component of the province’s economic strategy, particularly in high-growth sectors such as life sciences, artificial intelligence, agriculture and advanced manufacturing.
To date, IPON has supported more than 1,400 small- and medium-sized businesses and helped protect over 1,700 intellectual property assets, including patents and trademarks. A recent pilot program involving 20 colleges and universities also contributed to the protection of nearly 800 Ontario-developed IP assets.
The provincial government has invested more than $2 billion in the research sector since taking office, supporting close to 1,800 projects aimed at driving innovation and economic development.
Sector Leaders Welcome Investment
Leaders from Ontario’s postsecondary sector say the funding will strengthen the province’s ability to translate research into real-world applications.
“Strengthening intellectual property capacity across Ontario’s post-secondary sector is an important step in supporting innovation and economic growth. Colleges and polytechnics play a critical role in applied research and industry partnerships, helping businesses turn ideas into real-world solutions. This investment will help ensure that Ontario-made innovations are protected, commercialized and scaled here at home. ”
- Maureen Adamson
President and CEO, Colleges Ontario
“Ontario’s universities welcome this investment to strengthen intellectual property capacity across the sector. Building on strong existing practices in protecting intellectual property, it will help accelerate the translation of student and researcher ideas into market-ready solutions—driving innovation and economic growth in Ontario.”
- Steve Orsini
President and CEO, Council of Ontario Universities
Outlook for Ontario’s Innovation Economy
The province says continued investment in intellectual property protection and commercialization will be essential to maintaining Ontario’s competitiveness in the global innovation economy.
By expanding support for institutions and entrepreneurs, the government aims to ensure that discoveries made within Ontario not only reach the market but also generate long-term economic benefits within the province.