​July 24, 2012 - Governments of Canada and Israel Move Forward on Collaboration in Technology Innovation

Mr. Avi Hasson, Israel's Chief Scientist, and Mr. John R. McDougall, President of the National Research Council of Canada, announced that the two countries will be moving on their commitments made during the Canada-Israel Innovation Summits of 2010 and 2011. Canadian and Israeli companies and researchers may now submit proposals for R&D in areas of mutual priorities including water, renewable energy and brain research. The collaboration between Canada and Israel is a result of a meeting in May 2010 between Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Benjamin Netanyahu. Collaboration will be implemented jointly by the National Research Council of Canada and the Israeli Industry Center for R&D (MATIMOP), on behalf of the Office of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor.

This joint endeavour marks Canada's first initiative under Eureka--a European-based network for market oriented industrial research. Eligible projects will be funded by both countries. According to Mr. McDougall, "Canada and Israel share common strength in industry and technology fields, and we are confident that this call for proposals will result in tangible benefits for both countries."