An Inclusive Innovation Monitor for Canada: A discussion paper

Executive Summary

Innovation is essential to the economic and social well-being of Canadians. At the same time, innovation is not an unqualified good for all. Its benefits and risks are distributed unequally among different people and communities. Moreover, as many economists now recognize, how resources and opportunities are distributed affects innovation performance itself. Innovation ecosystems characterized by high inequality and low inclusion appear to perform less well on innovation than ecosystems with low inequality and high inclusion. In that case, understanding innovation performance and potential requires a clear picture of the state of inclusion and distribution, while understanding inclusion and distribution performance and potential requires a clear picture of the state of innovation.