80+ robotics experts from industry, government, and academia gathered at the Canadian Robotics Council Symposium in Ottawa last fall to address the key barriers to robot adoption in Canada. This report synthesizes insights from Symposium participants, and provides a first snapshot of Canada’s robotics ecosystem based on data commissioned by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED):
- Canada’s robotics sector is globally relevant and growing fast. 58% of Canada’s robotics firms export abroad, and 42% were founded in the past 10 years. But many indicate that they have no way to engage with other firms domestically.
- Manufacturing robotics is the largest segment of Canada’s robotics sector. There is a major opportunity to translate this success to other parts of the country and other sectors of the economy, but knowledge networks are needed to make this happen. Canada ranks only 18th among peer nations for robot adoption.
- Current-generation robots are especially well suited to enhance the productivity of Canada’s SMEs in the manufacturing sector and beyond. But with few local success stories to draw on, Canadian firms lack a basic understanding of how robots can help them.
- Recommendations include building a library of successful robot deployments, and lowering barriers to entry through the creation of knowledge networks and government incentives that support employee upskilling and equipment upgrades.
Initiated by OTTO Motors and the University of Toronto Robotics Institute, in collaboration with Avidbots, MDA Robotics, Kinova, Cellula Robotics, the National Research Council, the Canadian Space Agency, and McGill and Laval universities, the Canadian Robotics Council is a pan-Canadian effort involving over 130 organizations.