As a taxpayer and someone who has been in the private sector (manufacturing) his entire career, I believe that the federal government must continue to fund basic research as well as support the various business sectors with new technology.

The May 7^th announcement by Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science & Technology) is not a welcome new direction if the role of research into basic science goes missing in Canada.

Is basic research best delivered by the NRC, Universities or private sources? Probably all of the foregoing have a role. Universities are heavily into private – public partnerships and as regional academic bodies tend to specialize in areas of local industry interest.  Think University of Waterloo and computer/digital/mobile giant Research in Motion or the excellent medical research at the University of  Toronto in conjunction the Toronto Health Sciences community.

The NRC has for many years reached out to the private sector; one example would be IRAP, their shared funding program with local manufacturing initiatives. The NRC website lists eight private sector collaboration success stories since Jan. 1 2013 (not since the May 7^th announcement). I’ve personally contacted them on the fly for technical support and quickly received help without red tape or fees. And that was many years back so they have been helping the private sector for a long while.

It may be that their basic research needs more focus, however I am sure that access to international research, which Canada needs, is facilitated by reciprocal access to meaningful new knowledge from Canada. A parasitical approach to gaining innovative research is unlikely to be welcome in the global community.  Measure them on their contribution for sure but do not drop basic research from their mandate.

The last thing we need in Canada is an NRC tasked with generating news releases meant to demonstrate support for a politically motivated government policy. Connecting the dots, is this meant to off-set the federal government’s pull back from its Scientific Research & Experimental Development program (SR & ED is administered through the CRA as a tax break and until recently a massive private sector boondoggle)? If so, it’s a mistaken approach with disastrous long term consequences.

Selective, well-funded, with global recognition for excellence, basic research, must continue to be part of the NRC mandate regardless of which political party is in power. 

John Bielby 

I am building a house. I have the plans, a great group of contractors and the city permit approvals in hand. Does that mean I’m on easy street?  Of course not! We have had the usual issues of uncovering problems on existing pre-developed lots and trade scheduling, but aside from those issues, one would feel that confident with a great team and lots of energy, you are all set. Not so fast. A strong communication plan is probably the single most important part of any project and now that communication comes in so many ways -- the morning tailgate meetings where communication about the entire day’s activities was tabled, and drawings discussed or reviewed is simply not effective anymore. Smart phone technology has opened a completely new way of managing projects and made decision making almost real time. Sounds great right? Well maybe not. This technology has created a new distraction for contractors on the work site. We all realize interruption and distraction is a potential safety problem but so too is its impact on direction and project execution speed. The reliance on electronic information at hand -- particularly drawings and equipment specs -- is increasing exponentially, but at the same time, so is field error rate. 

So what to do? We can’t stop technology from delivering innovative communication methods. So how do you harness it to work for you on a construction site? That’s my next blog! 

David Rankin

I clearly have selective amnesia – I have no idea how I did any of the following things before I started using email, texting, and browsing the internet:

-       plan and book any trip

-       pay bills

-       record readings on utility meters

-       find directions to any location

-       plan and execute a wedding

just to name a few.

I’m sure I phoned people, or used travel agents, or looked things up on a map, but I have been using computers, smart phones and related technology so long that I don’t really remember any of that.

And then I wake up one day and there is a “Frankenstorm” heading our way and I’m trying to find out what to do, what the weather is going to be, where it’s going to hit, and while I still can use the technology to communicate to friends and family, the radio becomes a key sources of information. Yes, I still track storm path by looking at web sites, but local information comes from the news and updates on the radio – quick information about school openings, traffic, airline status, and so on.

Internet doesn’t work when you have no power.  Radios can be battery operated and stations keep broadcasting (as long as the station’s generators are above the storm surge).

Interesting to contemplate the tremendous value of a transistor radio and a couple of double-A batteries when all our newfangled technology requires a functioning wall socket for more than a few minutes of use.  And perhaps one important reason why we should keep on funding our public broadcaster.

Christy DeMont

Electric Heat Cheap - no way they say! Well here are some numbers that surprised me when helping a young entrepreneur develop his business plan to save homeowners with electric baseboard heat from the poor house. Ontario’s cost of electricity has doubled over the past 10 years and will continue to grow, particularly if nuclear energy’s share of the generation mix goes beyond 50%

Based on September 2011 unit cost of energy here is the top to bottom ranking of heating costs for a therm or 100,000 BTU’s by energy and technology.

Technology comes to the rescue and does make electricity with current technology a good heating alternative if your home does not have ducts and/or access to a natural gas line!

Bob Fisher

This summer I turned off the circulating electric fan motor on my gas furnace to CONSERVE energy, just like the ads say. But the house smelled stale and the basement musty. Turned on the furnace fan and in a few hours back to normal.

Using the hydro Smart Meter web site, I looked at my hourly/daily/peak/off peak electrical load. The furnace motor uses about half a kilowatt to operate. At the current hydro delivered HST included cost of some 15 cents per kWh, running the fan cost about $650 per year. Plus Toronto Hydro have just asked for another rate increase!

An new technology ECM motor in my not so old  furnace would save about 75 % or almost $500. New motors should cost about $700 installed - an ROI of 70%+ or 16 months to get my money back. A better investment than my stocks and bonds.

Do you know a good installer?

By the way if 2 M Ontario homes did this we would save several new nuclear reactors which are planned to cost billions of $.

Bob Fisher