Dear Supercluster Members and Associates:
We hope that you are staying healthy and safe. There have been some meaningful developments within our Supercluster in the last ten days all of which are a credit to the work that you do and the credibility that you and your organizations have in our community in BC and beyond.
Set out below is a summary of what those developments are as well as the steps that we are taking support you, your projects, plans and the country’s current focus on keeping Canadians safe, while preparing for the future.
Last week the Prime Minister announced two new areas of focus for the country. We are actively involved in each of these:
- Accelerating the deployment of technologies that will help keep Canadians safe and healthy during COVID-19 and beyond, and
- Supporting economic stimulus through supporting or expanding current projects and potentially launching new projects that will support Canadian businesses while delivering meaningful outcomes for Canada and beyond.
If you have an idea, suggestion, or proposal that supports Canadians amidst the COVID-19 pandemic please contact the Digital Technology Supercluster COVID-19 Program Team at: covid@digitalsupercluster.ca.
While there is new focus in the Supercluster on COVID-19, our commitment to the success of your existing projects and proposals has been re-doubled in the past week. If there is anything that you need or want to discuss about a project or proposal, please contact the Digital Technology Supercluster COVID-19 Program Team at covid@digitalsupercluster.ca.
You may have heard about comments by a CBC reporter last week where he opined that the Superclusters were going to be directed to ‘refocus’ efforts on COVID-19. This is not correct. We have been asked to add to our existing mandate through the two areas noted above. We have been directed to continue to support, expand and promote our existing projects along with the proposals you are working on. We are doing this while exploring new opportunities for you and our community to support the COVID-19 effort and to drive economic stimulus.
We also understand that within your own organizations, COVID-19 may require you to re-prioritize your own resources and proceed with your projects at a slower pace. For others, you may want to accelerate existing projects or proposals. In the current unusual environment, we will extend flexibility and accommodate needs wherever possible while maintaining our focus on our ultimate goal: to solve some of society’s and industry’s biggest problems through collaborative innovation. Our dedication to this goal and to you will not waiver.
Thank you for continuing to encourage your organizations and our communities and please let us know how we can continue to support you in these efforts.
Sue