OTTAWA—The federal government will pump $950 million into five innovation “superclusters” spaced evenly across the country, promising the injection of cash will set up hubs of collaboration between researchers and industry players to position Canada to compete in the 21st-century global economy.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains unveiled the recipients of the federal cash Thursday, predicting the establishment of the hubs of industry and research will grow Canada’s economy by $50 billion over the next decade and create more than “50,000 middle-class jobs.”

The money comes at the end of a national competition that Bains launched in May 2017, and will result in five superclusters being established across the country. The superclusters include a group based in Ontario, with key Toronto-based members such as the Mars Discovery District, which will focus on “advanced manufacturing.”

Another group in British Columbia will create a “digital technology” supercluster to connect “big data” with health care, forestry, manufacturing and other sectors. The Prairies will be home to a “protein industries” supercluster to develop plant proteins, while another group will be created in Quebec to work on artificial intelligence and robotics.

Finally, an “ocean supercluster” will be based in Atlantic Canada to “improve competitiveness” in fisheries, oil and gas, and clean energy.

The five groups represent consortiums of more than 450 businesses, 60 post-secondary institutions and 180 other participants, such as research institutions and non-government organizations, according to a government release prior to the announcement.

The supercluster initiative was a marquee feature of the 2017 budget. Last May, Bains kicked off the national competition to find three to five not-for-profit collectives to receive up to $950 million in government funding.

Bains said at the time that the applicants had to be consortiums of small and large businesses, research institutions and other groups led by a big industry player that could match public funds, dollar for dollar.

The innovation minister has compared the idea to creating areas of concentrated research and development, like California’s Silicon Valley, home to some of the tech giants that have dominated the 21st-century digital economy.

Canada, however, was searching for bids in areas where Bains said the country was well-positioned to compete globally. Categories for the Canadian superclusters included proposals in advanced manufacturing, agri-food, clean technology, digital technology, health and biosciences, infrastructure or transportation.

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