What is an Innovation Lab?

Innovation labs are based on the idea that the competencies and mindsets needed for systematic innovation are not the same as those required for stable, daily operations and service delivery at the front line. Innovation labs seek to provide approaches, skills, models and tools beyond what most trained civil servants usually possess. This may call for the creation of dedicated ‘safe’ spaces and opportunities for collaboration on new processes, programs or policies across units, departments and sectors to assist the exploration phase of innovation. Labs typically involve key stakeholders, including end users such as citizens and businesses, in a process of co-creation. For governments this means crafting new solutions with people and not just for them.

With innovation labs, the hope is that the establishment of dedicated, cross-cutting organizational structures can strike a blow at vested interests, power plays, and organizational infighting. Labs do so by being permanent structures with a mission to temporarily unfreeze organizational embedded practices.

Innovation Hubs/Labs in the Government of Canada

  • Updates and activities happening within the Government of Canada Innovation Hubs and Labs community can be found on GCcollab
Hubs and Labs within the Government of Canada (please add your group and update outdated info)
Department Name of Group Contact(s) [name, title-email]
Canada Border Services Agency Border Technologies Innovation, Acceleration, Integration and Emerging Technology Paul Sanderson, Senior Program Advisor - Paul.Sanderson@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
Canada Revenue Agency Accelerate Business Solutions Lab Shannon Drew, Director - Shannon.Drew@cra-arc.gc.ca
Canada Revenue Agency Research and Innovation Lab Natasja Mackwood, Policy Analyst - natasja.mackwood@cra-arc.gc.ca
Canadian Coast Guard Transformation and Innovation Unit Harry Chadwick, Manager - Harry.Chadwick@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Data Analytics and Modelling team
Canadian Heritage Creative Marketplace Lab on Data, Skills and Technology Joelle Paré, A/Director, Marketplace and Legislative Policy - joelle.pare@pch.gc.ca
Canadian Heritage PCH Innovation Lab robin.kilroy@pch.gc.ca
Développement économique Canada Incubateur d'innovation diego.dube@canada.ca
Environment and Climate Change Canada Innovation and Youth Engagement Division
Elections Canada Elections Canada Innovation team Michel Roussel and Corey Hartwell - Corey.Hartwell@elections.ca
FINTRAC Innovation & Change Network
Global Affairs Canada Science, Technology and Innovation Stéphane Lessard, Executive Director - Stephane.Lessard@international.gc.ca

Dominic Jean, Senior Innovation Advisor - Dominic.Jean@international.gc.ca Thomas Cassart, Deputy Director - Thomas.Cassart@international.gc.ca

Public Health Agency of Canada Behavioural Science Jorida Cila - jorida.cila@phac-aspc.gc.ca
Health Canada/PHAC iHUB
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada Operations Planning and Performance Branch, Research and Development Centre (OPPB, RDC) Serge Joly, A/Director - serge.joly@cic.gc.ca
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada Social Innovation Unit, Settlement and Integration Policy Branch Dean Ruffilli, Assistant Director dean.ruffilli@cic.gc.ca
ISED Innovative Solutions Canada solutions@ised-isde.gc.ca
Natural Resources Canada Policy Innovation and Experimentation
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Innovation Hub IH-CI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Creed Millman, Director - creed.millman@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Abdelbasset Hallil, - Abdelbasset.Hallil@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Privy Council Office Impact and Innovation Unit Rodney Ghali, Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet - rodney.ghali@pco-bcp.gc.ca
Public Services and Procurement Canada Digital Innovation Network André Arsenault, Directeur - andre.arsenault@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
Quebec Federal Council Laboratoire d'innovation du Conseil Fédéral du Québec Catherine Lovatt-Smith - catherine.lovatt-smith@dec-ced.gc.ca
Statistics Canada Innovation Secretariat Kathryn Stevenson, Director - Kathryn.Stevenson@statcan.gc.ca
Transport Canada Innovation Centre
Treasury Board Secretariat Centre for Regulatory Innovation cri-cir@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Veteran's Affairs Canada VAC Innovation Hub

Innovation Communities in the Government of Canada

Multilateral Innovation Hubs

Academia

Canadian

International

Municipalities

Policy Think Tanks, Research Centers, and Consultancy Innovation Hubs

Accelerators & Commercialization Labs

National Government Innovation Hubs

Australia

Denmark

Finland

South Africa

United Kingdom

United States


Civil Society Labs

Common Hashtags