The NRC showcased 100 years of innovation at Winterlude 2016 in Ottawa.

The NRC showcased 100 years of innovation at Winterlude 2016 in Ottawa. Photo credit: National Research Council of Canada

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is celebrating a century of innovation. Founded in 1916, the NRC was a modest committee of university and industry leaders looking to mobilize science and technology in the national interest. Over the past 70 years, NRC turned to civilian pursuits of national importance and set up support structures to help Canadian businesses innovate. Its successes and accomplishments have come from the ability to adapt in a constantly changing environment to help address critical economic and societal challenges. This led to the invention of the pacemaker, the world’s first motorized wheelchair, national construction codes, aviation innovations, bomb detection, anti-counterfeiting technology, tools for avalanche and flood preparedness, Canada’s first astronaut team and the Canadarm — robotic arms used on the Space Shuttle — precision time-keeping, world-class observatories, award-winning computer animation, vaccines that have saved thousands of children and more. The NRC is looking forward to many more years of discoveries and innovation that will further Canada’s scientific reputation.