Jayson Myers and the Dawn of Canada's Next Manufacturing Era
Canada's industrial competitiveness now hinges on scaling advanced technologies securely, according to Jayson Myers, CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen). In a world where execution trumps invention, Myers is spearheading efforts to reposition the nation's manufacturing base for future success.
From Ideas to Implementation: Closing the Adoption Gap
For years, Canada has excelled at producing world-class research, promising technologies, and breakthrough concepts. However, productivity growth in manufacturing has consistently lagged behind international peers, with too many innovations stalling before reaching factory floors. Myers has made closing this critical gap his primary mission.
He is not merely advocating for modernization but actively building the conditions for it to happen. Under his leadership, NGen has evolved into a national convener that brings together manufacturers, technology firms, researchers, and government entities in collaborative projects designed to move innovations from laboratories to production lines.
This approach is fundamentally pragmatic and results-driven. Instead of debating what Canada could potentially become, Myers focuses on what companies must implement immediately to maintain global competitiveness. His message to CEOs is unequivocal: the future of manufacturing will be determined by who can adopt advanced technologies securely, responsibly, and at scale.
Redefining Advanced Manufacturing
Myers rejects the outdated notion that advanced manufacturing is primarily about equipment upgrades or automation investments. In his view, the real transformation is organizational rather than technological.
Advanced manufacturing represents an integrated system of people, processes, and technology aligned around specific business outcomes. Companies that treat modernization as a simple hardware purchase risk falling behind competitors who approach it as a strategic capability.
This distinction carries particular significance for Canada's manufacturing sector, which is dominated by small- and medium-sized enterprises. Many of these businesses are deeply embedded in global supply chains yet lack the resources of multinational competitors. For them, investment decisions must be precise and directly tied to measurable productivity gains, market access improvements, and enhanced resilience.
Myers believes this constraint can actually become an advantage. Canadian firms, unburdened by legacy mega-systems, can potentially leapfrog competitors by adopting targeted technologies that solve real operational problems rather than chasing fleeting trends. This represents a leadership philosophy rooted in discipline rather than hype.
Cybersecurity: From Technical Concern to Business Imperative
Perhaps Myers' most consequential insight involves the fundamental shift in how cybersecurity is perceived within manufacturing environments. What was once considered a technical IT concern has evolved into a critical business survival issue.
In advanced manufacturing settings, cyber incidents no longer merely expose sensitive data. They can halt production entirely, disrupt complex supply chains, and even threaten worker safety. The consequences are immediate, tangible, and potentially devastating.
This reality explains why Myers emphasizes workforce awareness and operational readiness alongside technical defenses. Sophisticated tools alone cannot adequately protect a factory if employees lack proper training to recognize threats, follow established protocols, and maintain operational continuity during disruptions.
The manufacturing landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, and Canada's future competitiveness depends on turning innovation into widespread adoption. Through building resilience, strengthening trust across supply chains, and recognizing cybersecurity as a core business function, Jayson Myers is charting a pragmatic course toward Canada's next manufacturing era.
