Last Update:
July 26 2010
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Funding :: Canadian Funding – Government of Canada
Government of Canada
 
Government of Canada Research Funding and Support

Each year, the Government of Canada invests approximately $9.3 billion (equivalent to €6 billion) for research and related activities in institutions of higher education, government agencies and private businesses centered on building a Canadian:

  • Knowledge advantage

         A.  Ideas: Higher Education Research
         B.  Public Trust: Government Research

  •  Entrepreneurial advantage
         C. Innovation: Private Sector R&D
         D. Partnerships:

  • People advantage

         E. Research Training: Graduate Students
         F. Career Development: Professional Researchers

These strategic objectives are supported by a comprehensive range of programs managed by independent “arm’s length” agencies and government departments.  In this way, each objective has a clear institutional support structure while, at the same time, strategic partnerships are established throughout the research enterprise.

Knowledge advantage 

Each year, the Government of Canada contributes $4.7 billion (equivalent to €3 billion) to research and development performed in public institutions of higher education and federal government agencies. These investments, combined with provincial and institutional funding, make Canada the G7 leader in public sector research and development.

 A. Ideas: Higher Education Research

The Government of Canada supports research exploring new ideas and innovation, in all disciplines, pursued in institutions of higher education. The freedom to explore unpredictable lines of enquiry advances human knowledge and seeds long-term social and economic benefits.

Funding is provided through “arm’s length” or independent agencies focused on
(a) research and (b) research infrastructure.

(a) Research

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research
CIHR funds health research in Canada. It takes an outcomes-based and multi-disciplinary approach to health challenges and scientific opportunities, supporting over 10,000 health researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and other health organizations and research centres across the country. CIHR consists of 13 virtual institutes, each of which addresses a domain of health research of immediate and identifiable importance to Canadians.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
NSERC funds Canada’s research capability in science and technology. It invests in people by supporting research training for more than 20,000 university students and postdoctoral fellows. It promotes discovery by funding the research programs of more than 10,000 university professors every year. And it helps make innovation happen by supporting 700 partnership projects involving 1200 partners, such as Canadian companies that invest in university-based R&D.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
SSHRC supports and promotes social sciences and humanities research, research training and knowledge mobilization in Canada. It supports over 3000 research projects per year in open and thematic research programs. It supports over 3500 masters, doctoral and post-doctoral students every year.

Each of these three agencies offers programs that bridge four broad types of research activity:

 

  1. Fundamental research.
    * Individual and team research projects.
  2. Research training, mobility and career development for Canadian students, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and professors.
    * Individual fellowships that may be held in or outside Canada.
    * Research chairs in and outside academe.
    * Internships in and outside academe.
  3. Strategic research initiatives in and across disciplines.
    * Individual research projects as well as projects involving multiple
       universities and/or other public or private sector organizations.
  4. Research related activities and supports.
    * Research tools, instruments and infrastructures.
    * Knowledge mobilization activities, conferences and workshops.
    * Technology transfer and university/college collaborations with the private
       and public sectors.
    *Research support for small and medium sized enterprises (SME).

(b) Research Infrastructure

Canada Foundation for Innovation
The CFI is an independent, non-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. Its mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians. The CFI funds up to 40 percent of infrastructure projects led by eligible institutions and their partners from the public, private, and voluntary sectors. CFI funded infrastructure has been used by more than 7,500 researchers from outside Canada.

B. Public Trust

Science-based departments and agencies
The Government of Canada’s science-based departments and agencies (SBDA) operate over 120 laboratories across the country. Their work supports government decision-making, policy development and regulation; the development and management of federal and international standards; health, safety and security, and environmental needs; and enables economic and social development. SBDAs function across five integrated subject areas:

  •         Economy
  •         Energy
  •         Environment
  •         Health
  •         Security and Defence

For a complete list of SBDAs, including their areas of expertise, click here.

Although every SBDA supports research, training and partnerships in its own way, each is engaged in four broad types of research activity:

  1. Fundamental research in their specific fields.
  2. Research training, mobility and career development for Canadian graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and professional researchers or employees.
  3. Strategic research initiatives with multiple university, private and public sector partners in Canada and abroad.
  4. Research related activities and supports
  • Research tools, instruments and infrastructures.
  • Knowledge mobilization activities, conferences and workshops.
  • Technology transfer and university/college collaborations with the  private and public sectors.
  • Research support for small and medium sized enterprises (SME).

People Advantage

Canada’s science and technology strategy seeks to retain and attract research talent from Canada and around the world by reducing personal income taxes for highly skilled personnel and by improving foreign credential recognition. In addition, it provides opportunities for training, mobility and career development for:

A. Professional Researchers
B. Student Researchers
      A. Professional Researchers

      Core support for career development and mobility opportunities is provided for professional researchers through the research support programs of Canada’s granting agencies, CFI and SBDAs (please see above). With their support, the Government of Canada also offers:

      Canada Research Chairs
      The CRC program funds 2000 research professorships in universities across the country. Tier 1 chairs support outstanding researchers from Canada and abroad acknowledged by their peers as world leaders. Tier 2 Chairs are for emerging Canadian and international researchers acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. Both receive infrastructure support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The program is administered jointly by the three research funding agencies and CFI.

      B. Graduate Students

      Core support for research training, career development and mobility opportunities is provided for student researchers through the fellowships offered by Canada’s granting agencies (please see above). With their support, the Government of Canada also offers:

      Vanier Scholarships (CIHR) (NSERC) (SSHRC)
      Vanier Scholarships will support the best 500 doctoral candidates, whether from Canada or abroad, seeking to pursue their studies in Canada. They will be administered jointly by the three research granting agencies.

      Canada Graduate Scholarships (CIHR) (NSERC) (SSHRC)
      The CGS program supports 2,000 Canadian doctoral students and 2,000 Canadian master’s students each year. A special allocation permits 250 CGS students to study at international institutions each year. The program is administered jointly by the three research granting agencies.

      Industrial R&D Internship Programs (NCE) (NSERC)
      Both NSERC and the Networks of Centres of Excellence offer Industrial R&D Internship Programs that expose students to research opportunities and careers in the private sector.

      Intellectual Property Mobilization Program (NSERC)
      NSERC offeres the Intellectual Property Mobilization Program to train students in technology transfer.

      Entrepreneurial Advantage 

      The Government of Canada encourages economic and social innovation through the mobilization of research knowledge across academic, public and private sectors and the research and development activity of Canadian businesses. It provides support for:

      A. Strategic Partnerships
      B. Business R&D

       A. strategic Partnerships

       Research partnerships involving multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary collaborations in strategic areas are supported by Canada’s granting agencies, CFI and SBDAs (please see above). At the same time, the Government of Canada also supports strategic research partnerships through the following agencies:

      Genome Canada
      Genome Canada is the primary funding and information resource relating to genomics and proteomics in Canada. It has established six Genome Centres across the country. Working with them and other partners, it invests and manages large-scale research projects in key areas such as agriculture, environment, fisheries, forestry, health and new technology development. Genome Canada also supports research projects on the ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues related to genomics research.

      National Research Council Canada
      NRC operates world-class research facilities and provides information, technology and innovation support from coast to coast. It works with partners from industry, government and universities to help turn ideas and knowledge into new products, processes and services. NRC is composed of over 20 institutes and national programs spanning a wide variety of disciplines. NRC institutes and programs are organized into five key areas:

      •         Life Sciences
      •         Physical Sciences
      •         Engineering
      •         Technology and Industry Support
      •         Corporate Services

      Networks of Centres of Excellence
      NCEs are nation-wide partnerships engaging universities, industry, government and not-for-profit organizations in turning Canadian research and entrepreneurial talent into economic and social benefits for Canada. They provide training for thousands of young Canadians engaged in their work. There are 18 networks focused on three key areas:

      •         Advanced technologies
      •         Engineering and manufacturing
      •         Health, human development and biotechnology

      Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (NCE)
      The CECR is a program of the Networks of Centres of Excellence. It encourages innovation partnerships between the academic, private and public sectors by supporting operating and commercialization costs of 18 centres across Canada in four priority areas:

      •         Environmental science and technologies
      •         Natural resources and energy
      •         Health and life sciences
      •         Information and communication technologies

      CANARIE
      CANARIE is Canada's advanced Internet development organization. It is a not-for-profit organization, supported by its members, partners and the Government of Canada, dedicated to the research and implementation of advanced networks and applications that will stimulate economic growth and increase Canada's international competitiveness. Since its inception in 1998, it has enhanced Canadian R&D Internet speeds by a factor of almost one million and funded numerous advanced Internet applications projects with Canadian companies.

      B.  Business R&D

      Each year, the private sector in Canada performs close to $15 billion in research and development and employs more than 125,000 people in these activities. The Government of Canada provides $3 billion in indirect support through the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit (SR&ED) and an additional $1 billion in direct support.

      Among the most significant direct-support programs are:

      NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program
      The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business oriented advisory services along with potential financial support to growth-oriented Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises. These include:

       

      • Technology Expertise and Advisory Services delivered through a network of 260 professionals in 100 communities across the country
      • Financial Assistance for R&D activities
        o   Research and Technology Development Activities
        o   Youth Employment Strategy Programs

      • Networking
      • Partnerships

      NCE Business-led Centres of Excellence
      The BL-NCE is a program of the National Centres of Excellence. The BL-NCEs differ from existing NCEs in that they run for a shorter term, are Business-Led and focus on solving research needs identified by the private sector. The intention is to increase private sector investments in research in Canada, support the training of skilled researchers, and optimize the timeline between research and commercialization. They focus on five priority areas:

      • Environmental science and technologies
      • Natural resources and energy
      • Health and related life sciences and technologies
      • Information and communications technologies
      • Management, business or finance