Federal budget supports university research and students

The federal Economic Action Plan, announced Tuesday afternoon in Ottawa highlights the value universities and research play in developing Canada’s economy.

“The Budget commitments demonstrate the government’s understanding of the role universities play in innovation in Canada,” said McMaster president Patrick Deane. “The support for the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is outstanding. These new investments in our researchers and our students complement other programs such as the Canada First Research Excellence Fund which will allow dramatic advances in world-class research and discovery.”

Budget highlights for universities include:

Providing an additional $1.33 billion over six years, starting in 2017–18, to the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support advanced research infrastructure at universities, colleges and research hospitals.

Proposes to allocate $100 million from resources of the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support digital research infrastructure.
Dedicating an additional $46 million per year to the granting councils, starting in 2016–17, focused in areas that will fuel economic growth and respond to important challenges and opportunities.
$15 million per year to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, of which $10 million per year is directed to collaborations between companies and researchers from universities and colleges under the new consolidated suite of similar business innovation programs.
This new funding will target research areas such as natural resources and energy, advanced manufacturing, and environment and agriculture. The balance of $5 million per year will be directed to industry-driven research initiatives at Canada’s polytechnics and colleges through the College and Community Innovation Program.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council will also continue to support collaborative research in the automotive, manufacturing, forest and fishing industries, further to the direction and resources provided in Budget 2008.
- $15 million per year to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, of which $13 million is for the expansion of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, to advance health care innovation in partnership with provincial governments, research institutions, and the private and not-for-profit sectors, with a view to increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care system. The balance of $2 million per year will support additional research to better understand and address the health challenges posed by anti-microbial resistant infections.
- $9 million per year to the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs borne by post-secondary institutions in undertaking federally sponsored research.
$7 million per year to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for its Partnership Grants, which support collaborations between academic researchers, businesses and other partners to advance research and knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities.
Creating a more efficient and effective national digital research infrastructure system by providing $105 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, to CANARIE, Canada’s world-class high-speed research and education network.
Providing up to $100 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, to support product development and technology demonstration by Canadian automotive parts suppliers through the new Automotive Supplier Innovation Program.
Dedicating $119.2 million over two years, starting in 2015–16, to the National Research Council’s industry-partnered research and development activities, helping Canadian businesses increase their competitiveness and develop new, cutting-edge products.
Helping to develop the next generation of research and development leaders by providing $56.4 million over four years, starting in 2016–17, to Mitacs in support of graduate-level industrial research and development internships.

In addition to these research investments, the government is making a one-time investment of $65 million to business and industry associations to allow them to work with willing post-secondary institutions to better align curricula with the needs of employers. First Nations and Inuit students will also have new opportunities and support thanks to new scholarship funds. Students will also benefit from changes to student loan programs.

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<p>The federal Economic Action Plan, announced Tuesday afternoon in Ottawa highlights the value universities and research play in developing Canada’s economy.</p>
<p>“The Budget commitments demonstrate the government’s understanding of the role universities play in innovation in Canada,” said McMaster president Patrick Deane.  “The support for the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is outstanding.  These new investments in our researchers and our students complement other programs such as the Canada First Research Excellence Fund which will allow dramatic advances in world-class research and discovery.”</p>
<p>Budget highlights for universities include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Providing an additional $1.33 billion over six years, starting in 2017–18, to the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support advanced research infrastructure at universities, colleges and research hospitals.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Proposes to allocate $100 million from resources of the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support digital research infrastructure.</li>
<li>Dedicating an additional $46 million per year to the granting councils, starting in 2016–17, focused in areas that will fuel economic growth and respond to important challenges and opportunities.</li>
<li>$15 million per year to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, of which $10 million per year is directed to collaborations between companies and researchers from universities and colleges under the new consolidated suite of similar business innovation programs.</li>
<li>This new funding will target research areas such as natural resources and energy, advanced manufacturing, and environment and agriculture. The balance of $5 million per year will be directed to industry-driven research initiatives at Canada’s polytechnics and colleges through the College and Community Innovation Program.</li>
<li>The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council will also continue to support collaborative research in the automotive, manufacturing, forest and fishing industries, further to the direction and resources provided in Budget 2008.
<ul>
<li>$15 million per year to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, of which $13 million is for the expansion of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, to advance health care innovation in partnership with provincial governments, research institutions, and the private and not-for-profit sectors, with a view to increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care system. The balance of $2 million per year will support additional research to better understand and address the health challenges posed by anti-microbial resistant infections.</li>
<li>$9 million per year to the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs borne by post-secondary institutions in undertaking federally sponsored research.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>$7 million per year to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for its Partnership Grants, which support collaborations between academic researchers, businesses and other partners to advance research and knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities.</li>
<li>Creating a more efficient and effective national digital research infrastructure system by providing $105 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, to CANARIE, Canada’s world-class high-speed research and education network.</li>
<li>Providing up to $100 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, to support product development and technology demonstration by Canadian automotive parts suppliers through the new Automotive Supplier Innovation Program.</li>
<li>Dedicating $119.2 million over two years, starting in 2015–16, to the National Research Council’s industry-partnered research and development activities, helping Canadian businesses increase their competitiveness and develop new, cutting-edge products.</li>
<li>Helping to develop the next generation of research and development leaders by providing $56.4 million over four years, starting in 2016–17, to Mitacs in support of graduate-level industrial research and development internships.</li>
</ul>
<p>In addition to these research investments, the government is making a one-time investment of $65 million to business and industry associations to allow them to work with willing post-secondary institutions to better align curricula with the needs of employers.  First Nations and Inuit students will also have new opportunities and support thanks to new scholarship funds.  Students will also benefit from changes to student loan programs.</p>

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