McMaster welcomes budget’s ongoing commitment to innovation and research

Making Canada more competitive was one theme in Wednesday's federal budget
that recognized the important role of university research in developing economic
prosperity and social benefits for Canadians.

Ralph Goodale, the Minister of Finance, announced the government's budget
in Ottawa today, which included indirect support for research, and increased
funding to research granting councils of $375-million over five years. For McMaster,
this would amount to a potential increase in funding of about $3.5-million over
that period.

I am pleased with the government's continuing commitment to support
the indirect costs of research, said Mamdouh Shoukri, McMaster University's
vice-president of research and international affairs, and acting president.
This has helped Canadian universities compete internationally.

The budget also included new money for an Academy of Science, and the development
of new environmental technology.

McMaster's plans are well-aligned with those of the federal government,
says Shoukri. Working together with all levels of government and the
private sector is crucial to research and development, and the subsequent commercialization
of new technologies to advance critical industry clusters.

The public health initiatives, which include the development and testing of a prototype vaccine for an influenza pandemic, were welcomed by Dr. John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences and dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. “We have expertise in the development of vaccines, an example is our involvement in the creation of a SARS vaccine, he said. This type of research would be valuable as proactive preparation for what the epidemiologists and infectious disease experts believe may happen. A pandemic would happen too fast to do all the necessary work on a vaccine after the outbreak had begun.”

The development of the McMaster Innovation Park is a vital component of the
University's plans to make Hamilton an international centre for discovery,
and for Canada's knowledge-based economy. In this budget we see
opportunities that align with our plans for the Innovation Park that we announced
in January, Shoukri continued. The government has made it clear
that it wants to encourage environmental entrepreneurship. That is precisely
the path we are on.

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<p>Making Canada more competitive was one theme in Wednesday&#039;s federal budget <br />
  that recognized the important role of university research in developing economic <br />
  prosperity and social benefits for Canadians. </p><br />
<p>Ralph Goodale, the Minister of Finance, announced the government&#039;s budget <br />
  in Ottawa today, which included indirect support for research, and increased <br />
  funding to research granting councils of $375-million over five years. For McMaster, <br />
  this would amount to a potential increase in funding of about $3.5-million over <br />
  that period.</p><br />
<p>I am pleased with the government&#039;s continuing commitment to support <br />
  the indirect costs of research, said Mamdouh Shoukri, McMaster University&#039;s <br />
  vice-president of research and international affairs, and acting president. <br />
  This has helped Canadian universities compete internationally.</p><br />
<p>The budget also included new money for an Academy of Science, and the development <br />
  of new environmental technology.</p><br />
<p> McMaster&#039;s plans are well-aligned with those of the federal government, <br />
  says Shoukri. Working together with all levels of government and the <br />
  private sector is crucial to research and development, and the subsequent commercialization <br />
  of new technologies to advance critical industry clusters.</p><br />
<p>The public health initiatives, which include the development and testing of a prototype vaccine for an influenza pandemic, were welcomed by Dr. John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences and dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. "We have expertise in the development of vaccines, an example is our involvement in the creation of a SARS vaccine, he said. This type of research would be valuable as proactive preparation for what the epidemiologists and infectious disease experts believe may happen.  A pandemic would happen too fast to do all the necessary work on a vaccine after the outbreak had begun."</p><br />
<p> The development of the McMaster Innovation Park is a vital component of the <br />
  University&#039;s plans to make Hamilton an international centre for discovery, <br />
  and for Canada&#039;s knowledge-based economy. In this budget we see <br />
  opportunities that align with our plans for the Innovation Park that we announced <br />
  in January, Shoukri continued. The government has made it clear <br />
  that it wants to encourage environmental entrepreneurship. That is precisely <br />
  the path we are on.</p>

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