research grant canada

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How to Apply

On this page, general instructions, eligibility, adjudication of applications, accommodations and accessibility.

To apply for funding through any of SSHRC’s grant, fellowship or scholarship funding opportunities:

• Determine if your research falls under SSHRC’s mandate by reviewing the subject matter eligibility and selecting a funding agency guidelines.
• Select the SSHRC funding opportunity to which you will apply.
• your personal eligibility;
• the context, requirements and deadlines;
• the value and duration of funding offered;
• details of the evaluation and adjudication process; and
• any additional information.
• Once your funding opportunity is open to applications (for most funding opportunities, approximately two months before the application deadline), review the application instructions by selecting “Instructions” from the “Apply” column in the overview at the top of the description.
• According to the instructions, click on the appropriate application forms, also found in the “Apply” section of the same overview.
• Carefully review your application as you fill it out, and ensure you have provided any additional information requested in the appropriate formats, and contacted any required resources as outlined in the instructions.

Check the “Results announced” section of the overview at the top of your funding opportunity description to learn when funding decisions will be announced.

Anyone participating in SSHRC-funded research activities must not be under SSHRC sanction for financial or research misconduct.

For most funding opportunities, applicants (principal investigators) must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution. Researchers not affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution are eligible to apply as co-applicants to selected SSHRC funding opportunities and as research collaborators to any SSHRC-supported project. Eligibility criteria specific to each funding opportunity are detailed in the individual descriptions .

Scholarships and fellowships

For all scholarship and fellowship funding opportunities, other than the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program, applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Canada. For detailed eligibility criteria, refer to the individual descriptions .

SSHRC grants and fellowships are awarded through independent, national, merit review processes . View the adjudication and evaluation section of the funding opportunity description to learn more.

Persons with one or more disabilities seeking information on adaptive measures or accommodations to address barriers to accessibility at SSHRC should refer to the Accessibility in Programs and Services web page .

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Canada Research Chairs

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Research grant funding.

Method used to calculate research funding as input into the chair allocation calculations Eligibility of granting agencies and NCE programs in the credit base Programs excluded from the credit base for Chair allocations Method used for identification and division of credits Requests for institutional funding breakdown

Method used to calculate research funding as input into the chair allocation calculations

A university’s chair allocation is based on the funding received by its researchers from the three federal granting agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) (the agencies)—in the three most recent years for which data is available. For example, 2014 allocations are based on the research grant funding received, and the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) funds spent, in the fiscal years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. These research revenues constitute the amount of “credits” that are entered into the calculations of chair allocations .

Eligibility of granting agencies and NCE programs in the credit base

As the underlying principle in the Canada Research Chair Program’s (CRCP) objectives is research excellence, the 2,285 chairs should be allocated to institutions proportionally to each institution’s research excellence, as demonstrated by its ability to attract research funding awarded through a process based on excellence (e.g., following merit review, in national competitions, etc.).

All granting agency programs are included in the credit base for the chair allocation calculations, except those listed below.

Programs excluded from the credit base for chair allocations

Each year, the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) meets with the vice-presidents of programs from the agencies to review all new agency programs and assess their eligibility for inclusion in the base for calculations for chair allocations. This body is called the Interagency Program Review Committee.

All programs funded by the agencies are included in the calculation except those listed below.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Exclusions:

• All training awards (summer student programs, studentships, doctoral research awards, fellowships, Clinician Scientist Awards—Phase 1)
• Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada
• Best Brains Exchange Travel Awards
• Bridge Funding: Public Population Project in Genomics and Society
• Building the Foundation of the JPIAMR Virtual Research Institute
• Canada Gairdner International Awards
• Canadian Children Inflammatory Bowel Disease Network
• Canadian Cochrane Network and Centre
• Canadian Council on Animal Care 
• Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute – Innovation Grants
• Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement / CIHR Regional Training Centres
• Canadian Immunization Research Network: COVID-19 Vaccine Readiness
• Canadian International COVID-19 Surveillance Border Study
• Canadian Knowledge Synthesis Network
• Canadian Light Source
• Canadian Virtual Health Library
• Cannabis & PTSD Treatment in Military Personnel & Veterans
• Catalyst Grant: Cannabis and Mental Health
• CIHR Barer-Flood Prize for Health Services and Policy Research
• CIHR Café Scientifique program
• CIHR Gold Leaf Prize for Discovery
• CIHR Gold Leaf Prize for Outstanding Achievements by an Early Career Investigator
• CIHR Gold Leaf Prize for Impact
• CIHR Gold Leaf Prize for Transformation: Patient Engagement
• CIHR-Institute of Cancer Research: National Tumour Banking Network Grant
• CIHR-Institute of Population and Public Health:  Trailblazer Award in Population Health Solutions
• CIHR Journalism Award
• CIHR Partnership Award
• CIHR Synapse Mentorship Awards
• Commonwealth Fund Dissemination Award 2015-2016
• COVID-19 Legal Frameworks for Vaccination Research Rapid Response
• First Nations Biobanking and Genomic Research
• GA4GH Genomic Data Sharing Tools Against COVID-19
• Grand Challenges Canada
• Hacking AMR  2019 – Using the digital world to fight Antimicrobial Resistance
• Human Frontier Science Program
• IHSPR Article of the Year Award
• IHSPR Rising Star Award
• Improving Health Care with Knowledge Translation
• Indigenous Gender and Wellness—Idea Fair and Learning Circle
• Institute Community Support Program—awards, grants and travel awards
• Institute of Health Services and Policy Research—strategic initiatives
• INMD Early Career Investigator Partnership Prize
• Institute Support Grant
• Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics
• International Scientific Exchanges
• Inuit Research Network Grant
• IPPH Travel Awards – CPHA Annual Conference
• Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Program
• Knowledge to Action Grants–Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute
• National Council on Ethics in Human Research
• Netherlands-Canada Type 2 Diabetes Consortium – Travel Award
• Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research
• Network of Networks
• Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research: Contextualized Health Research Synthesis Program
• Operating Grant – Canadian 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Operating Grant – Clinical Research Infrastructure Support for COVID-19
• Operating Grant – Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging COVID-19 Module
• Operating Grant – Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse Urgent Guideline Activities Related to COVID-19
• Operating Grant – Health System Impact Fellowship – National Cohort Retreat
• Operating Grant – Human Frontier Science Program – Research Grants
• Operating Grant: IPPH Building Healthy Cities – Dragons' Den
• Operating Grant – Priority Announcement: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Bridge Funding)
• Operating Grant – Priority Announcement: Blood Supply Risk
• Operating Grant – Priority Announcement: Blood Utilization and Conservation
• Operating Grant – Priority Announcement: Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury
• Pan-Canadian Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Network in Primary & Integrated Health Care Innovations – National Coordinating Office
• Patient Engagement Enhancement Activities on the Health Research Training Platform Pilot 2021-2022
• Patient-Oriented Research Training Grant – Health System Stream
• President’s Fund Prize: CIHR Institute of Aging Voluntary Sector Outreach Award
• Prize: IHDCYH Talks
• Randomized Controlled Trials: Mentoring
• Rapid Research Fund for Ebola Virus Disease Outbreaks
• Stand Up To Cancer Canada Metastatic Breast Cancer Dream Team
• Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Summit Travel Awards
• Summer Program in Aging
• Summer Program in Aging – Planning Grant
• Summer Program in Japan
• Synapse – CIHR National Youth Outreach Program
• Team Grant: Ebola Vaccine Phase II/III Clinical Trial
• Team Grant: Pathways Implementation Research Team
• Team Grant: Pathways Implementation Research Team – Component 2 – LOI
• Team Grant: Pathways Implementation Research Team – Component 2 – LOI – Oral Health
• Team Grant: Pathways Implementation Research Team – Component 2 – LOI – Obesity/Diabetes
• Team Grant: Pathways Implementation Research Team – Component 2 – LOI – Suicide Prevention
• Team Grant: Pathways Implementation Research Team – Component 2 – LOI – Tuberculosis
• Team Grant: Stand Up to Cancer Canada Cancer Stem Cell Dream Team Research Funding
• Team Grant: Terry Fox New Frontiers Program in Cancer
• Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grant
• The Terry Fox Foundation Strategic Training Initiatives in Health Research—full application
• Association of Canadian Academic Healthcare Organizations
• Bourse Fernand-Seguin
• Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies
• Champions of Genetics: Building the Next Generation
• CIHR University Delegates' Network
• Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network—Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
• Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network Collaborating Centre for Observational Drug Effect Studies
• Inuit Research Network Development Grant
• Northwest Territories Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research SUPPORT Units Seed funding
• Operating Grant: COVID-19 Clinical Epidemiology Research Rapid Response
• Operating Grant: Future Earth Initiative
• Operating Grant: WHO HeLTI Knowledge Synthesis Directed Grant
• Other: Call for Letters of Intent: Implementation Research Teams
• Other: Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network Collaborating Centre for Network Meta-Analysis
• Other: Eliminating Cervical Cancer in Canada
• Other: Global Health Research Initiative
• Other: Planning and Dissemination Grants – Institute Community Support
• Other: Rapid Funding for Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network Targeted Research – 2014-2015
• Other: SPOR SUPPORT Unit Phase  II
• Other: Symposium on Mental Wellness in Circumpolar Communities
• Science and Technology Awareness Network
• Sensible Guidelines for the Conduct of Clinical Trials Initiative Workshop
• Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research directed grant—Canadian Clinical Trials Coordinating Centre
• Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research SUPPORT Units
• Summer Program in Aging Host Support
• Support for Canadian Science Writers’ Association Annual Conference
• Team Grant: Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network Collaborating Centre for Prospective Studies
• Transfusion Science – Priority Announcement
• Travel Awards: Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases Mental Health—Canada-China
• Undergraduate: Genetics – Institute Community Support

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

Exclusions:

• Aboriginal Ambassadors in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Supplement Program
• Applied Research and Technology Partnership Grants
• Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19
• Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics Support Program
• Collaborative and Thematic Resources Support in Mathematics and Statistics Program
• Cooperative activities
• COVID-19 - Direct Support for Training
• COVID-19 - Indirect Support for Discovery
• COVID-19 - Indirect Support for Partnerships
• COVID-19 - Indirect Support for Training
• Discovery Institutes Support Grants – Bridge funding opportunity
• Encouraging Vaccine Confidence in Canada
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Institutional Capacity-Building Grant
• Fellowship Innovation Platform
• Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges Grants
• Joint Initiative for Digital Citizen Research
• Major Resources Support Program
• NSERC Awards for Science Promotion
• NSERC Doctoral Prizes
• NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Industrial Research and Development Fellowships
• NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships (all types)
• NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards—University and Industrial
• NSERC Young Innovators
• Partnership Grants – Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Joint Initiative
• Partnerships Innovation Platform
• PromoScience Program (including supplements)
• Science Communication Skills Grants
• Special Opportunities Fund

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

• Aid to Scholarly Publications Program
• Aileen D. Ross Fellowship
• Alice Wilson Award
• Bora Laskin National Fellowship in Human Rights Research
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – SSHRC Housing Research Training Awards Program
• CMHC-SSHRC Joint Initiative: Collaborative Housing Research Network
• Connections—Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
• COVID funds for Research Partnerships
• COVID funds for Research Training
• COVID indirect support for Insight Research
• Department of National Defence MINDS Scholarship Initiative
• International Space University Fellowship
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science fellowships
• Jules and Gabrielle Léger Fellowship
• MITACS Canadian Science Policy Fellowships
• Pan-Canadian Knowledge Access Initiative
• Parliamentary Internship Program
• Presidential Fund grants
• Queen's Fellowship
• SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships
• SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships
• The Storytellers
• William E. Taylor Fellowship

Networks of Centres of Excellence

Exclusions under Administrative Centres:

• Communications
• Operational budget
• Salaries for students and postdoctoral trainees

Exclusions under Core Facilities:

• Operational budget (certain categories only)

Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence

• Expenditures of administrative centres
• Research-related expenditures in non-eligible institutions

Tri-agency Programs

• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Canada 150 Research Chairs
• Canada Excellence Research Chairs
• Canada First Research Excellence Fund
• Canada Graduate Scholarships (including supplements)
• Canada Research Chairs Program (including equity, diversity and inclusion stipend)
• Canada Research Continuity Emergency Fund
• Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research
• College and Community Innovation Program
• Community and College Social Innovation Fund
• Industrial Research and Development Internship Program
• New Frontiers in Research Fund (including Rapid Response)
• Tri-Agency Partnership on Knowledge Syntheses on the Environment
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Note : Multi-institutional grants are divided proportionally among participating institutions based on the number of participating researchers from each institution. The share for a non-eligible institution is redistributed among eligible institutions.

CIHR awards to research institutes and hospitals are attributed to the parent university, if applicable.

Method used for identification and division of credits

High-level governance.

Every year, a senior level committee decides which granting agency programs should be included in the credit base, and how credits should be allocated to participating institutions.

This Interagency Program Review Committee (IPRC) is comprised of the vice-presidents of programs of the  agencies, the director of the NCE Secretariat, the managers responsible for data coordination in the agencies, and the senior managers of TIPS.

The IPRC’s mandate is to ensure that the decision on whether agency programs should be included in the credit base is made in a consistent, appropriate and transparent manner. This mandate includes:

• reviewing all current agency programs on an annual basis to ensure that their inclusion or exclusion from the credit calculations is appropriate; and
• reviewing all new agency programs to determine whether or not they should be included, in whole or in part, in the calculations of institutional credits for the CRCP.

Crediting parent institution with research activity conducted at affiliated research institutes

The credit base of an institution eligible for CRCP includes credits generated by research activities conducted at the institution as well as research conducted at affiliated research institutes, hospitals and other affiliates.

Every year, TIPS contacts eligible institutions (parent institutions) to confirm their list of affiliated institutions (child institutions). Research funding awarded to researchers at affiliated research institutes, hospitals and other affiliates is credited to the parent institution only if the affiliation is duly confirmed in the annual validation of affiliated institutions. It is the institutions’ responsibility to ensure that the information provided to TIPS is current and accurate. As well, all eligible institutions and their affiliates should ensure that their researchers clearly identify their institutional affiliation in their applications to granting agency programs, as this is how credits are identified and allocated.

Flow-through funds

Research funding originating from sources other than the  agencies, but which is awarded as a result of a process the agencies administered, is not included in the credits.

Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) funds

For NCE funds, the credits are based on dollars spent, not awarded. When calculating the credit base for the chairs allocation calculations, funds spent by administrative centres hosted by a university are attributed to the host university, for eligible categories. Funds spent by non-university administrative centres are not credited to any institution. Research funds spent by network researchers are attributed to the institution where the research expenses have been made.

Division of credits for multi-institutional grants

The credits for multi-institutional grants are typically divided proportionally among participating institutions based on the number of participating researchers from each institution. The share for an institution that is not eligible for CRCP is redistributed among eligible institutions.

There are two models—described below—for the division of credits for multi-institutional grants. IPRC decides which  model will be used when it reviews the eligibility of a program.

A—Proportional to the number of researchers: Credits are divided proportionally among participating institutions based on the number of participating researchers from each eligible institution. This model applies to the majority of programs.

B—Proportional to actual expenditures: For programs where the funds from a single grant are redistributed among participating institutions through a formal process, credits are divided among participating institutions according to actual expenditures (e.g. NCEs).

Requests for institutional funding breakdown

All institutional funding breakdown  spreadsheets are available to institutions on a secure SharePoint site . These spreadsheets provide the detailed breakdown of tri-agency funding that individual institutions received for allocating Canada Research Chairs.

A single account is created for each eligible institution. Login information is sent to the Research Support Fund (RSF) main institutional contact (the person whose name appears as the “Main Contact” on the RSF extranet). It is this main institutional contact person ’s responsibility to share, with all relevant individuals at their institution, the institutional funding breakdowns posted on the SharePoint site. Note that the breakdowns will not be sent to institutions via email.

Have questions related to funding data? Contact us

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Canada First Research Excellence Fund

Government of Canada invests $1.4 billion in strategic research at postsecondary institutions April 28, 2023

Follow us on our new X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn accounts! Find us at @TIPS_SPIIE (X) and @TIPS-SPIIE (LinkedIn).

• Positioning Canada’s postsecondary institutions to become global research leaders
• Government of Canada invests $1.4 billion in strategic research at postsecondary institutions
• Follow us on our new X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn accounts!

About the Program

Helping Canadian postsecondary institutions excel globally in research areas that create long-term economic advantages for Canada

The Canada First Research Excellence Fund (the Fund) helps competitively selected Canadian postsecondary institutions turn their key strengths into world-leading capabilities.

The Fund is a tri-agency initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research .

Statement from Minister Champagne, Minister Holland and Minister LeBlanc on new measures to protect Canadian research January 16, 2024

Program Update Annual reporting deadline for 2022-23 is September 30, 2023 May 16, 2023

Program Update Annual reporting deadline for 2021-22 is September 30, 2022 May 12, 2022

Launch of the Canada First Research Excellence Fund competition November 22, 2021

Prime Minister introduces Canada’s new top scientist September 26, 2017

TransMedTech Institute: Propelling Québec to the Forefront of Health Technology Innovation April 24, 2017

New executive director of Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat December 8, 2016

Government of Canada invests $900 million to transform university research September 6, 2016

Quick Links

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Research builds communities

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is a non-profit corporation that invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions.

A statement on the value of research and its vital contributions to society

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CIHR Funding opportunities

• Notice of upcoming COVID-19 research funding opportunity: COVID-19 Outpatient Therapeutic Study (Updated)
• New investments for COVID-19 impact research will support an equitable pandemic recovery for all Canadians
• Notice of upcoming COVID-19 research funding opportunity (Updated)
• Pre-Announcement: Indigenous Peoples and COVID-19 Rapid Research Funding Opportunity (Updated)
• Operating Grant: Addressing the Wider Health Impacts of COVID-19
• Update on COVID-19 Funding Opportunities and the Fall 2021 Project Grant Competition
• Pre-announcement: Notice of upcoming COVID-19 research funding opportunity (Updated)
• Government of Canada invests to encourage confidence in vaccines
• Agencies to pay postdoctoral fellows through Canadian host institutions
• Operating Grant: Understanding and mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, youth and families in Canada
• The federal granting agencies announce funding to encourage vaccine confidence in Canada
• Notice of upcoming funding opportunity: CIHR Network for Emerging Variants Research (previously called the Canadian Network of Networks for SARS-CoV-2 Variant Research) (Updated)
• Pre-Announcement: CIHR Funding for SARS-CoV-2 Variant Research (Updated)
• Network of Clinical Trials Networks: Collaboration to Evaluate COVID-19 and Intervention Strategies
• Why sex and gender need to be considered in COVID-19 research
• Notice of upcoming funding opportunities: Mental Health and Substance Use Responses to COVID-19 (April 24, 2020)

Initiatives

• COVID-19 and Mental Health (CMH) Initiative
• Sex as a Biological Variable Supplement: COVID-19

Funding opportunities and results

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Undergraduate Student Research Awards

The Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) program supports more than 3,000 students annually and is administered jointly by Canada’s three granting agencies: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Applications for the USRA program must be completed and submitted  to the Canadian institution where you wish to hold the award  through NSERC’s online system. Selected applications are submitted to NSERC by institutions. No USRA applications may be submitted directly to the agencies.

Presently, CIHR and SSHRC USRAs are exclusively for Black student researchers. Institutions are assigned a specific allocation for these awards, as outlined in the  Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations  web page.

On this page

Important information, description, eligibility, value and duration of awards, location of tenure, supervision of the student at the institution, subject matter eligibility, san francisco declaration on research assessment, equity, diversity and inclusion, allocations, black student researchers, indigenous student researchers (for nserc only), application procedure, selection process, notification of results, payment of awards, travel allowances, use and disclosure of information.

• Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations
• Frequently asked questions about USRAs

Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are meant to nurture your interest and fully develop your potential for a research career in health, natural sciences and engineering, or social sciences and humanities. These awards are also meant to encourage you to undertake graduate studies by providing research work experience that complements your studies in an academic setting.

You are permitted to hold a USRA during a co-op placement. Your institution’s co-op office or USRA liaison officer (LO) may be able to assist you in finding a placement. LOs are institution administrators and usually work in your institution’s scholarship office.

To be eligible to  apply  for an award

• you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a Protected Person under subsection 95(2) of the  Immigration and Refugee Protection Act  (Canada), as of the deadline date for applications at the institution
• you must be registered, as of the deadline date for applications at the institution, in a bachelor’s degree program at an eligible institution
• you must have obtained, over the previous years of study, a satisfactory cumulative average (normally at least B-; check with your institution)
• you cannot be currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, DDS, BScN)  (does not apply for CIHR USRAs)
• you cannot be currently registered or have been previously registered, at any time, in a graduate program in the same field of study
• you cannot have completed all your degree requirements

CIHR and SSHRC USRAs are, at the present time, exclusively for Black student researchers. To be considered, you must self-identify as Black (see the Black student researchers section for more details).

In addition

• if you already hold a bachelor’s degree and are studying toward a second bachelor’s degree, you may still apply for this award
• you may hold only  one  USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31)
• you may hold a maximum of  three USRAs  throughout your undergraduate career (regardless of the granting agency)

To  hold  an award

• you must have completed all course requirements for at least the first year of study (or two academic terms) of your bachelor’s degree
• you must have been registered in a bachelor’s degree program at the time of application and in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award
• you must be working full time in eligible research and development activities in your proposed field of research during tenure of the award
• you cannot be registered in a graduate program
• You may hold an award at any time during the year as permitted by your academic program.
• Tenure may start on a date acceptable to both you and your host institution.
• USRAs have a value of $6,000, and the host institution is required to supplement the award.
• The duration of the award is 14 to 16 weeks on a full-time basis.
• The activities conducted during the tenure of the USRA are governed by the agreements, including employment agreements (if applicable), you have with the host institution and the relevant terms and conditions of awards.
• The agency’s contribution is  paid directly to the host institution  and is included in the funds that you receive.

The USRA program makes no provision for sick leave or vacation, or for other types of interruptions. Should a USRA be interrupted or terminated early for any reason, the agencies must be informed immediately.

Without exception, USRAs are tenable only at eligible Canadian institutions with an assigned allocation. Awards must be held at the institution where the offer of award originates.

An eligible supervisor is a person authorized by the institution to independently supervise students. Your institution will decide if your proposed supervisor is eligible. You must work under the supervision of a person who has been approved by the institution.

NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC support and promote high-quality research in a wide variety of disciplines and areas, which are divided into broad fields of research (health, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities). This includes research that bridges two or more disciplines or that requires the skills of several disciplines.

You must ensure that you are submitting your application to an institution that has an allocation for your selected agency (refer to the  Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations  web page for a list of allocations by institution and by agency).

If the granting agency determines your application was submitted to the wrong agency based on the subject matter, it will be transferred accordingly (refer to Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency web page for more information).

It is not necessary for your proposed supervisor’s research program to be exclusively within your selected agency’s field of study (health, natural sciences and engineering, or social sciences and humanities).

NSERC is a signatory to the  San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) . To promote NSERC’s support of research excellence in Canada and incorporate the principles of DORA, NSERC has developed  Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring . The guidelines highlight NSERC’s commitment to excellence in research funding and aim to ensure that a wide range of research results and outcomes are considered and valued as part of the assessment process. 

The three agencies are acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the  Tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and is aligned with the objectives of the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan .

When preparing the research proposal, supervisors are encouraged to consult the  NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research web page.

Eligible Canadian institutions are assigned a separate allocation of awards to offer from each agency. Institutions must respect the agency-specific allocation of awards. Refer to the  Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations  web page for a list of allocations by institution and by agency.

For NSERC:  Institutions may recommend applications from self-identified Black student researchers for USRAs beyond their allocation of awards.

For CIHR and SSHRC:  At the present time, CIHR and SSHRC USRAs are exclusively for Black student researchers. Institutions are assigned an allocation of awards, as outlined in the  Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations  web page. To be eligible to apply for these awards, you must self-identify as Black by checking the relevant box within the application form. Note that this self-identification information will be shared with the institution to which you are applying and, if awarded, publicly. Refer to the  Instructions for completing an Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) application – form 202  web page for more information.

Institutions may recommend applications from self-identified Indigenous student researchers for USRAs beyond their allocation of awards.

To apply for these awards, you must complete and submit an application using NSERC’s online system. Refer to the  Instructions for completing an Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) application – form 202  web page for more information.

You can apply to more than one institution. You must apply directly to the institution where you would like to hold the award. However, please note that it is the institution’s choice whether to accept candidates from other institutions.

Eligible Canadian institutions are assigned an allocation of awards to offer each year. Refer to the  Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations  web page for a list of allocations by institution and agency.  Note:  CIHR’s and SSHRC’s allocations are, at the present time, exclusively for Black student researchers.

The selection process of USRA applications will be carried out by institutions with an allocation and will be based on the following three selection criteria:

• academic excellence
• research potential
• expected quality of the training and mentorship to be received

All application and review processes are internal to the institution. It is the institution’s responsibility to establish its own selection criteria within the broad guidelines that the agencies provide. Institutions have the discretion to apply stricter selection criteria than those outlined above. When selecting students for awards, the institution will take into account the objectives of the USRA program. For details on the institution selection procedures, refer to the  Guidelines for Undergraduate Student Research Awards liaison officers or contact the USRA LO at the institution where you would like to hold the award.

Each eligible institution sets its own internal deadline dates for receiving applications. For information about these dates, contact the USRA LO at the institution where you intend to apply for an award.

Although awards may be held in the summer, fall or winter term, each institution will determine the number of selection processes it holds each year.

Each institution will inform applicants of its award decisions after it has completed its selection process. To find out if your application was recommended to the agencies, contact the USRA LO at your institution. Recommended candidates approved by NSERC and SSHRC will receive an award letter on SharePoint midway through their award. Recommended candidates approved by CIHR will receive an award letter by email. Award letters should be read carefully and kept for future reference.

Once the relevant agency has approved your USRA for tenure at one particular institution, you  may not  transfer it to another institution.

You will receive your payment from the institution. The institution will issue payments to you for the total value of the award in accordance with its pay procedures. It will also issue a T4 or T4A slip (statement of income) to you at the end of the calendar year.

NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC will pay their respective contributions directly to the institution.

Travel allowances are not provided by the granting agencies.

All personal information collected as part of this program is used by the agencies and by the relevant officials at the eligible research institutions to review applications and to administer and monitor awards. It may also be used to determine the most appropriate funding jurisdiction, or to monitor overlap in federal support. Details on the use and disclosure of this information by the agencies are described by CIHR on the Info source – Sources of federal government and employee information  web page, by NSERC on the  Use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC  web page, by SSHRC on the Collection, use and disclosure of personal information  web page and in the relevant program literature.

Each agency may publish the names and other limited award information of award holders on their websites in accordance with the agencies’ policies on disclosure under the  Access to Information Act  and their  Privacy Act  policies and guidelines related to the collection, use, retention and disposal of personal information. For more information, consult the Access to Information Act  and the Privacy Act .

For more details regarding CIHR’s use of personal information, refer to the Undergraduate Student Research Awards details on CIHR’s Funding Opportunity  web page.

The first point of contact regarding the USRA program should be the USRA LO at the institution where you intend to apply for an award or where you are currently registered in an eligible program of study.

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By developing transformative research programs that address areas critical to advancing brain research, Brain Canada has established a track record of supporting high-risk, high-reward research at all stages and across basic, translational and clinical approaches.

Types of Grants

Capacity Building Grants

The next generation of scientists have the talent and ingenuity to move the needle on Canadian brain research – as long as they have support. Capacity Building Grants invest directly in trainees and early-career researchers to catalyze their potential through salary support, training, research funding and mentorship.

Team Grants

Groundbreaking discoveries in brain health research never happen alone – they take bright minds working across disciplines and institutions. Our Team Grants bring together scientists from across Canada to advance collaborative research on the brain and brain health.

Platform Grants

Research platforms – what we call centralized shared research resources – are a cost-effective way for scientists to access cutting-edge equipment, technology, and services beyond what they can achieve on their own. Platform Support Grants help develop and/or enhance the capabilities and accessibility of platforms essential for brain research, benefiting researchers across Canada.

Knowledge Mobilization Grants

These support the mobilization of knowledge: to use the findings from research to inform the development of evidence-based tools, resources, programs and solutions with the potential to benefit all people in Canada; and to convene the Canadian brain research community and key stakeholders, including people with lived experience.

Flagship Programs

Future leaders in canadian brain research program.

Launched in 2019, this annual grant program provides funding at the most critical point in a researcher’s career and gives budding scientists the courage to dream big and be brilliant. Through this revolutionary funding model, we are establishing Canada’s pipeline of future leaders, and laying a foundation of research excellence and innovation.

Platform Support Grants

High-impact research in the neurosciences has always required skill, imagination, determination, and insight. Today, it also requires access to shared equipment, facilities, services, databases, computing/informatics facilities, patient repositories, and biobanks; collectively referred to as “platforms”. The Platform Support Grants Program funds major research platforms – at local, regional, and national levels – with the goal of providing enhanced technical and research capabilities to myriads of investigators across all fields of neuroscience.

Rising Stars Trainee Awards

Funding to support early-career researchers with programs tailored for the next generation of researchers is a core component of Brain Canada’s work. The increasing competitiveness of the Canadian research environment and limited financial support from major granting agencies and institutions can make it difficult to attain the resources needed for trainees to excel. In response, Brain Canada launched its Rising Stars Trainee Awards aimed at recognizing the excellent research being conducted by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and residents in all fields spanning neuroscience research.

Multi-Investigator Research Initiative (MIRI)

The Multi-Investigator Research Initiative (MIRI)’s aim is to support multidisciplinary teams and to accelerate novel and transformative research that will fundamentally change our understanding of nervous system function and dysfunction and their impact on health.

Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship

The Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship allows doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows to attend a major international conference/symposium or training course.

ALS Canada – Brain Canada Discovery Grants

The purpose of the Discovery Grant Program is to invest in the best possible projects that are focused on identifying causes of, or treatments for ALS and/or related neurological diseases, or research focused on avenues to maximize function, minimize disability and optimize quality of life through symptoms management, and to provide support to persons or families living with ALS.

Program details

ALS Canada – Brain Canada Arthur J. Hudson Translational Team Grant

This program was designed to bring together researchers from across the country to accelerate therapeutic development by: 1) identifying and testing a relevant therapeutic target or candidate therapy and/or 2) addressing critical needs for early diagnosis and biomonitoring of clinical progression applied to clinical research. Research in all stages of development is welcomed, from basic/preclinical to phase I, II and III clinical trials.

ALS Canada – Brain Canada Trainee Program

This program provides support to eligible trainees at the doctoral or postdoctoral level who have demonstrated contributions to research that may or may not have related directly to ALS, but propose future research and training that is ALS-related.

ALS Canada – Brain Canada Career Transition Award

The intent of this award is for ALS Canada and Brain Canada to support a promising postdoctoral fellow or Research Associate working at a Canadian institution to transition into an independent position contributing to ALS research.

ALS Canada-Brain Canada Clinical Research Fellowship

This fellowship is designed to support the further training of a clinician to develop the skills necessary to be a specialist in ALS and provide experience/training in clinical or basic research relevant to the field.

Advancing Research on Care and Outcome Measurement (ARCOM)

The ARCOM funding program aims to address significant gaps in care and outcome measurement, and provide an opportunity to advance research so that care providers can ensure that they are implementing evidence-based practices and achieving desired outcomes.

Alzheimer’s Association International Research Grant Program

The Alzheimer’s Association International Research Grant Program (IRGP) funds investigations to advance our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, identify new treatment strategies, improve care for people with dementia and further our knowledge of brain health and disease prevention.

Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship

The AARF grant program is intended to support exceptional researchers who are engaged in their post-graduate work (i.e. postdoctoral fellows) and before they have their first independent faculty positions (i.e. Assistant Professor) and working in diverse areas of research, including basic, translational, clinical, functional and social-behavioural research.

Alzheimer’s Society Research Program (ASRP) Brain Canada New Investigator

This program supports individuals within the initial two years of their first faculty position who are pursuing careers in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research.

Alzheimer’s Society Research Program (ASRP) Brain Canada Career Change Grants

This program supports established investigators, who are new to the field of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and are interested in changing their research focus to this field. These investigators will be within the first two years of a career change and will be required to work collaboratively with a mentor who is an established researcher within the field.

Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE) Accelerator Grants

The purpose of the KTE Accelerator Grants program is to help accelerate the dissemination of scientific findings on Alzheimer’s and related dementias to various audiences beyond academic researchers.

2023-2024 Proof of Concept

These grants are designed to fund innovative, high-risk, and high-reward research that pushes beyond the boundaries of our existing understanding of dementia, including but not limited to mechanisms, prevention, treatment, care, program and policy. We are looking for bold and challenging new directions in dementia research that have the potential to lead to ground-breaking findings.

Azrieli Neurodevelopment Research Program

This program is designed to support excellent systems or translational research in the area of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a special focus on Autism spectrum disorder and Fragile X syndrome. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to develop new diagnostic, treatment and prevention strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders, to reduce their economic and social burden on Canadians, and to improve the quality of life for those affected by neurodevelopmental disorders and their families.

Turnbull-Tator Award in Spinal Cord Injury and Concussion Research

This award recognizes an outstanding publication by a researcher at a Canadian institution in the field of spinal cord and/or brain injury research (including concussion) with a $50,000 prize.

Bell Let’s Talk – Brain Canada Mental Health Research Program

The Bell Let’s Talk-Brain Canada Mental Health Research Program supports novel and transformative research that will accelerate the integration of emerging scientific knowledge into developing and/or improving mental health care, including substance use and addiction. The ultimate goal is the development of innovative solutions to ensure effective, sustainable, and accessible mental health care for all Canadians.

Bell Mental Health Research Training Awards

This program funded 3 fellowships and 4 studentships in mental health research over a period of 3 years to further the understanding of mental illness and lead to new strategies for prevention and early intervention.

Brain Changes Initiative Award for Traumatic Brain Injury

In partnership with Brain Changes Initiative and Branch Out Neurological Foundation,  the Brain Changes Initiative Award for Traumatic Brain Injury encourages innovative, unorthodox, and exploratory research with potential for significant impact on our understanding of brain recovery after.

Innovation Grants for Research Impact in Traumatic Brain Injury

The purpose of the Innovation Grants for Research Impact in Traumatic Brain Injury is to generate creative, novel and practical evidence-based solutions that address stakeholder identified needs to improve the trajectory of recovery for individuals after brain injury. With the knowledge that behaviour, practice and policy changes are made possible by creating solutions that work, proven through rigorous academic research in collaboration with stakeholders, we expect the projects funded through this opportunity will have a substantial impact, especially for health care providers and patients.

Canadian Cancer Society Impact Grants

The Impact Grant program is intended to contribute to the scientific idea ‘pipeline’ by supporting significant progression in cancer research programs that are anywhere in the continuum from basic high impact discovery to translational work of direct relevance to the clinic and beyond.

Canadian Cancer Society Innovation Grants

The Innovation Grant program is designed to support unconventional concepts, approaches or methodologies to address problems in cancer research. Innovation projects will include elements of creativity, curiosity, investigation, exploration and opportunity.

Canadian Cancer Society Innovation to Impact Grants

The Innovation to Impact Grant program is intended to support the further development of significant findings based on the goals originally explored through a funded CCS Innovation Grant.

CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

The CCS/CIHR/BC Spark Grants: Novel Technology Applications in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Grants support extraordinary research that will use technologies to make cancer prevention, screening and early detection more accurate, accessible and convenient, and less invasive, with the goal of accelerating their translation to the clinic. Out of the total 27 new grants, nine are focusing on developing solutions for brain cancer, specifically.

Breakthrough Team Grants: Transforming Low-Survival Cancers

In partnership with Brain Canada, Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Cancer Research Society and the Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation, the program represents the largest ever collective effort in Canada focused on changing outcomes for pancreatic, esophageal, brain, lung, liver, and stomach cancers.

2022 Brain Canada-Cancer Research Society Translational Research Grant

The aim of this program is to promote effective translation and application of knowledge of brain cancer across the expanse of pre-clinical, clinical and health services delivery domains to improve patient outcomes.

Addressing Mental Health in Paediatric Rheumatic Diseases Team Grants

This funding opportunity aims to support research that will improve our understanding of the prevention, diagnosis, and/or treatment of mental illnesses in children and young adults aged 0 to 27 years with rheumatic diseases.

Chagnon Family and Brain Canada Interventions for Prevention of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) Multi-Investigator Research Initiative

The Chagnon Family has partnered with Brain Canada to support a major $10-million project in the area of Alzheimer’s disease prevention entitled the Interventions for Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Team Grant.

Brain Canada – CIBC Brain Cancer Research Training Awards

Brain Canada and CIBC partnered to fund 4 studentships and 3 fellowships in the area of brain cancer. In addition to aiding trainees to develop their research skills, these awards have helped further knowledge on brain cancer development, diagnosis and treatment.

BC-CIFAR Partnered Initiative

Brain Canada and CIFAR are co-funding three brain-related programs totalling up to $20 million. Each of the three research programs consists of 10-40 leading researchers from around the globe who are answering fundamental questions about the brain and what it means to be human. The three programs are the Learning in Machines and Brains program; the Brain, Mind and Consciousness program; and the Humans and the Microbiome program.

Focus on the Brain

The goals of the program are to link academia with industry to support pre-competitive research that enhances bio-pharmaceutical R&D productivity, and to accelerate the development of new, safe, and effective drugs in neuroscience.

Quantum Leap

The Quantum Leap program is intended to support outstanding translational research projects implementing state-of-the art technologies with very high potential impact in key areas of unmet needs within the biopharmaceutical industry.

CQDM’s SynergiQc program is designed to promote university-based industrial research in the biopharmaceutical field that will generate economic benefits for Québec.

Call for Collaborative Research Projects on the Brain

A unique funding opportunity that brings together experts from academia and industry to support the development of platforms, tools and biopharmaceuticals that will pave the way for new advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders.

Heart-Brain Connection IMPACT Award

This is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, integrative research competition that will investigate the complex interactions between the heart and the brain by leveraging the power of collaboration and innovation in Canada’s research community.

Heart and Stroke Foundation Emerging Research Leaders Initiative

This program is for researchers transitioning from a post-doctoral fellowship to a junior professional position in the areas of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and/or respiratory health research.

Heart and Stroke Foundation Grant-in-Aid

The GIA program provides operating funds to support important, pertinent, and novel research in the areas of heart disease and stroke. GIA funding promotes research discovery, exploration and innovation across all health research themes.

Congenital Heart Disease Team Grants

Brain Canada, together with Heart & Stroke, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health and Institute of Genetics launched this competition, which focuses on congenital heart disease (CHD) throughout the lifespan and in the context of the whole person, with considerations for sex and gender, Indigenous health and wellness, and health equity.

The Personnel Awards for Indigenous Scholars

This program, launched together with Brain Canada, Heart & Stroke, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (CIHR-ICRH), aims to increase the number of highly qualified trainees working in heart and/or brain research from Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) communities whose traditional and ancestral territories are in Canada.

Personnel Awards for Black Scholars

Brain Canada along with Heart & Stroke and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (CIHR-ICRH), are excited to launch the Personnel Awards for Black Scholars .  The objective of the competition is to increase the number of highly qualified Black trainees across Canada committed to working in the fields of heart and brain research.

Brain Canada-Huntington Society of Canada Creating HD Clinician-Scientist-to-Patient Virtual Networks Multi-Investigator Research Initiative (MIRI)

Brain Canada and the Huntington Society of Canada have partnered on an initiative that supports research projects that connect clinicians with scientists, and scientists with the HD community. The multi-disciplinary and multi-investigator approach is expected to maximize the opportunity for discovery and translational research that will speed up the search for treatments, while expanding the overall understanding of HD therapy in humans.

JDRF Canada – Brain Canada Addressing Mental Health in Type 1 Diabetes Team Grants

The JDRF Canada – Brain Canada Addressing Mental Health in Type 1 Diabetes Team Grants aim to support research on the development, validation, or implementation of interventions that address mental health concerns in people with type 1 diabetes. The ultimate goal is to support the development and testing of sustainable, scalable approaches that will enable improved support for Canadians who live with type 1 diabetes and are affected by mental health disorders, and that will translate into better quality of life and diabetes-related health outcomes for these populations.

Brain Canada – Kids Brain Health Network Training Awards

The training award funds doctoral candidates and post-doctoral fellows performing research aimed at the origins, early detection, and effective treatment of brain development disorders. In addition to the award, the recipients will take part in the Kids Brain Health Network Training program, which endeavours to develop cross-disciplinary and collaborative skill sets for the next generation of scientists, clinicians, and health-service professionals.

The Basics of Better Mental Health Program

This program funds experimental research that provides insight into the causes and onset of mental illnesses and explore the neuropathological changes and information processing deficits that may eventually lead to new directions for treatments and interventions. This consists of research with the goal of understanding signs and symptoms at the fundamental level, which may include studies at the molecular, cellular, organ system and/or whole-body levels, including development of tools and techniques to be applied for this purpose. The inclusion of sex-specific biological considerations in the rationale, hypothesis, and objectives will be instrumental in understanding the biological roots of mental illnesses.

Early Years Initiative

The Early Years supports communities in the cultural adaptation and implementation of family-centred programmatic activities and resources, from Maskwacis Health Services in Alberta to the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate.

Impact in Neuroscience

Brain initiative.

The BRAIN Initiative is part of a US Presidential focus aimed at revolutionizing our understanding of the human brain. Brain Canada has partnered with the 10 NIH Institutes that are part of the NIH BRAIN Initiative to support the involvement of Canadian researchers in the NIH BRAIN Initiative.

Brain Canada Youth Mental Health Platform, powered by RBC Future Launch

The Brain Canada Youth Mental Health Platform, powered by RBC Future Launch supports the development, operation, and maintenance of a large-scale national platform that enhances the sharing of centralized research resources thereby increasing access to equipment, expertise, data, protocols, and more in the area of youth mental health, for three years.

Shireen and Edna Marcus Excellence Award

The objective of the Shireen and Edna Marcus Excellence Award is to support graduate students engaged in autism research who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in their graduate studies and to encourage the academic development of promising postdoctoral fellows by providing salary support.

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation Grant

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has collaborated with Brain Canada to support five research teams conducting research across the full spectrum of brain sciences. The teams are pursuing novel, transformative research aimed at improving our understanding of human nervous system function and dysfunction, and its impact on health.

The Brain Canada & Weizmann Institute of Science Team Grants

The Brain Canada & Weizmann Institute of Science Team Grants program encourages innovative, unorthodox, and exploratory research that may be in the early and conceptual stages of project development but has potential for significant impact on our understanding of the brain.

Brain Canada-Women’s Brain Health Initiative Expansion Grants: Considering Sex and Gender

The purpose of the Brain Canada-WBHI Expansion Grants: Considering Sex and Gender Program is to support the implementation and/ or continuation of sex and/ or gender considerations in previously funded projects focusing on brain research in the fields of aging, neurodegeneration, or stroke.

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Overview Objective Eligibility Value and duration Application form Application instructions Payment Use of funds Reporting Accountability and public acknowledgment Questions

The Government of Canada introduced new funding through the Research Support Fund (RSF) in Budget 2022 to further support the activities related to the indirect costs of research security and to support the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships .

The investments in research security will provide $125 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $25 million ongoing per year, in addition to the existing investments for the RSF and Incremental Grant Projects (IPGs).

Research security is categorized as a fifth priority area of the IPGs . These investments are aligned with the RSF ’s objectives to help Canadian postsecondary institutions ensure their federally funded research projects are conducted in world-class facilities with the best equipment and administrative support available. By directing funds to specific investments and to annual or multiyear projects initiated by institutions, research security funding will help to build capacity within postsecondary institutions to identify, assess and mitigate the potential risks to research security.

Eligibility

Funding for research security is for eligible institutions receiving $2 million or more in eligible RSF direct research funding. Eligibility for research security funding is assessed against this threshold each year.

Institutions with less than $2 million in eligible direct research funding are not eligible for research security funding, but continue to benefit from the current progressive RSF funding formula.

Value and duration

Research security funding is calculated as a percentage of each institution’s eligible direct research funding amounts above $2 million. Funding is awarded for one year only. Institutions must re-apply each year and meet all terms and conditions to continue receiving funds.

Research security funding will be calculated and dispersed to institutions separately from the RSF and IPG allocations.

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Applying for research security funding is part of the  RSF  application process. If your institution is eligible, you must also complete the research security application sections. This section asks for additional information about the proposed use of the research security funds, including details of the project(s) for which you are requesting research security support. This includes:

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Policies governing the  RSF concerning forfeiture of funds, failure to comply with the deadline and requests for extensions also apply to research security applications and awards. See the  Apply to the program page  for more details.

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The research security application is part of the RSF  application on the  Convergence Portal . If your institution is eligible for this funding, it must complete the research security portion of the application and submit the full application before the deadline.

Eligible institutions will receive funds according to the  RSF payment schedule .

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The funds granted to institutions should be used to build capacity to identify, assess and mitigate potential risks to research security, in support of the full implementation of the National Security Guidelines on Research Partnerships . Institutions must spend the funds in the year of the award and report on the use of these funds annually.

Research security funds can be used to support multiyear projects whose outcomes will be available only at the end of a longer period of up to three years. The application allows your institution to apply for funding for the next phase of the project, provided the institution continues to meet reporting and eligibility requirements.

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Institutions will be required to submit accountability and public acknowledgment requirements and/or provide outcomes reporting for research security funds awarded in 2022-23. The program will communicate further on these requirements in the next fiscal year.

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• 17 April 2024

Canadian science gets biggest boost to PhD and postdoc pay in 20 years

• Brian Owens

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Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau and finance minister Chrystia Freeland hold copies of the 2024 federal budget. Credit: David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty

Researchers in Canada got most of what they were hoping for in the country’s 2024 federal budget, with a big boost in postgraduate pay and more funding for research and scientific infrastructure.

“We are investing over $5 billion in Canadian brainpower,” said finance minister Chrystia Freeland in her budget speech on 16 April. “More funding for research and scholarships will help Canada attract the next generation of game-changing thinkers.”

Canadian PhD students and postgrads plan mass walkout over low pay

Postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers have been advocating for higher pay for the past two years through a campaign called Support Our Science. They requested an increase in the value, and number, of federal government scholarships, and got more than they asked for. Stipends for master’s students will rise from Can$17,500 (US$12,700) to $27,000 per year, PhDs stipends that ranged from $20,000 to $35,000 will be set to a uniform annual $40,000 and most postdoctoral-fellowship salaries will increase from $45,000 to $70,000 per annum. The number of scholarships and fellowships provided will also rise over time, building to around 1,720 more per year after five years.

“We’re very thrilled with this significant new investment, the largest investment in graduate students and postdocs in over 21 years,” says Kaitlin Kharas, a PhD student at the University of Toronto, Canada, and executive director of Support Our Science . “It will directly support the next generation of researchers.”

Although only a small proportion of students and postdoctoral fellows receive these federal scholarships, other funders tend to use them as a guide for their own stipends.

Many postgraduates said that low pay was forcing them to consider leaving Canada to pursue their scientific career, says Kharas, so this funding should help to retain talent in the country.

“This is going to move us from a searing brain drain to a brain gain, and position us to compete on the world stage,” says Chad Gaffield, chief executive of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, based in Ontario, which supported the campaign.

‘Determined to thrive’

The budget also includes marked boosts for basic research. There is an extra $1.8 billion over five years in core funding for the three federal grant-awarding research councils, as well as $400 million for upgrades to the TRIUMF particle accelerator in Vancouver, and more cash for several other large facilities and institutes across the country. There will also be more than $2 billion for the artificial-intelligence sector in Canada.

“[This budget] really emphasizes that Canada is determined to thrive in the twenty-first century based on science and research,” says Gaffield.

Canada announces new innovation agency — and it’s not modelled on DARPA

Others have pointed out that the vast majority of the money in the budget for the research councils is backloaded, with just $228 million coming in the next two years. This means that the gains will be slow, and could be vulnerable to changes in the political climate, says Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, a consultancy in Toronto. “Do not count on this money being there after an election,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). Canada’s next federal election is due in October 2025, and the opposition Conservative Party is campaigning on reigning in spending.

The budget also makes some changes to how science funding is organized. Instead of ten different programmes for scholarships and fellowships, with differing levels of support, there will now be a single programme with just three levels — master’s degrees, PhDs and postdoctoral fellowships. Kharas says that this should simplify the system.

The government will also create a new “capstone” research-funding organization to better coordinate the work of the three granting councils and “help to advance internationally collaborative, multi-disciplinary and mission-driven research”, the budget says. It will also create an advisory Council on Science and Innovation, comprised of leaders from academia, industry and the non-profit sector, which will develop a national science-and-innovation strategy to guide priority setting and increase the impact of federal investments. “This should help move us towards a more efficient, well-coordinated and nimble way of supporting research in Canada,” says Gaffield. “I look forward to working with the government to optimize it.”

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01124-2

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U of T welcomes federal budget's investments in research and innovation

 (photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

Published: April 16, 2024

By Rahul Kalvapalle

The University of Toronto is welcoming measures in Tuesday’s federal budget that boost research programs and support a new generation of talent across Canada, strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem and knowledge economy.

The spring 2024 budget , announced by  Chrystia Freeland , Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, allocates more than $3 billion in investments in Canada’s research ecosystem over the next five years. 

This includes increases to the tri-council funding agency budgets, additional support for master’s and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, and more money for major research infrastructure projects – a clear recognition that universities are drivers of economic growth and can find solutions to the challenges facing Canada and the world. 

“Today’s budget is a very significant and welcome recognition of the critical role the research ecosystem plays in driving Canada’s productivity and prosperity,” said U of T President  Meric Gertler .

“It builds on this government’s earlier investments in research and innovation, and helps secure Canada’s global competitiveness for future generations.”

The budget’s key elements for the post-secondary sector include an increase of 30 per cent, across five years, in Canada’s three research funding agencies: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The budget also invests $825 million in support of master’s and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, boosting the value of these scholarships and fellowships significantly, and adding a further 1,720 students or fellows each year. 

“In the knowledge economy, the global market for ... ideas is highly competitive and we need to make sure talented people have the right incentives to do their groundbreaking research here in Canada,” the budget document states.

In addition, the budget lays out a plan for the creation of an advisory Council on Science and Innovation, which will be tasked with setting priorities and boosting the impact of federal investments in science and innovation. And it proposes the creation of a new capstone research funding organization to optimize the impact of the federally funded research councils.

The budget also earmarks $2.4 billion,  previously announced , to consolidate Canada’s competitive edge in AI – a field where U of T researchers are playing a leading role.

The measures come as post-secondary institutions in Ontario grapple with a challenging financial environment  and follows growing calls across Canada for reinvestment in research and innovation.

U of T is a member of the Coalition for Canadian Research , which has urged the federal government to increase support for research to enhance Canada’s competitiveness as a destination for top talent and accelerate Canadian researchers’ efforts in tackling pressing national and global challenges.

“Canada has many strengths in this new strategic race, including unparalleled access to talent, an increasingly successful commercialization pipeline from researchers to business, and a federal government focused on developing the industries of tomorrow,”  Leah Cowen , U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, noted in a May 2023 column for The Hill Times . 

In October, the coalition – whose members include post-secondary institutions as well as research hospitals, life sciences companies, charities, students and early-career researchers – released  an open letter  calling for “ambitious reinvestment” to support Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem amid an increasingly competitive global landscape and rising societal and economic challenges.

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McMaster welcomes federal support for research, innovation and fostering Canadian talent in Budget 2024 

Tuesday’s budget includes an investment of more than $3 billion over the next five years in Canada’s research ecosystem, a welcome and much-needed boost for innovation and the knowledge economy. 

April 17, 2024

McMaster University welcomes measures in Tuesday’s federal budget that acknowledge the vital role universities play as engines of innovation, economic growth and meaningful progress in the face of global challenges, as well as an incubator for a new generation of talent and leadership in Canada.  

The budget, announced by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, includes an investment of more than $3 billion over the next five years in Canada’s research ecosystem, a welcome and much-needed boost for innovation and the knowledge economy.   

“We welcome the significant funding increases outlined in the federal budget,” says McMaster President David Farrar.   

“This much-needed funding will be pivotal in accelerating our world-class research programs, and to supporting the students and early career researchers who are driving the next generation of scholarship, discovery and innovation.”  

Newly announced funding will provide a significant increase to the core budgets of the three federal research granting agencies, as well as an increase to federally funded scholarships and fellowships, and more support for graduate, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.  

Investments in AI computing capacity and major research facilities also indicate an ongoing commitment to research and fostering the full potential of promising early-career scholars and researchers.  

As a member of the Coalition for Canadian Research, McMaster welcomes the support for initiative s that attract investment in emerging technologies, backing talented Canadians with the funding they need to advance their ideas and pursue new knowledge.   

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Federal budget 2024: important investments in research and innovation.

The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) applauds the Government of Canada’s significant commitment to investing in research and innovation in Budget 2024 . Additional funding for the three granting councils, along with ongoing investments in large scientific facilities and endeavours, signals the importance of basic and applied research. The enhancements to post-graduate scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships will build and support the next generation of researchers and innovators in Canada.  

Budget 2024 also provided more detail on investments in artificial intelligence (AI). These investments further signify that this is a national priority. The Alliance will continue to work with the AI institutes (Mila, AMII, and the Vector Institute), CIFAR, and other partner institutions across the country to bring life to the vision of significant progress in the fundamentals and applications of AI.  

The Alliance also congratulates CANARIE on receiving their 5-year mandate renewal funding of $176 million. Network infrastructure is critical to the country’s security, economy, and Canada’s ability to innovate. This investment recognizes the crucial role that CANARIE plays. 

This budget is a good step forward. The Alliance will continue to advocate to ensure that Canada’s researchers and innovators have the right digital research infrastructure tools, services, and personnel to remain competitive globally — positioning Canada for research partnerships with our G7 peers. 

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Government of Canada invests in over 4,700 researchers across the country

From: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

News release

Funding will support cutting-edge research in health, environment, economic development and more

August 29, 2023  – Edmonton, Alberta 

Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and of the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced support for over 4,700 researchers and research projects across Canada. These investments of over $960 million through grants, scholarships and programs are part of the government’s ongoing support for Canada’s research ecosystem.

This funding, administered through a variety of programs, will go toward acquiring the modern tools researchers need for their work, inspiring and training the next generation of scientists and researchers and supporting their work, and breaking down barriers to ensure an inclusive research community that is truly reflective of Canada’s diversity. It will also help Canada attract and retain some of the world’s best minds and foster international and domestic partnerships that will cement the country’s position as a world leader in research and innovation.

The funding is distributed as follows:

• The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships – awarding $24.9 million to support 166 recipients through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
• The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships – awarding $9.8 million to support 70 recipients through CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC
• NSERC’s Discovery Research Program – awarding $514 million to support more than 3,500 recipients
• NSERC’s PromoScience grants – awarding $10.3 million to 45 recipients
• SSHRC’s Partnership Grants – awarding $45.7 million to 19 recipients
• SSHRC’s Partnership Development Grants – providing over $14 million to 76 recipients
• SSHRC’s Insight Research program – awarding almost $90 million to 510 recipients
• The Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund – providing over $113 million to support 396 research infrastructure projects at 56 institutions across the country
• The CFI is also providing nearly $5 million to support the research infrastructure needs of 22 Chairs at 12 institutions
• The Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity – granting $300,000 to 3 recipients

This support for projects in all fields of science and research is crucial to creating an equitable and innovative future for all. The funding will support projects on mitigating the negative impacts of e-waste, advancing stroke recovery and rehabilitation, exploring the possibilities of responsible artificial intelligence development and usage, enhancing our understanding of how tissues respond to injury, inspiring youth in STEM, and much more. 

“Congratulations to these talented recipients from all across the country who are doing the groundbreaking work that will contribute not only to Canada’s health and well-being but also to the world’s. Through this funding, the Government of Canada is investing in the next generation of researchers and inspiring them to continue to think outside the box and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.” – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“My best wishes to all of the recipients of these grants, awards and scholarships. The government is pleased to invest in your diverse array of health, natural sciences and engineering, and humanities and social sciences research projects because we know that your ideas, passion and hard work, as well as the evidence you uncover, are instrumental in improving the health and quality of life of people in Canada, and your findings contribute to the international research effort around the world.” – The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health

“Our government is funding the top-tier researchers and scientists whose work makes Canada a world leader in research and innovation. These projects—from reimagining teacher education with Indigenous wisdom traditions to creating equity in mental health care to researching the impacts of space radiation and weather on Earth’s climate—will help transform today’s ideas into tomorrow’s solutions. This is why Canada is an innovation leader.” – The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

“Canada’s researchers, scientists, students and institutions are increasingly working together across disciplines to find innovative solutions to local, national and global challenges. Their work and initiatives are vital to providing the tools, knowledge and insights needed to enhance the well-being and prosperity of Canadians and others around the world.”  – Dr. Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and 2023 Chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee

Quick facts

The   Discovery Research Program  recognizes the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of all research advances. The program supports researchers across the country in a wide variety of natural sciences and engineering disciplines.

The  Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program  helps Canadian institutions attract highly qualified doctoral students by investing $50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies.

The  Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program  provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country’s economic, social and research‑based growth.

The  Canada Research Chairs Program  invests up to $311 million per year to attract and retain some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences. 

The  Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence  supports bold and transformative initiatives to make institutions more equitable, diverse and inclusive.

Partnership Grants  support formal partnerships between academic researchers, businesses and other partners that will advance knowledge and understanding on critical issues of intellectual, social, economic and cultural significance.

The  Insight Research program  builds knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world.

The  Partnership Development Grants  respond to the objectives of the Research Partnerships program, support research and/or related activities in the social sciences and humanities, and support projects on designing and testing new partnership approaches to develop best practices or models. 

The  PromoScience Program  offers financial support for organizations working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science and engineering (including mathematics and technology).

These programs are funded by the  Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada , the  Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada  and the  Canadian Institutes of Health Research . 

The  Canada Foundation for Innovation  invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions, equipping researchers with the tools they need to be global leaders. Its  John R. Evans Leaders Fund  helps institutions attract and retain researchers and provides support for the Canada Research Chairs Program.

Associated links

• Canada Research Chairs Program
• John R. Evans Leaders Fund list of recipients
• John R. Evans Leaders Fund associated with a Canada Research Chair list of recipients
• 2023 Discovery Research Grants competition results
• NSERC PromoScience grant recipients
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

Audrey Champoux Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry [email protected]

Media Relations Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada [email protected]

Stay connected

Find more services and information at  Canada.ca/ISED .

Follow @CDNScience on social media for Canadian science news:  Twitter ,  Instagram ,  Facebook

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• Securing Canada’s AI advantage

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has incredible potential to transform the economy, improve the way we work, and enhance our way of life. The global race to scale up and adopt AI is on, and Canada is at the forefront of this technology. To make sure we can seize every opportunity in the economy of the future, and set every generation up for success, we need to scale up our innovation ambitions. And do it in a way that brings everyone along. For Millennials and Gen Z, who feel their hard work isn’t paying off like it did for previous generations, we must invest in good-paying opportunities that help them get ahead. That’s why we’re focused on creating more good jobs, including in innovation and technology, which are among the highest paying of all industries.

AI is already unlocking massive growth in industries across the economy. Many Canadians are already feeling the benefits of using AI to work smarter and faster. The rapid advance of generative AI today will unlock immense economic potential for Canada, significantly improving productivity and reducing the time workers have to spend on repetitive tasks. Researchers and companies in Canada are also using AI to create incredible new innovations and job opportunities across all facets of the Canadian economy, from drug discovery to energy efficiency to housing innovation. In the past year, job growth in AI increased by nearly one third in Canada – among the highest growth of any sector. And most AI jobs pay well above the average income.

Canada has a world-leading AI ecosystem – from development, to commercialization, to safety. We have an advantage that can make sure Canadian values and Canadian ideas help shape this globally in-demand technology. Canada was the first country in the world to introduce a national AI strategy and has invested over $2 billion since 2017 to support AI and digital research and innovation. Since then, countries around the world have begun investing significant funding and efforts into AI to advance their economies, particularly in computing infrastructure. In order to maintain Canada’s competitive edge, and secure good paying jobs and job security for generations of young Canadians, we must raise the bar.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced a $2.4 billion package of measures from the upcoming Budget 2024 to secure Canada’s AI advantage. These investments will accelerate job growth in Canada’s AI sector and beyond, boost productivity by helping researchers and businesses develop and adopt AI, and ensure this is done responsibly.

These measures include:

• Investing $2 billion to build and provide access to computing capabilities and technological infrastructure for Canada’s world-leading AI researchers, start-ups, and scale-ups. As part of this investment, we will soon be consulting with AI stakeholders to inform the launch of a new AI Compute Access Fund to provide near-term support to researchers and industry. We will also develop a new Canadian AI Sovereign Compute Strategy to catalyze the development of Canadian-owned and located AI infrastructure. Ensuring access to cutting-edge computing infrastructure will attract more global AI investment to Canada, develop and recruit the best talent, and help Canadian businesses compete and succeed on the world stage.
• Boosting AI start-ups to bring new technologies to market, and accelerating AI adoption in critical sectors , such as agriculture, clean technology, health care, and manufacturing, with $200 million in support through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies.
• Investing $100 million in the NRC IRAP AI Assist Program to help small and medium-sized businesses scale up and increase productivity by building and deploying new AI solutions. This will help companies incorporate AI into their businesses and take on research, product development, testing, and validation work for new AI-based solutions.
• Supporting workers who may be impacted by AI, such as creative industries, with $50 million for the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, which will provide new skills training for workers in potentially disrupted sectors and communities.
• Creating a new Canadian AI Safety Institute, with $50 million to further the safe development and deployment of AI. The Institute, which will leverage input from stakeholders and work in coordination with international partners, will help Canada better understand and protect against the risks of advanced or nefarious AI systems, including to specific communities.
• Strengthening enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act, with $5.1 million for the Office of the AI and Data Commissioner. The proposed Act aims to guide AI innovation in a positive direction to help ensure Canadians are protected from potential risks by ensuring the responsible adoption of AI by Canadian businesses.

Today’s announcement is about investing in innovation and economic growth to secure Canada’s world-leading AI advantage today and for generations to come. This will create good-paying opportunities for every generation, boost innovation across the economy, raise productivity, and accelerate economic growth – and it’s just one of the things that we are going to be doing in Budget 2024. Alongside these measures, we’re building more homes faster, ensuring every kid has the food they need, investing in health care, making life more affordable, and creating good jobs to make sure every generation can get ahead.

“AI has the potential to transform the economy. And our potential lies in capitalizing on the undeniable Canadian advantage. These investments in Budget 2024 will help harness the full potential of AI so Canadians, and especially young Canadians, can get good-paying jobs while raising our productivity, and growing our economy. This announcement is a major investment in our future, in the future of workers, in making sure that every industry, and every generation, has the tools to succeed and prosper in the economy of tomorrow.” The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“Today, we are making a significant investment to boost our economic growth. This will keep Canada a global leader in AI and ensure we are at the very cutting-edge of new technologies. And most importantly, this will mean more high-paying careers for Canadians who are leading the charge in AI.” The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada’s Budget 2024 will be tabled in the House of Commons by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
• In 2017, Canada was the first country to establish a national AI strategy. The Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy is helping Canada maintain its position as a world leader in AI, businesses be more competitive, and Canadians benefit from growth in the digital economy. Phase 2 of the strategy was announced in 2022 with funding of more than $443 million.
• The federal research granting agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – together have awarded $936.8 million in funding for AI-related research since 2017-18.
• Since 2017, the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) provided $705.8 million in contributions to AI-related firms. This funding supported 1,111 firms and 3,837 projects in the AI and Big Data Technology space.
• In addition, the NRC Digital Technologies Research Centre has invested over $27 million both directly to firms and on collaborative AI projects related to natural language processing, Indigenous languages, and high-performance computing for AI.
• In 2023, Canada announced renewed funding for the Global Innovation Clusters , including Scale AI , bringing total funding for the company to up to $284 million. Scale AI is dedicated to promoting collaboration in AI and supply chain management research and innovation by strengthening linkages between researchers in industry, academia, and research institutes in Canada and abroad, and providing financial support for AI and supply chain management projects.
• Canada has also made significant investments in fast-scaling AI-related companies through the Strategic Innovation Fund , including Sanctuary AI and semiconductor firm Ranovus .
• Canada was recently ranked number 1 among 80 countries, tied with South Korea and Japan, in the Center for AI and Digital Policy’s 2024 global report on Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values .
• The Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) was introduced in Parliament as part of Bill C-27 in June 2022. It is designed to promote the responsible design, development, and use of AI systems in Canada’s private sector, with a focus on systems with the greatest impact on health, safety, and human rights. Since the introduction of the bill, the government has engaged extensively with stakeholders on the novel challenges posed by generative AI. Canada is one of the first countries in the world to propose a law to regulate AI. Learn more .
• The Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems – announced in September 2023 and signed by major tech firms including Cohere, Ada, Coveo, BlackBerry, TELUS, OpenText, and IBM – enables companies to demonstrate that they are developing and using generative AI systems responsibly and strengthen Canadians’ confidence in the technology.
• The Public Awareness Working Group on AI was launched in 2020 under Canada’s Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence with a mandate to examine avenues to boost public awareness and foster trust in AI. Its objective is to help Canadians have a more grounded conversation around AI, and help citizens better understand the technology, its potential uses, and its associated risks. The Working Group published a report on its public engagement activities in February 2023. A further public report is upcoming specifically on the Working Group’s engagement with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities to better understand their needs, interests, and priorities for AI development and use.
• Since the 1990s, Canada has been a leader in AI and deep learning, made possible by the research and innovations of the “Godfathers of AI”, Canadians Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton. In the decades since, Canada has built up a robust and growing AI industry across Canada, anchored by our three national AI institutes in Montréal, Toronto, and Edmonton.
• In 2022-23, there were over 140,000 actively engaged AI professionals in Canada, an increase of 29 per cent compared to the previous year.
• Canada has 10 per cent of the world’s top-tier AI researchers, the second most in the world.
• Canada ranks first globally for year-over-year growth of women in AI (67 per cent growth in 2022-23 alone), first in the G7 for year-over-year growth of AI talent, and since 2019, has ranked first in the G7 for the number of AI-related papers published per capita.
• The number of AI patents filed by Canadian investors increased by 57 per cent in 2022-23 compared to the previous year – nearly three times the G7 average of just 23 per cent over the same period.
• In 2022, the Canadian AI sector attracted over $8.6 billion in venture capital, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of all venture capital activity in Canada.
• Canada ranks third in the G7 in total funding per capita raised for AI companies, with more than 670 Canadian AI start-ups and 30 Canadian generative AI companies receiving at least one investment deal valued at more than $1 million USD since 2019.
• Restore generational fairness for renters, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, by taking new action to protect renters’ rights and unlock pathways for them to become homeowners. Learn more .
• Save more young families money and help more moms return to their careers by building more affordable child care spaces and training more early childhood educators across Canada. Learn more .
• Create a National School Food Program to provide meals to about 400,000 kids every year and help ensure every child has the best start in life, no matter their circumstances. Learn more .
• Launch a new $6 billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to accelerate the construction or upgrade of essential infrastructure across the country and get more homes built for Canadians. Learn more .
• Top-up the Apartment Construction Loan Program with $15 billion, make new reforms so it is easier to access, and launch Canada Builds to call on all provinces and territories to join a Team Canada effort to build more homes, faster. Learn more .
• Support renters by launching a new $1.5 billion Canada Rental Protection Fund to preserve more rental homes and make sure they stay affordable. Learn more .
• Change the way we build homes in Canada by announcing over $600 million to make it easier and cheaper to build more homes, faster, including through a new Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund and a new Housing Design Catalogue. Learn more .

Associated Links

• Responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI)
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program

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Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT)

Funding opportunity – Ongoing until June 30, 2024 – Apply now!

Due to the large volume of submissions and high quality of proposals received, our program is heavily oversubscribed. We are experiencing delays with the application review process. Please be assured that while our program strives to provide all applicants with selection decisions as promptly as possible, we may not be able to meet the initial decision dates for all submissions. We apologize for any inconvenience.

About the program

Capital investment projects, eligibility, how to apply and key dates.

• News and updates
• Related links

Created in 2010, the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program facilitates the adoption of transformative technologies and products in the Canadian forest sector by bridging the gap between development and commercialization. The program aims to create a more competitive, resilient, and environmentally sustainable sector with a focus on innovative, low-carbon projects that result in new or diversified revenue streams.

As part of its 2023 renewal, the IFIT program will increase its efforts to help improve the environmental performance of the forest sector by supporting demonstration and adoption projects that contribute to the decarbonization of industrial processes, as well as the efficient use of resources that generates more value from the same amount of wood. In addition to continuing to fund projects that produce renewable energy and sustainable bioproducts, IFIT will seek to invest in projects that integrate technologies leading to greater energy efficiency and explore bioenergy carbon capture in forest sector operations. These investments will enable the next wave of innovation, solidifying Canada’s position as a leader in forest sector transformation.

The IFIT program is delivered through two streams: capital investment projects and studies.

Open for applications

The IFIT capital investment projects stream provides non-repayable contributions of up to $10 million of a project’s eligible costs to enable forest sector firms to adopt transformational technologies and diversify product streams, ensuring industry competitiveness and greater environmental outcomes.

Since its creation, the program has successfully funded over 60 capital investment projects that have resulted in the deployment of first-in-kind technologies and advanced bioproducts derived from wood, such as bioenergy, bioplastics, biochemicals, and next generation building materials. These projects support forest-reliant communities and are estimated to have secured approximately 8,000 direct and 6,000 indirect jobs.

The IFIT studies stream provides non-repayable contributions of up to $1 million of a project’s eligible costs for studies linked to the advancement of innovation in the forest sector in support of a future capital investment or a strategic shift by forest sector firms.

Since 2019, the program has funded over 26 studies to assess the market and technology feasibility of innovative projects. These studies help identify strong potential for advancement toward full commercialization to support a future capital investment or a strategic shift by forest sector firms. Several of these studies have already led to an IFIT-funded capital investment project.

IFIT funding is open to the following applicants:

• for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as companies, industry associations, and research associations
• Indigenous organizations and groups
• Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies where applicable

Stream 1 – Capital Investment Projects Applicant Guidebook Stream 2 – Studies Applicant Guidebook

The IFIT program launched an ongoing Expression of Interest (EOI), which is designed to identify potential projects for funding. Applications can be submitted within our 4 application windows, detailed below. The program will process and assess proposals based on the submission date and will provide ongoing decisions as they are determined. Proposals will be assessed in the order in which they are received and efforts will be made to ensure funding is distributed appropriately across all windows.

Window 1: Apply by September 30, 2023 for a decision by February 29, 2024.

Window 2: Apply by December 31, 2023 for a decision by May 31, 2024.

Window 3: Apply by March 31, 2024 for a decision by August 31, 2024.

Window 4: Apply by June 30, 2024 for a decision by November 30, 2024.

The IFIT program hosted webinars in August (one in English and one in French) to provide information about the program’s application and evaluation process and to answer questions from applicants. You can find the webinar recording here.

The program uses a two phase application process:

Phase 1: expression of interest (eoi).

The initial proposal process requests high-level information about your business and project.

To complete a proposal, you will need to log in with a GCKey through the NRCan Online Submission Portal .

Submit an EOI for the stream you are applying for. You can find additional details in the following applicant guidebooks:

• Stream 1 – Capital Investment Projects Applicant Guidebook
• Stream 2 – Studies Applicant Guidebook

The form will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

We strongly recommend preparing your responses in a document offline using the EOI template before copying them into the online form and submitting. Please also ensure you save the online form often (every 10 to 15 minutes).

You can save your progress and return to it at any time or review the form structure prior to beginning the process to get an idea of what to expect. You will also be able to view your EOI after you have submitted it. You can submit multiple EOIs.

Program staff will screen your EOI and contact you about next steps.

Phase 2: Full Project Proposal (FPP)

Applicants who are selected to move on to Phase 2 will receive a link and an editable form to the FPP. They will be asked to submit additional information and documentation such as business financials and project plans.

Applications will be assessed against the specified Rated Program Criteria that can be found in the Applicant Guidebook.

Final funding decisions will consider the assessment results and other criteria, such as:

• funding requested per year and IFIT budget availability
• distribution of funding to projects across Canada including Indigenous, regional, and community based considerations
• distribution of funding to projects that address targeted innovation categories

The assessment criteria will establish a prioritized list of eligible projects. NRCan may provide some or all the funds requested, based on the number of successful projects, the proposal evaluations, and the amount of funding available in any given year.

To apply, applicants must complete and submit their EOI form via the NRCan Online Submission Portal by 11:59 pm PST on June 30, 2024  for consideration within the fourth and final solicitation window .

Email the IFIT team for more information or to join our mailing list to receive program updates, webinar dates, and registration details.

• Launch announcement: Canada Accepting New Applications for Three Forest Sector Innovation Programs
• Canada Invests $10 Million in State-of-the-art Biorefinery Conversion in Saskatchewan
• Canada Provides $8.5 Million for New State-of-the-Art Woodroom Launched in Alberta
• Government of Canada Invests in First-of-its-Kind Filtration Technology in Grand Prairie to Help Reduce Carbon Emissions
• Government of Canada Invests $1.5 Million in Innovative Forest Sector Technology in Pembroke, Ontario
• Largest Biochar Production Plant in North America Contributes to Canadian Net-Zero Goals
• IFIT project fact sheets
• IFIT replicability fact sheets
• First photo in banner: iStock/Xavierarnau
• Second photo in banner: Licensed Under Public Domain
• Third photo in banner: Paper Excellence Group

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