Recent News
R$ Exclusive: Government launches $2.8-billion plan to revitalize federal labs and build collaborative facilities
After decades of neglect, the government is making a 25-year commitment to renew aging federal science labs, and encourage more collaboration with industry and academia.
Canadian-led UN roadmap identifies research priorities for a post-pandemic recovery
Finding answers to the most pressing social and economic questions will help countries develop science-based recovery plans that stimulate equity, resilience, sustainability and progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Canada and UK strengthen research infrastructure ties; NSERC hints of new international program
Two new collaborations between Canada and the UK signal the start of increased research collaborations between the two countries.
UCalgary creates first Canadian investment fund for child health startups
The University of Calgary has created Canada’s first pre-seed and seed-stage investment fund for spinoffs focused on child health. The new “UCeed” investment program also includes one of the country’s few private equity funds managed by students.
National strategy and action plan needed to grow Canada’s engineering biology sector: Report
Engineering biology could become the next big opportunity for Canada if it can build a cohesive network that supports discovery, commercialization, start-ups, the renewal of traditional industries and the development of skilled talent.
Broadband Fund gets $750M top up; Telesat tagged to bring service to remote areas
Telesat has been awarded the largest one-time federal investment ever made in broadband in Canada.
The Short Report – Nov. 18th, 2020: New stem cell bioproduction facility; new fund for female businesses, and more…
Vivek Goel will be UWaterloo’s seventh president and vice-chancellor; aerial drone technology gets a major boost in funding.
Ontario budget funds new investment agency, micro-credentials and IP action plan
A pandemic-era Ontario budget includes limited new funding for research and innovation.
Canada’s two top science and engineering prizes awarded to women
Two University of Toronto scientists – both women – have won the country’s top awards in science and engineering. They want to see more women participating in STEM fields, especially at the post-graduate level.
Higher education R&D outlays continue to increase: StatsCan
Canada has reported its ninth consecutive annual increase for spending on R&D in higher education sector, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
CFI awards $28 million for COVID-19 research infrastructure
The Canada Foundation of Innovation has announced the first awards from program that pivoted earlier this year to support scientific infrastructure related to studying COVID-19.
New partnerships help nanotech startups access Japanese market
A new partnership between the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology and Landing Pad Tokyo will help Canadian startups accelerate the development of their technologies and break into the Japanese market—the world’s third largest national economy.
The Short Report – Nov. 11th, 2020: IRAP receives $155M for COVID-impacted firms; U of Calgary's biosafety lab to reopen; and more...
A new pilot program matches researchers with priorities of the City of Toronto as part of the COVID-19 response effort and Polar Knowledge Canada has a new president.
New classification system a "huge step forward" for strengthening Canada's R&D data
Canada can begin to capture the true scope and scale of R&D across the country following a long overdue update to how such activities are classified.
Nova Scotia Research shifts strategy to support projects that address provincial needs
The provincial funding agency is matching the province’s research capacity with public need to support four priorities: the bioeconomy, climate change, health care and quality of life research.
Superclusters’ focus on collaboration is reaping benefits for Canadian SMEs
Small and medium companies are hiring more employees, partnering with larger firms and expanding into new markets as a result of their participation in Canada’s superclusters.
U.S. ag-tech platform buys two Manitoba seed breeding companies
Non-GMO canola is poised for a major commercialization boost in Canada following the acquisition of two western seed companies.
Public labs, SMEs and large companies could propel Canada to the forefront of gene therapy commercialization: CCA report
A Council of Canadian Academies expert panel found that Canada can build on its strengths in gene therapies to create sustainable global companies in this emerging field.
The Short Report – Nov. 4th, 2020: Tracking international travellers for COVID-19; $26 million for doctoral researchers, and more…
Surveillance border study at Toronto’s airport continues to track international travellers for COVID-19; the Canadian Space Agency supports the launch of two lunar technology payloads to the moon.
Latest Issue:
Number 10
Volume 34 October 28 2020
Editorial:
Mark Mann
In this era of rapid change and economic upheaval, Canada’s leading STI organizations must balance an array of complex and urgent priorities. It’s easy to let communication take a back seat, but storytelling is essential to the success of any innovation endeavor.
Opinion Leader
The emerging Indigenous economy is essential to Canada’s future prosperity
Amidst daily media reports of conflicts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on everything from fishing rights to safe drinking water, a speaker at the recent Research Money conference offered a more optimistic view on the economic potential of Indigenous engagement and empowerment.
Feds invest $20 million to advance regulatory approval for small nuclear power plants
Terrestrial Energy is hoping the federal government’s vote of confidence in small modular reactors will reassure investors wary about investing in nuclear technology.
CanCOVID model could transform how research responds to future crises
COVID-19 has brought about new models of research coordination and knowledge mobilization that could endure long after the pandemic subsides. One of those models is CanCOVID—a virtual network where researchers, clinicians and healthcare professionals can communicate with each other in real time, and with industry and policymakers. Launched by Canada’s Departmental Science Advisor Network, it could transform Canada’s response to future crises.
Materials researchers join forces to address Canada’s neutron gap
Canadian materials researchers who depend on neutron beams are reviving stalled efforts to establish a university-led governance structure to confront a yawning neutron gap and stem the accelerating brain drain.
SSHRC plans to "stay the course" and build on its successes through 2022
In its strategic plan for the next two years, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) reviewed its progress over the last five years and outlined its program for keeping pace with rapid global change and the effects of COVID-19.
VIDO-InterVac wants $50 million for an additional level 4 biosafety lab to improve pandemic responsiveness
Speeding Canada’s response to future pandemics requires the highest level biosafety lab, facilities for exotic animals and more scientists. VIDO-InterVac is looking to the federal and Saskatchewan governments for funding.
Researchers propose new performance indicators to better measure superclusters’ progress
Canada needs a new set of indicators to more precisely measure the performance of its five superclusters, which would also enable policy-makers and government regulators to improve innovation practices and policies, says a new study by the Montreal-based Institute for Research on Public Policy.
Parliamentary Budget Officer’s pessimistic report on innovation superclusters used outdated data
According to a “preliminary assessment” report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the five federally funded innovation superclusters are unlikely to attain goals for job creation and GDP growth. But the superclusters’ CEOs told Research Money the report is based on outdated data and that it’s too early to assess the superclusters’ long-term outcomes.
Calgary wants MaRS to complement its innovation ecosystem, not add competition
Toronto-based MaRS Discovery District has proposed expanding some of its innovation components to Calgary. However, key players involved in exploratory talks say the $60-million “MaRS West” initiative will need to complement, not compete with, Calgary’s existing innovation entities and ecosystem.
The Short Report - Oct. 7, 2020: Digital health solutions continue to accelerate, U of A prof wins Nobel Prize, and more
The COVID-19 Immunity Task Force will study the prevalence of COVID-19 antibodies among Canadians over 50 years old; Dr. Mona Nemer is appointed to a second term as Chief Science Officer, and digital health technology continues to accelerate in Canada.
By the Numbers: Changing tides for Canada's lagging position in electric vehicle production
Last week, the governments of Canada and Ontario together pledged up to $500 million to enable Ford to build electric vehicles at the carmaker’s plant in Oakville. The investment comes just in time for Canada’s auto industry, which has lagged to 12th place internationally in EV production.
The Short Report - Sept. 30, 2020: CARIC wraps up operations, U of T receives its largest donation yet, and more
The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine will benefit from a $250 million donation to support advances in human health and health care; Roger Scott-Douglas is the acting new president of the National Research Council of Canada.
Opinion Leader
COVID-19 shows the importance of evidence-informed decision-making
While we’ve seen some encouraging steps taken in Canada during COVID-19, there are still major challenges facing science and evidence-informed decision-making.
Ottawa makes major investment in vaccine manufacturing; Nobel laureate calls for national manufacturing plan
The Strategic Innovation Fund awards $173 million for vaccine R&D and manufacturing as Michael Houghton warns Canada may need 100 million doses annually.
Council of Canadian Innovators calls for a national prosperity strategy
More than 130 leading entrepreneurs want the federal government to end what they call a “patchwork” approach to innovation.
The Short Report - Oct. 28, 2020: UWaterloo targets Japanese market, Calgary breaking venture capital record, and more
Genome research receives major funding related to health, agriculture and environmental projects while Canadian Nuclear Labs pursue clean energy technologies for marine operations in Canada and internationally.
Canada’s post-COVID recovery depends on strong support for SMEs and IP: report
Canada’s SMEs will be crucial to the post-COVID economic recovery, but they need improved government policies and incentives to secure intellectual property, successfully scale up and increase exports globally, says a new report by the Information Communications and Technology Council.
The Short Report - Oct. 21, 2020: Perimeter Institute accelerates quantum matter research, Fanshawe develops tool to assess COVID-19 treatments, and more
The Canadian Space Agency signed the Artemis Accords, solidifying partnerships in space exploration and Statistics Canada has a new classification tool to improve research statistics and development contributions.
Canada's commercial-ready quantum tech companies band together to launch industry association
Quantum technology will transform many fields in the coming years. The new industry consortium will strive to retain Canada’s edge in quantum computing.
The Short Report - Oct. 14, 2020: CIHR signs MOU to support Inuit-led health research, Health Canada accepts rolling submission for a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, and more
Facedrive’s TraceSCAN technology garners interest among companies globally; Canada’s National Digital Research Infrastructure Strategy has its first researcher council, and a new consortium takes shape to accelerate the commercialization of quantum computing.
Canada’s Department of Defense invests in made-in-Canada data management platform
Canadian startups Tehama and Bitnobi will build a secure data management platform for the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND) and potentially capitalize on a burgeoning market for remote-access data systems.
Translational research on spinal cord injury receives $48-million award from DARPA
Canadian researchers are a core part of an international consortium of universities, startups and nonprofit organizations that has received a $48-million, 5-year grant from DARPA focused on improving paralysis in patients who have suffered acute spinal cord injury. Dr. Brian Kwon, MD, a spine surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital, Canada Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury and professor of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia, is leading the Canadian team.
Strategic federal investment and better data needed to support clean growth, says national research institute
The federal government needs to invest more strategically in clean technologies and improve data gathering to support climate goals, clean economic growth and Canadians’ well-being, says a new report by the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices. Yet despite several challenges which include COVID-19, Canada’s clean tech industry continues to grow, speakers told Sustainable Development Technology Canada’s annual meeting.
A brief history of science advice and key advisors in Canada
Science advisors play essential players in the discourse around evidence and data to inform decision-making, especially during the pandemic. Here is a sketch of the key Canadian science advisors over the past decades.
Loading tweets...