CFI announces results of special $25-million competition for major science facilities

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has selected nine research facilities to share $25 million in operational support as part of a special competition under its Major Science Initiatives (MSI) fund . The competition – launched with the proceeds of interest from CFI investments made under the former Liberal government – exhausts MSI funding until the government decides on whether to refund CFI.

The CFI is asking for $2.2 billion over five years – an amount equivalent to the agency's annual burn rate of $440 million. The delay in the Budget won't impact operations, but CFI president Dr Gilles Patry says a response to its requests is necessary to plan for future competitions.

"Everything is covered until FY16-17 but we would like to launch a competition in late 2015 or early 2016 to address needs beginning April 1st 2017," says Patry. "We're saying to government, research infrastructure is critically important and in the last five years we've had stable, predictable funding. We want to continue at the level we have been disbursing over that period."

Along with the Infrastructure Operating Fund, the MSI is one of only two mechanisms at the CFI's disposal for supporting operations and maintenance of major science facilities. The special competition differs from typical MSI competitions in that two key eligibility criteria have been removed to open it up to a larger pool of potential recipients. Prior competitions required that successful applicants must have previously received a CFI award of at least $25 million and serve the needs of researchers across the country.

With this competition, the CFI's MSI funding is exhausted, as is the IOF's budget.

"We advocated for expansion of that definition ... We got $200 million in requests and trimmed then down to $100 million plus. Then we did due diligence and invited $63 million in project requests to submit full proposals," says Patry. "CFI is new to operational support for large unique facilities. This was our second foray in this area."

Arctic research

The Canadian Research Icebreaker Amundsen received the largest single award under the competition ($7.6 million). The icebreaker operates under the auspices of ArcticNet, a sunsetting Network of Centres of Excellence, although a plan is in development to ensure the sustainability of its operations past FY17-18.

The next-largest award was made to the Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, a joint project between Mount Sinai Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children to produce transgenic mice for use in research in academia and industry. The $69-million facility opened in 2007 and is unique in North America.

Queen's Univ-based NCIC Clinical Trials Group received $3.8 million to carry out clinical trials in cancer therapy.

The competition also awarded $2.2 million to the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) which is currently seeking new funding to sustain Canadian leadership of the International Bar Code of Life initiative (R$, November 27/14). Patry says the award provides the BIO with operational breathing room.

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