CFI tapped for NEPTUNE operating funds

Lobbying has already begun to seek ongoing operating funds for the NEPTUNE and VENUS underwater laboratories despite a two-year, $24 million reprieve for the facilities announced last December. The funding was secured through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) — Canada's agency for research infrastructure support — even though the money will be used exclusively to meet operating expenses.

The decision to use CFI money for operating a major science facility is an unusual move. CFI officials could not confirm by press deadline whether the NEPTUNE/VENUS situation is unique. Other major science facilities such as the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (which recently received $9.1 million from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to undertake key research experiments) are also facing uncertain futures as Ottawa continues to grapple with the issue.

The federal government last year asked the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) to examine issues surround Canada's major science facilities and participation in international facilities including the provision of stable, predictable operating funds. STIC's confidential report has been submitted to Industry Canada and there were expectations the issue may have been dealt with in the recent federal Budget. But only TRIUMF received funding, leaving the larger issue to fester.

"This (CFI funding) is a stop-gap measure until a new mechanism is introduced," says Dr Christopher Barnes, NEPTUNE Canada's project director. "This needs attention. These are huge investments (in big science) in highly competitive situations."

Barnes says two years of funding effectively provides little more than one year of stability before the search for operating funds begins again in earnest and layoff notices are drawn up in case funding isn't secured by the time current funding expires. "We'll be looking for something (from government) by this fall or early spring (2011)," he says. "It takes months to put an application together and set up international review panels."

NEPTUNE now operates with a $13.2-million operating grant provided in equal amounts from CFI, BC Ministry of Advanced Education and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

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