Royal Society of Canada expert panel to evaluate Canada Foundation for Innovation

A freshly minted expert panel of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) will engage in a whirlwind week of site visits and consultation for the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to review the impacts of its investments in research infrastructure.

The review is part of a larger assessment of CFI to measure its impact to determine whether it has delivered on its mandate and is operating both effectively and efficiently with public money. To date the federal government has invested $3.15 billion in CFI, with the latest cash infusion made last March (R$, March 19/01).

Led by Guy Ourisson, past chair of France’s Académie des Sciences, the eight-member panel was jointly appointed by RSC, Canadian Academy of Engineering and Canadian Institute of Academic Medicine. It will begin its fact-finding by speaking with CFI officials before fanning out across the country for three days of site visits. The panel will spend the last day in Toronto writing a draft report before dispersing. A final report will be produced in time for CFI’s June meeting, with a public release shortly thereafter. “CFI is big bucks for Canada and the panel has a lot of experience in this area,” says RSC president Dr William Leiss. “These are people who can think broadly and strategically on research funding.”

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