CRCs Announced
November 19th, 2013
Top researchers at Canadian universities will receive nearly $109 million in funding from the Government of Canada to pursue world-class research across all disciplines to improve the quality of life of Canadians. The Honourable Greg Rickford, minister of state (Science and Technology, and Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario), made the announcement today at the University of Calgary.
“Our government remains committed to attracting and retaining the world’s best researchers, creating jobs and strengthening our economy,” said Rickford. “Through programs such as the Canada Research Chairs, we are supporting cutting-edge research at Canadian universities and fostering innovation by helping researchers bring their ideas to the marketplace, to benefit Canadians and improve our quality of life.”
The Government of Canada will provide $108.9 million through the Canada Research Chairs Program, to support 135 newly awarded and renewed Canada Research Chairs. Of that total, 26 researchers have been recruited from abroad, including 11 Canadians returning to work in their home country—demonstrating the success of the program in attracting and supporting research excellence and innovation in Canada. The research will be conducted at 41 Canadian postsecondary institutions, and will lead to benefits for Canadian families, businesses, practitioners and policy-makers.
The Canada Research Chairs Program was created with an annual budget of $300 million to establish up to 2,000 research professorships across the country and to position Canada as a world leader in postsecondary research. The program currently supports researchers, in more than 70 Canadian postsecondary institutions, who are conducting research in natural sciences and engineering, health sciences, and social sciences and humanities disciplines.