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CCR Budget Response, April 2015

News Release:

Budget 2015: Some important new investments, but missed opportunities for discovery-driven research

(Ottawa, Ontario) April 22, 2015 — Although the Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) acknowledges the new research funding announced yesterday, Budget 2015 missed key opportunities when it comes to funding for discovery research and graduate students.

The CCR pre-budget submission recommended increased investments in the tri-council basic research discovery funding programs, support for students through graduate scholarships and internships, and support for Canada’s knowledge infrastructure.

The budget announced a total of $10 million in new funding in support of research and innovation activities for 2015 that includes digital research infrastructure support for CANARIE, funding for TRIUMF, and industry-research partnerships through the National Research Council.  It also included a number of promises of funding to start in future years, such as: funding targeted mainly for industry-research partnerships through the tri-councils (2016-2017); support for Mitacs (2016-2017); and new investments in CFI (2017-2018).

While we acknowledge and welcome the importance of the announced funding, the absence of either immediate or promised increases to discovery research funding through the NSERC Discovery Grants, SSHRC Insight Grants, and CIHR Operating Grants is of primary concern to the CCR.  As noted above, the promised future increased funding is, once again, allocated to tri-council targeted programs.

“Industry-partnered research is important to answer questions of an immediate or targeted nature.  However, science advances and innovations happen when researchers are supported in discovery –research that isn’t driven by specific industry needs or interests,” says Canadian Consortium for Research Chair, Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker.

“While the increase to Mitacs is welcome, the CCR is disappointed that there is no new funding for graduate scholarships and internships.  An opportunity to address the needs of students and support the next generation of researchers was, unfortunately, missed,” added Dr. Votta-Bleeker.

The CCR will continue to advocate for funding for discovery-based research, graduate student funding and for support for knowledge infrastructure such as Statistics Canada and Library Archives Canada.

The CCR is the largest advocacy coalition in Canada, focusing on research funding in all disciplines and support for post-secondary education. CCR includes 19 organizations that represent more than 50,000 researchers and 500,000 students across disciplines.

For more information:
Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker
Chair, Canadian Consortium for Research
executiveoffice@cpa.ca or 613-237-2144 ext. 323

CCR_BudgetResponses_April2015_Final.pdf

 

Un message des trois organismes de recherche fédéraux : le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (CRSH), le Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada (CRSNG), et les Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC), ou « les Organismes »

Les présidents des organismes sont heureux d’annoncer la publication de l’EPTC 2 (2014) – version révisée de la 2e édition de l’Énoncé de politique des trois Conseils : Éthique de la recherche avec des êtres humains (ETPC 2). L’EPTC 2 (2014) remplace l’EPTC 2 (2010) en tant que politique officielle des Organismes en matière d’éthique de la recherche avec des êtres humains.

Survey on Bill to Reinstate the Longform Census; Bill to create a Parliamentary Science Officer

MP. Kennedy Stewart (Science and Technology Critic, NDP) is putting forth a Bill for the creation of an independent Parliamentary Science Officer – please see his website for more information (http://kennedystewart.ndp.ca/science) and/or to sign his national petition.  MP Hsu (Science and Technology Critic, Liberals) is putting forth a Bill (C626) to reinstate the long-form Census – please see his website for more information (http://www.tedhsu.ca/C626/) and/or to write a letter of support endorsing the Bill.  With regards to this Bill, Mr. Hsu asked for our assistance in compiling information from the research community regarding the impacts of the discontinuation of the long-form census on one’s research and/or work.  To this end, we have created a brief survey specific to the discontinuation of the Census and other Statistics Canada surveys.  Please take a moment and complete the survey by mid-January so that we can pass this information on to Mr. Hsu when he takes Bill C626 to second reading in January.  Alternatively or in addition, please email me (lvottableeker@cpa.ca) or post something on your website, blog, and send me or Mr. Hsu the link.

The CCR hosts its 3rd annual Breakfast with the Funders

On Wednesday December 3rd, the CCR hosted its 3rd annual breakfast with the funders.  The breakfast, which was hosted at the offices of the Canadian Psychological Association, included the following representatives:
 
Funding Agency
Representative
NSERC
Dr. Pierre Charest
CFI
Mr. Pierre Normand
SSHRC
Dr. Ted Hewitt
CIHR
Dr. Jane Aubin
Mitacs
Dr. Rob Annan

August 2014: CCR Pre-Budget Submission

Ottawa, August 2014 –

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With 19 member organizations, the Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) represents more than
50,000 researchers and 500,000 students across disciplines (http://en.ccr-ccr.ca/). In this capacity, it is the
largest advocacy coalition in Canada, focusing on research funding in all disciplines and support for post-secondary education.

The CCR recognizes that the federal government has continued to make investments in research
infrastructures, internships, as well as in Canada’s federal granting councils in past years. We look
forward to further details about the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, which we anticipate will be
accessible to all post-secondary institutions across Canada, based on a peer-review process by the
research community.

We appreciate that in a time of fiscal constraint, increases in research funding may have been seen as
challenging; necessitating a number of years of austerity for the research community, particularly
individual researchers who have seen base funding for the granting councils decrease when adjusted for
inflation. As we enter a surplus budget, increased investments in core funding for research, students and
infrastructure are required to ensure program growth and to position Canada competitively in the
international research landscape.

These investments will contribute to more and better-paying jobs, new inventions and patents, increased
productivity, increased government revenues over the medium- to long-term and an increased standard
of living for Canadians. They will also help to secure Canada’s place as an international work destination
for the next generation of researchers. For these reasons, the CCR submits the following
recommendations for further investments in these areas as part of the 2015 Budget:

  • Recommendation #1: That the government continue to increase the base budgets for the granting
    councils and the Indirect Cost of Research program at levels that compensate for the effects of
    current and past inflation, including increases in costs associated with infrastructure and research
    personnel, and restore Canada’s international competitiveness, measured as a percentage of GDP.
    Cost: $150 million per year.
  • Recommendation #2: Increased support for students through graduate scholarships, full-time
    internships and post-graduate training, across a diversity of disciplines and settings, particularly high demand
    fields. Cost: $35 million per year.
  • :Recommendation #3: Invest in various building blocks of Canada’s national research capacity and public science that support research conducted both within and outside of academic settings. Cost: $20 million per year.

    • The CCR’s recommendations address four of the six key themes identified by the House of Commons
    Standing Committee on Finance:

  • Theme 2: Supporting families and helping vulnerable Canadians by focusing on health, education and training
  • Theme 3: Increasing the competitiveness of Canadian businesses through research, development, innovation and commercialization
  • Theme 4: Ensuring prosperous and secure communities, including through support for infrastructure
  • Theme 6: Maximizing the number and types of jobs for Canadians

    • Click here for the full submission: CCR_pre-budget_submission_July2014_v10_Final.pdf

    June 6, 2014: Pre-Budget Consultation for the 2015 Federal Budget is Open. Deadline for Written Submissions is August 6, 2014.

    Ottawa, June 06, 2014 –

    The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has launched its pre-budget consultation process, and is inviting Canadians to participate. A report on the 2014 consultations will be tabled in the House of Commons prior to the December 2014 parliamentary adjournment. Suggestions made by Canadians and the pre-budget report compiled by the Committee will be considered by the Minister of Finance in the development of the 2015 federal budget.

    “I am very pleased to be announcing the 2014 pre-budget consultations,” said Mr. James Rajotte, M.P. for Edmonton-Leduc and Chair of the House Finance Committee. “The Committee encourages the input of Canadians in this process, and invites individuals to provide a written submission with their proposals for the forthcoming budget.”

    Click here for the full announcement.

    CCR Budget Response, February 2014

    News Release:

    Budget 2014 introduces new funding for research, but more needs to be done.

    For immediate release: February 12, 2014 –

    OTTAWA— The Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) welcomes research funding in Budget 2014, some of which support CCR’s key recommendations. The CCR recommended increased investments in basic research, support for students through graduate scholarships and internships, and support for Canada’s knowledge infrastructure.

    “We are pleased to see some support for our recommendations in Budget 2014. However, this money is really just the bare minimum required to maintain existing funding for the granting councils and TRIUMF,” says Canadian Consortium for Research Chair, Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker.

    The $46 million per annum to support advanced research, scientific discoveries, and indirect costs maintains current granting council base funding when adjusted for inflation. “Positively, the new funds for NSERC and SSHRC can be put toward discovery-based research in contrast to the past two federal budgets,” says Dr. Votta-Bleeker.

    This budget introduces a Canada First Research Excellence Fund that promises over $1 billion in funding over the next decade. The CCR expects this program will provide research support to all post-secondary institutions and researchers across Canada, and awaits further details.

    Budget 2014 includes support for full-time internships for post-secondary education graduates in high-demand fields. While the CCR is pleased to see some investment in internships, it is insufficient to meet current student needs. The Budget does not include any new funding to address the shortfall in Canada’s graduate scholarships nor does it contain any new financial assistance to address student debt.

    The CCR is disappointed that its recommendation to support knowledge infrastructure for Statistics Canada and Library Archives Canada was not addressed in Budget 2014. These key institutions must be strengthened as the federal government returns to fiscal balance next year.

    Budget 2014 announces funds for TRIUMF, Quantum Computing and the Open Data Institute. The CCR welcomes these funds, but these are insufficient to maintain current levels of operation for TRIUMF when accounting for inflation. As a minimum, all of Canada’s research institutes and laboratories require stable inflation-adjusted funds to continue. New investment is required for program growth and to remain competitive internationally.

    The CCR is the largest advocacy coalition in Canada, focusing on research funding in all disciplines and support for post-secondary education. CCR includes 19 organizations that represent more than 50,000 researchers and 500,000 students across disciplines.

    For more information:
    Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker
    Chair, Canadian Consortium for Research
    executiveoffice@cpa.ca or 613-237-2144 ext. 323

    CCR_BudgetResponses_Feb2014_Final.pdf

    CCR Responds to Industry Canada Consultation on Science, Technology and Innovation Agenda.

    Industry Canada recently sought input from Canada’s scientific community on its Science, Technology and Innovation Agenda. Questions for which the government sought input included:

    1. How can Canada continue to develop, attract and retain the world’s top research talent at our businesses, research institutions, colleges and polytechnics, and universities?
    2. What actions could be taken, by the government or others, to enhance the mobilization of knowledge and technology from government laboratories and universities, colleges and polytechnics to the private sector?
    3. Building on the advice provided by the Expert Panel on Federal Support for Research and Development, what more can be done to improve business investment in R&D and innovation?
    4. How might Canada build upon its success as a world leader in discovery-driven research?
    5. Is the Government of Canada’s suite of programs appropriately designed to best support research excellence?

    Click here to view the CCR’s submission.