Tag Archives: Budget

Budget 2017: Commitment to science, but no new funding for fundamental research

(Ottawa, Ontario) March 23, 2017 — The Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) supports the government’s continued commitment to fundamental science via the science review and chief science advisor, but was disappointed that this budget failed to build on the government’s initial investments in fundamental science by not providing any new funding for the granting councils. The CCR has called on the government to increase, in an equitable manner, the base budgets for the granting councils by 5% per year for each of the next 3 years so as to restore fundamental research funding to 2007 levels when adjusted for inflation.

The CCR was pleased to see the government’s commitment to creating the Chief Science Advisor and accompanying office. It was also pleased to see the government’s acknowledgement of Canada’s Fundamental Science Review; the CCR offered its input to the panel overseeing the Review, and eagerly awaits the report and subsequent changes that will arise.

The budget included support for students in the form of new investments for Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education. While it also expanded eligibility for the Canada Student Grants program to more part-time students and those with dependent children beginning in 2018-19, it neglected to expand the eligibility criteria to include graduate students.

“Science advances and innovations happen when students and researchers from all disciplines and sectors across the health, social and natural sciences, are supported in fundamental research, graduate scholarship, and career development opportunities. Although disappointed to see no new funding to the base budgets of the granting councils, we await the report from the Fundamental Science Review, as well as the appointment of the Chief Science Advisor,” says Canadian Consortium for Research Chair, Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker. “The CCR will welcome the opportunity to work with the government on moving these files forward.”

The CCR is the largest advocacy coalition in Canada, focusing on research funding in all disciplines and support for post-secondary education. CCR includes 20 organizations that represent more than 50,000 researchers and 650,000 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_BudgetResponse_March2017_Final2

Budget 2016: Important new investments in research and a science culture for Canada

(Ottawa, Ontario) March 23, 2016 — The Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) applauds the Liberal Government’s commitment to invest in research funding, student support, and research infrastructure as announced in Tuesday’s federal budget.

Read CCR’s full response here; CCR_BudgetResponse_March2016_FINAL

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

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.

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

Consortium Welcomes Budget Recognition of Basic Research, Stresses that More Needs to be Done.

Released: March 4, 2010

OTTAWA— “With the inclusion of non-targeted funding for the granting councils, this budget recognizes in principle the value of basic research,” says Roland Andersson, Chair of the Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR).”The government is to be congratulated for listening to the research community on this point, even though the actual sums involved at best sustain existing programs.” The increase of million for the granting councils’ base budgets still leaves them millions of dollars behind where they need to be.

The Consortium is pleased that the government has provided additional funding for Genome Canada and notes the modest million increase for the Indirect Costs of Research Program. The CCR also recognizes the funding commitment to TRIUMF, Canada’s world-class subatomic research centre, but is concerned that the level of announced funding may compromise TRIUMF’s position as an international leader.

It is encouraging that these investments have been made in spite of the current economic difficulties Canada faces.

The CCR emphasizes that further increases in research funding are essential for Canada’s long-term prosperity. The Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) was established in 1976. It consists of 18 organizations that represent researchers in all disciplines across Canada. While the majority of these researchers are based in universities, the constituent organizations have numerous members in government laboratories and in private sector research centres. With approximately 50,000 researchers and 500,000 students represented in these member groups, the CCR is the largest organization in Canada whose primary concerns are the funding of research in all sectors and support for post-secondary education.

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Name: Roland Andersson, Acting Chair Phone Number: 613-232-6252