Tag Archives: Federal Budget

Budget 2018: Research community welcomes record investments in fundamental research for Canada

(Ottawa, Ontario) February 28, 2018 — The Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) applauds the Government of Canada’s budget which provided record new investments for fundamental science and research infrastructure, as well as for students and researchers.

The CCR’s pre-budget submission recommended that the recommendations embodied within the Fundamental Science Review report be fully implemented, particularly to establish steady-state annual funding across the four agencies and related entities at $4.8 billion (from approximately $3.5 billion).  This steady-state increase in base by the end of four years would amount to an additional 0.4% of the Government of Canada’s annual budget.

“The CCR is particularly pleased with the allocation to the granting councils of a total of $925 million over a 5-year period. This is a welcomed step toward restoring Canada as a world-leader in fundamental research for the natural, health and social sciences,” says Canadian Consortium for Research Chair, Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker.

Consistent with the recommendations in the Fundamental Science Review report, the budget also included support for a new tri-council fund to support research that is international, interdisciplinary, fast-breaking and higher-risk; funding to provide increased support and training opportunities for researchers, students and highly qualified personnel; funding for surveys to collect data on researchers; funding to implement programs that support improved equality and diversity in academia and post-secondary institutions; increased support for the Canada Research Chairs program; and ongoing and stable funding for the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC have been tasked with developing new plans, strategies and targets to ensure greater tri-council collaboration in support for interdisciplinary research, as well as to achieve greater diversity among research funding recipients, including improved support for women, underrepresented groups and early-career researchers. The CCR looks forward to collaborating with the granting councils to provide input on the development and implementation of these plans.

“Canada’s research community has long called for these investments, and we are pleased the Government has heard these calls.  These investments will position Canada as a leader in knowledge production and innovation, and a country that cultivates a strong science culture, domestically and internationally”, added Dr. Votta-Bleeker. “We look forward to working with the Federal Government in the years to come as it continues this commitment towards a long-term roadmap for Canada’s research system as outlined in the Fundamental Science Review report.”

 

Read the full Press Release here: https://ccr-ccr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CCR_BudgetResponse_26Feb2018_Final.pdf

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.