NSERC History

NSERC came into existence May 1, 1978. University-based research had previously been supported through the National Research Council; the report of the Senate Special Committee on Science Policy led to Bill C-26, which created NSERC. NSERC has grown since that first day, from a budget of $112 million, to a budget of $865 million. What follows is a history of the important events that led to NSERC's creation and shaped its early years. Subsequent postings will describe episodes occurring over the years that followed.