Canada's Earth Sciences Industry, Universities Benefit from New Federal Government Research Partnership

February 12, 1999 - (Ottawa, Ontario) The earth moved for Canada's earth sciences research community today, with the announcement of a new federal program aimed at supporting leading-edge Canadian earth sciences research and training.

Mr. Ralph Goodale, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, and Dr. Ronald Duhamel, Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) formally announced the launch of a joint program to support research collaborations among scientists and engineers in industry, the federal government and Canadian universities. The Earth Sciences Sector (ESS) of Natural Resources Canada and NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) will each invest $500,000 in the program, and the private sector is expected to contribute an additional $500,000 in matching funds, for a total of $1.5 million per year.

"This partnership gives researchers the support they deserve and recognizes their valuable contributions," Minister Goodale said. "It also puts our country's best minds to work on issues that will affect all Canadians, today and tomorrow."

"Canada has a wealth of resources, but one of our greatest challenges is to attract, retrain and develop our skilled workforce for future growth and competitiveness," said Dr. Ronald Duhamel. "Overall, Canada's human capital is critical to our success in the knowledge-based economy." The aim of ESS/NSERC Research Partnership program is to build strong linkages among researchers in universities, the private and public sectors, and NRCan's ESS, with a view to transferring knowledge and sharing research results and technology with key partners in the public and private sectors.

The program offers university-based scientists and engineers the opportunity to develop projects that push the boundaries of the earth sciences, and lead to the development of new knowledge and technologies. University students participating in these projects will gain valuable experience and the technical knowledge that they need to compete for jobs. Participating public or private sectors organizations will benefit as well, since they will gain access to the best minds, laboratories, and equipment that Canada has to offer.

NSERC is the national instrument for making strategic investments in Canada's capability in science and technology. It supports both basic university research through research grants and project research through partnerships of universities with industry, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people in universities and industry. The Council reports to Parliament through the Minister of Industry.

Funding for this program was provided for in the 1998 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This announcement is an example of how the Government of Canada is prioritizing its spending so that it can better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars.

For more information, media may contact:

John Embury
Press Secretary
Natural Resources Canada
(613) 996-2007