Federal Research Agency to Locate Regional Office in Moncton

“The opening of this new regional office illustrates the Government of Canada's recent Speech from the Throne commitment to ensure Canada is a world leader in science and technology and it is a good example of an initiative that will benefit not only the people of Atlantic Canada but all Canadians,” said Minister Robillard.

“Research and the training of researchers are crucial to making Canada a world leader in innovation,” said Minister Scott. “NSERC’s new office will be an asset for the research and business community and will help build a stronger economy in Atlantic Canada.”

Strengthening the presence and impact of NSERC in Atlantic Canada was first suggested several years ago by Minister Scott.

“Enabling innovation is a key priority for our government. With this new regional presence, we are again demonstrating our commitment to sharing prosperity and creating economic growth in Atlantic Canada,” he said.

While NSERC invests more than $700 million in university research across Canada each year, until now its entire staff has been located in Ottawa. NSERC currently supports the work of more than 1,400 researchers in 12 universities across the Atlantic region.

“The new office will be involved in helping Atlantic universities build research capacity and in stimulating innovation in the communities of the region,” said NSERC President Tom Brzustowski.

“Last November we began consultations with university and college representatives in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, as well as with representatives from federal and provincial organizations, industry, and other groups in the region. The idea of a regional NSERC presence in Atlantic Canada was embraced and broad support was given for setting up an office in Moncton. The consultations revealed a consensus about the activities that would be most useful and valued by the people to be served by the new regional office.”

The office will be staffed by four people whose main functions will focus on communication and facilitating access to programs. Priority will be placed on ensuring that the office serves the whole Atlantic region. As the situation evolves, there may be a need to have a more significant presence in other locations in the region to address specific needs.

The regional office will enable NSERC to devote more time to speak with researchers and students, understanding their needs and concerns, and facilitating the development of new projects and opportunities. NSERC will also work on creating links with other organizations closely involved in research, innovation and the promotion of science in Atlantic Canada.

The regional office is part of a new vision for NSERC.

Other initiatives include:

• building the capacity of smaller universities to do excellent research;
• helping community colleges to play a greater role in stimulating innovation at the local level;
• working with the provinces to improve science education in primary and secondary schools; and
• helping Canada develop a new framework for the preparation and evaluation of major new science projects.

A new Prairie regional office is also planned for Winnipeg. NSERC is creating both these offices within its current administrative and salary resources. Other regional offices will eventually be established in Québec, Ontario and British Columbia.

NSERC, now also known as Science and Engineering Research Canada, is a key federal agency investing in people, discovery, and innovation. It supports both basic university research through research grants, and project research through partnerships among postsecondary institutions, government and the private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.

For more information, contact:

Danielle Ménard
Project Director – Regional Offices
NSERC
Tel.: (613) 944-5801
E-mail: danielle.menard@nserc.ca