Minister Cannon Announces $111.6 Million in Research Funding and Scholarships for Quebec

(Quebec), September 8, 2006 — The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, announced today that Quebec professors and students in the natural sciences and engineering fields will be receiving 716 new grants worth $88.4 million and 1,154 scholarships worth $23.2 million. The funding was awarded following national, peer-reviewed competitions conducted by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

"By building a world-class research environment in all areas of the country, Canada can ensure access to the latest knowledge, develop groundbreaking ideas, and create the skilled workforce needed to sustain economic growth and job creation," said Minister Bernier.

"The NSERC awards help move Canada to the forefront of international research, and allow our professors to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers who will be essential to our economic vigour in the future," said Minister Cannon.

Each year, thousands of professors from universities across Canada compete for NSERC's Discovery Grants and other funding. These grants provide primary support for research in dozens of fields, such as chemistry, life and material sciences, mathematics, and civil engineering. The professors dedicate a large portion of their grant funds to training Canadian undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers.

"NSERC is extremely pleased to support the talent and creativity found in universities across Canada," said Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC. "We take great pride in the contributions university researchers have made to Canada's prosperity, and we have every reason to expect even greater things from them in the future."

As a result of the current competition, some 3,000 professors from across Canada will receive $383.4 million in Discovery Grants to support their research in the natural sciences and engineering. (These awards are normally paid out over five years.) In addition, 2,341 young university researchers — 2,086 at the graduate level and 255 at the postdoctoral level — will receive $100 million to pursue their studies in these fields, while 3,466 undergraduate students will receive Undergraduate Student Research Awards worth a total of $18.7 million to give them hands-on research experience in a laboratory.

NSERC also supports the efforts of university and industry partners to put new knowledge to productive use in the economy. Projects funded in these competitions are announced throughout the year.

NSERC is a federal agency whose role is to make investments in people, discovery and innovation for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports some 22,000 university students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 10,000 university professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 600 Canadian companies to participate and invest in university research projects.

For more information, contact:

Michael Dwyer
NSERC Public Affairs
Tel.: 613-992-9001
Cell: 613-794-9170
E-mail: michael.dwyer@nserc.ca

Marc-André Plouffe
Office of the Honourable Maxime Bernier
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001

The complete list of NSERC grants and scholarships and a breakdown of winners by province are available at http://www.nserc.gc.ca/media_e.htm.