About Northern Research

Canada’s North is a socially, economically and strategically vital area. Covering half of the country’s landmass but containing only one per cent of its population, the North faces unique challenges related to such issues as resource development, increased self-government and land claims settlements. More recently, climate change, which has its greatest impact on the North, has become an increasingly important issue. Studying the North can yield invaluable information about the causes and impacts of climate change, the movement of pollution, the importance of biodiversity and other areas of importance to all Canadians.

In response to concerns about inadequate research capacity in the North raised by the Task Force on Northern Research, NSERC has made increasing investments in northern research since 2001 through a variety of programs. Through these programs, NSERC currently funds about $27 million per year in northern research (see the NSERC Northern Research Report for more information). The most recent initiative came in the context of Canada’s contribution to the International Polar Year (IPY). NSERC also administers more than $30 million of the federal government’s $98 million in IPY research funding.

NSERC currently funds more than 100 northern research projects.

• Current recipients of Northern Research Supplements
• Current holders of Northern Research Chairs
• NSERC-funded IPY projects

Northern research covers a wide variety of topics, some of which are listed below. Please select one of the following Web features to learn more:

• Melting ice, shifting treelines and paranoid pikas
• Step-by-step across the Arctic Archipelago
• Frozen fish
• Global warming and ice calving
• Charting the Arctic’s invisible life
• Ice-free Arctic?
• Linking together the chain of life
• Man-made influence on Arctic ice clouds and climate
• Warmer waters for cold-water fish
• Where the ground melts