The Government of Canada is committed to making Canada one of the five most research-intensive nations in the world, and in recent budgets has demonstrated this commitment.
Canada offers federally funded research support programs, including:
The
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) was launched in June 2000. With an annual budget of $662 million for 2004-05, CIHR provides federal funding to health research through virtual institutes linking organisations in 13 key research areas, including:
- Circulatory and respiratory health
- Cancer
- Genetics
- Healthy aging
- Neurosciences, mental health, and addiction
- Musculoskeletal health and arthritis
- Nutrition, metabolism, and diabetes
- Infection and immunity
The
Networks of Centres of Excellence provide industry access to Canada’s leading researchers. Health-related Networks include:
- Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network
- Canadian Genetic Diseases Network
- Protein Engineering Network – PENCE Inc.
- Canadian Arthritis Network
- Canadian Stroke Network
- Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
- Stem Cell Network
- Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovations
- Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems
- Micronet – Microelectronic Devices, Circuits and Systems
National Research Council (NRC)
- Innovation and collaboration through key research institutes:
- Institute for Biological Sciences, Ottawa
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Montreal
- Institute for Biodiagnostics, Winnipeg
- Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, Ottawa
- Industrial Materials Institute, Boucherville, Quebec
- Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Institute, London, Ontario
- National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton
- Support to small and medium enterprise innovation through the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
- Supports basic university research and project research through partnerships
Other Canadian investments assisting biotechnology research:
Genome Canada
- Received $435 million to support large-scale research projects and technology platforms in selected areas of genomics research
- Contributions from partners are expected to raise the total funding to $900 million
Canada Foundation for Innovation
- $3.65 billion budget to strengthen R&D; infrastructure in Canadian universities and hospitals
Canada Research Chairs
- Received $900 million to establish 2000 Canada Research Chairs by 2004-05