R&D; Infrastructure and Government Resources

Overview

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the major federal agency responsible for funding health research in Canada. It aims to excel in the creation of new health knowledge, and to translate that knowledge from the research setting into real world applications. The results are improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

CIHR consists of 13 "virtual" Institutes, each headed by a Scientific Director and assisted by an Institute Advisory Board. They work together to shape a national health research agenda for Canada. The Institutes bring together researchers, health professionals and policy-makers from voluntary health organizations, provincial government agencies, international research organizations and industry and patient groups from across the country with a shared interest in improving the health of Canadians.

The work of the Institutes embraces the four pillars of health research: biomedical; clinical; research respecting health systems and services; and the social, cultural and environmental factors that affect the health of populations.

CIHR supports more than 10,000 researchers and researchers in training as part of the federal government's investment in health research.

R&D; Infrastructure

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) integrates research through a unique interdisciplinary structure made up of 13 "virtual" institutes. CIHR’s Institutes are not buildings or research centres, but networks of researchers brought together to focus on important health problems. Unconstrained by bricks and mortar, the Institute's virtual structure encourages partnership and collaboration across sectors, disciplines and regions.

Each Institute is dedicated to a specific area of focus, linking and supporting researchers pursuing common goals. Each Institute embraces a range of research from fundamental bio-medical and clinical research, to research on health systems, health services, the health of populations, societal and cultural dimensions of health and environmental influences on health. This integrated approach brings together researchers, health professionals and policy-makers from voluntary health organizations, provincial government agencies, international research organizations and industry and patient groups from across the country, under each Institute's virtual "roof."

Canada's Leader in Defense and National Security S&T;

Defence R&D; Canada (DRDC) is an agency of the Canadian Department of National Defence responding to the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces. Its mission is to ensure that the CF remains scientifically and operationally relevant. The agency is made up of seven research centres located across Canada with a corporate office in Ottawa. DRDC has an annual budget of $300 million and employs 1500 people. With a broad scientific program, DRDC actively collaborates with industry, international allies, academia, other government departments and the national security community.

Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization, created in February 2000. It is the primary funding and information resource relating to genomics and proteomics research in Canada.

Genome Canada’s mandate is to develop and implement a national strategy in large-scale genomics and proteomics research for the benefit of all Canadians. It is committed to increasing Canada’s position amongst world leaders in genomics and proteomics research in areas such as human health, agriculture, environment, forestry, fisheries and new technology development. It is also committed to providing a national leadership role on the ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues (GE3LS) associated with genomics and proteomics research, and to communicating with Canadians on these and other issues.

Genome Canada adheres to an innovative business model, which is based on the premise of funding and managing large-scale and multi-disciplinary, internationally peer-reviewed research projects and science and technology platforms. The model also addresses the establishment of regional focal points of expertise in genomics and proteomics research across Canada as well as the co-funding of projects with both domestic and international partners. Genome Canada acts as a facilitator, drawing together industry, government departments and agencies, universities, research hospitals and the public in support of large-scale research projects of strategic importance to Canada.

Genome Canada is recognized as a major player in the international genomics and proteomics arena. From funding and participating in international symposia and workshops to developing bilateral collaborations, Genome Canada is contributing expertise and leadership in the identification of international genomics and proteomics research priorities.

To date, Genome Canada has committed more than $600 million to genomics and proteomics research. When combined with funding from other partners, the investment will total over $1.4 billion in 115 innovative research projects and science and technology platforms.

The Canada Research Chairs Program stands at the centre of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world's top five countries for research and development.

In 2000, the Government of Canada created a new permanent program to establish 2000 research professorships—Canada Research Chairs—in universities across the country by 2008. The Canada Research Chairs Program invests $300 million a year to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising minds.

Chairholders advance the frontiers of knowledge in their fields, not only through their own work, but also by teaching and supervising students and coordinating the work of other researchers.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians.

Overview

The National Research Council (NRC) is the Government of Canada's premier organization for research and development.

R&D; Infrastructure

The National Research Council (NRC) is composed of over 20 institutes and national programs, spanning a wide variety of disciplines and offering a broad array of services.

The National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business oriented advisory services along with potential financial support to growth-oriented Canadian small - and medium-sized enterprises. The program is delivered by an extensive integrated network of 260 professionals in 100 communities across the country. Working directly with these clients, NRC-IRAP supports innovative research and development and commercialization of new products and services.

NSERC is the national instrument for making strategic investments in Canada's capability in science and technology. NSERC supports both basic university research through discovery grants and project research through partnerships among universities, governments and the private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.

Three Canadian federal granting agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) – and Industry Canada combine their efforts to support and oversee the NCE initiative.

The funding for research and training in Canadian universities through the agencies' peer-reviewed research programs is the foundation upon which the successful network approach is built.

The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program has been operating successfully for fifteen years. In February 1997, the government established the NCE as a permanent program. Two years later, it increased the program's budget by $30 million bringing it to $77.4 million per year.

The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED;) program is a federal tax incentive program to encourage Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct research and development (R&D;) in Canada that will lead to new, improved, or technologically advanced products or processes. The SR&ED; program is the largest single source of federal government support for industrial research and development.

Claimants can apply for SR&ED; investment tax credits for expenditures such as wages, materials, machinery, equipment, some overhead, and SR&ED; contracts.

Generally, a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC) can earn an investment tax credit (ITC) of 35% up to the first $2 million of qualified expenditures for SR&ED; carried out in Canada, and 20% on any excess amount. Other Canadian corporations, proprietorships, partnerships, and trusts can earn an ITC of 20% of qualified expenditures for SR&ED; carried out in Canada.

To qualify for the SR&ED; program, work must advance the understanding of scientific relations or technologies, address scientific or technological uncertainty, and incorporate a systematic investigation by qualified personnel.

Work that qualifies for SR&ED; tax credits includes:

• experimental development to achieve technological advancement to create new materials, devices, products, or processes, or improve existing ones;
• applied research to advance scientific knowledge with a specific practical application in view;
• basic research to advance scientific knowledge without a specific practical application in view; and
• support work in engineering, design, operations research, mathematical analysis, computer programming, data collection, testing, or psychological research, but only if the work is commensurate with, and directly supports, the eligible experimental development, or applied or basic research.