Government of Canada Invests in Research Excellence at Canadian Universities

QUÉBEC CITY, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - Nov. 14, 2013) - Top researchers at Canadian universities will receive funding from the Government of Canada to pursue world-class research across all disciplines. Today, Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced an investment of $30.1 million to support 30 Canada Research Chairs in Quebec as part of the national announcement made by the Honourable Greg Rickford, Minister of State (Science and Technology, and Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario).

"Our government remains committed to attracting the best and brightest researchers whose work will help create jobs and strengthen the Canadian economy," said Minister Alexander. "Through programs such as the Canada Research Chairs, our government is supporting cutting-edge research at Canadian universities and fostering innovation by helping researchers bring their ideas to the marketplace, to benefit Canadians and improve our quality of life."

The Government of Canada will provide $108.9 million through the Canada Research Chairs Program to support 135 newly awarded and renewed Canada Research Chairs. Of that total, 26 researchers have been recruited from abroad, including 11 Canadians returning to work in their home country-demonstrating the success of the program in attracting and supporting research excellence and innovation in Canada. The research will be conducted at 41 Canadian postsecondary institutions, and will lead to benefits for Canadian families, businesses, practitioners and policy-makers.

The Canada Research Chairs Program was created with an annual budget of $300 million to establish up to 2,000 research professorships across the country, to position Canada as a world-leader in postsecondary research. The program currently supports researchers in more than 70 Canadian postsecondary institutions for research in natural sciences and engineering, health sciences, and social sciences and humanities disciplines.

Dr. Guy Boivin, Canada Research Chair in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses at the Université Laval, is one of the 135 Canada Research Chairs announced today. Dr. Boivin is working to identify new viruses affecting humans, as well as developing a new generation of antiviral drugs to fight viruses attacking the respiratory system and the liver. By doing so, Dr. Boivin hopes to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics, slow down the growth of our resistance to them, and prevent viral pneumonia and bronchitis in young children and seniors.
The diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative tools developed by Dr. Boivin's team could lead to significant impacts on the management of viral infections in Canada and internationally.

"For more than 10 years, the Canada Research Chairs Program has served to attract the highest calibre of researchers across disciplines to Canadian postsecondary institutions," said Janet Walden, Chief Operating Officer of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and member of the Canada Research Chairs Steering Committee. "The program is a magnet for expertise, talent and creativity. Through teaching and mentorship, the chairholders foster research excellence among the next generation of scholars."

An additional $6.4 million for research infrastructure from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) was also announced, to support the researchers by providing the most up-to-date facilities with which to conduct their innovative research.

"Since 2000, the CFI has provided Canada Research Chair holders with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities so they can explore the frontiers of knowledge," says Dr. Gilles G. Patry, CFI President and CEO. "This research has led to new discoveries and innovations, and is helping Canadian businesses compete and create the jobs that we need today-and the jobs we will need tomorrow."

A complete list of chairholders is available on the Canada Research Chairs website (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/chairholders-titulaires/index-eng.aspx).

Details on the CFI's funding for research infrastructure associated with the new Chair awards are available on the CFI website (www.innovation.ca/en).