CFI supports Canada Research Chairs in tackling national and global challenges
OTTAWA, ONTARIO — Today, the Government of Canada announced nearly $4 million through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support 18 Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) at 15 universities across the country.
This contribution, made through the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), will help universities compete to recruit and retain exceptional researchers by investing in the innovative research infrastructure they need to advance their work.
Yasir Naqvi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, and Ryan Turnbull, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, made the announcement at the University of Ottawa on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
Projects being funded through the JELF–CRC include:
- Tolerating heat: By the end of this century, half the globe will face frequent deadly heatwaves. Researchers at Brock University will launch the Exercise and Environmental Physiology Laboratory to look particularly at how women — an under-studied group — respond to high-heat conditions. They aim to understand the role estrogen and progesterone play in the regulation of body temperature, how heat affects those who are fasting and ways to detect signs of heat strain earlier. The work will inform high-heat guidelines for people in fields like construction, agriculture and first-response, and for those who need to fast for cultural, surgical or health reasons.
- Addressing cyber vulnerabilities: Researchers at the University of Ottawa are looking to develop practical solutions to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in industries like healthcare, which rely on cyber-physical systems. Since researchers can detect threats through binary code analysis, this project aims to build the first large-scale database specific to detecting vulnerabilities in binary code for the Internet of Things. The work will help manufacturers, security professionals and other researchers adapt to emerging technologies to keep critical infrastructure safe.
- Staying social to stave off dementia: Rates of dementia are rising rapidly, and research has found that older adults who are socially isolated or lonely are more likely to develop the condition. However, by targeting these types of modifiable risk factors, it is estimated that up to 40 percent of dementia cases could be prevented. Researchers at the University of Regina’s Aging, Residents, and Caregivers (ARC) Living Lab will use CFI funding to purchase automatic facial analysis software, a physiological data acquisition system and audio/visual equipment to help investigate how we can keep this population socially connected within their communities.
Quote
“World-class researchers are attracted to Canada and choose to remain here. Thanks to the facilities and equipment the CFI enables, they are well-positioned to make discoveries and drive innovations with national and global impact.”
– Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation
Quick facts
- These infrastructure investments are part of a $693 million Government of Canada funding announcement that supports science, researchers and students. Read about what else is being announced here.
- The total investment made today by the Government of Canada through the CFI is $3,915,746.
- This total includes $903,634 awarded under the CFI’s Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF), which assists institutions with the incremental operation and maintenance costs associated with the new research infrastructure.
- The CFI collaborates with the Canada Research Chairs Program to create competitive packages for the funding of infrastructure and research support at institutions.
Associated links
- More about the Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Details on the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund
About the Canada Foundation for Innovation
With a bold, future-looking mandate, the Canada Foundation for Innovation equips researchers to be global leaders in their field and to respond to emerging challenges. Our investments in state-of-the-art tools, instruments and facilities at universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions underpin both curiosity- and mission-driven research that cuts across disciplines and bridges all sectors. The research infrastructure we fund mobilizes knowledge, spurs innovation and commercialization, and empowers the talented minds of a new generation.
Related products
A full list of our funded projects, as well as stories about the facilities we fund, are available at Innovation.ca. For updates, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X @InnovationCA and subscribe to our YouTube channel to find videos about the CFI and its transformative research projects.
Contacts
Sara Frizzell
Media Relations and Social Media Specialist
Canada Foundation for Innovation
613-943-2580
sara.frizzell [at] innovation.ca (sara[dot]frizzell[at]innovation[dot]ca)
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
media [at] ised-isde.gc.ca (media[at]ised-isde[dot]gc[dot]ca)
John R. Evans Leaders Fund
Funding for infrastructure associated with a Canada Research Chair
Institution | Projects approved |
|---|---|
| Brock University | 1 |
| Concordia University | 1 |
| McMaster University | 1 |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland | 1 |
| Simon Fraser University | 1 |
| Université de Montréal | 1 |
| Université du Québec – Institut national de la recherche scientifique | 1 |
| Université Laval | 1 |
| University of British Columbia (The) | 3 |
| University of Guelph | 1 |
| University of Ottawa | 1 |
| University of Regina | 1 |
| University of Saskatchewan | 1 |
| University of Waterloo | 1 |
| University of Western Ontario (The) | 2 |
| Total 15 institutions | 18 |
List of approved projects by institution
| Chairholder | Project title | Maximum CFI contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Brock University | ||
| Mundel, Toby | Exercise and Environmental Physiology Laboratory | $205,000 |
| Total | 1 | $205,000 |
| Concordia University | ||
| Khelifa, Rassim | Laboratory Infrastructure for the Investigation of the Impacts of Environmental Stressors on Insects | $219,999 |
| Total | 1 | $219,999 |
| McMaster University | ||
| Han, Hong | Integrated Platform for High-throughput Investigation of Cancer Ecosystem Evolution | $400,000 |
| Total | 1 | $400,000 |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland | ||
| Reader, Heather | Laboratory for Marine Blue Carbon Analysis | $75,000 |
| Total | 1 | $75,000 |
| Simon Fraser University | ||
| McDonald, John | Human Electrophysiology Laboratory Equipment | $80,000 |
| Total | 1 | $80,000 |
| Université de Montréal | ||
| Breton, Sophie | Mitochondrial Evolutionary Biology and Physiology | $236,894 |
| Total | 1 | $236,894 |
| Université du Québec – Institut national de la recherche scientifique | ||
| Bordeleau, Geneviève | Instrument CRDS pour mesure des isotopes stables de l'eau | $90,967 |
| Total | 1 | $90,967 |
| Université Laval | ||
| Moore, Jean-Sébastien | Integrative Biology of Northern Aquatic Resources | $125,862 |
| Total | 1 | $125,862 |
| University of British Columbia (The) | ||
| Cardinal-McTeague, Warren | Indigenous Relationships with Land and Ecosystem Health | $125,000 |
| Mikami, Amori | Encouraging Peers' Social Inclusion of Children with ADHD | $36,361 |
| Sagan, Selena | Mechanisms of Viral Replication Organelle Biogenesis | $294,713 |
| Total | 3 | $456,074 |
| University of Guelph | ||
| Goodridge, Lawrence | Foodborne Pathogen Dynamics | $150,000 |
| Total | 1 | $150,000 |
| University of Ottawa | ||
| Shirani, Paria | Vulnerability Hunting in Internet of Things through Binary Code Analysis | $300,000 |
| Total | 1 | $300,000 |
| University of Regina | ||
| Gallant, Natasha | Aging, Residents, and Caregivers (ARC) Living Lab | $79,927 |
| Total | 1 | $79,927 |
| University Saskatchewan | ||
| Hecker, Markus | Predictive Toxicology and Chemical Safety Laboratory | $215,000 |
| Total | 1 | $215,000 |
| University of Waterloo | ||
| Markle, Chantel | Conservation and Management Strategies to Biodiversity Loss in an Era of Global Change | $76,000 |
| Total | 1 | $76,000 |
| University of Western Ontario (The) | ||
| Leween, Jackson Two Bears | Onkwehonwe Research Environment (ORE) | $258,176 |
| Robertson, Kirsty | Museums, Art, and Sustainability | $43,213 |
| Total | 2 | $301,389 |
| TOTAL | 18 projects | $3,012,112 |
NOTE:
As part of this announcement, an additional $903,634 was awarded under the Infrastructure Operating Fund, a mechanism that assists institutions with the incremental operating and maintenance costs associated with the new infrastructure.