Research stories

Our investments support research that benefits Canadians

In CFI-funded labs and facilities across the country, researchers in all stages of their careers are making discoveries, supporting a robust innovation ecosystem and helping solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

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Keeping research infrastructure green

A nod to the efforts that CFI-funded labs are making to reduce their environmental impact
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article
Ontario

Is bad air quality making you sick?

The air you breathe contains thousands of natural and synthetic chemicals. Joseph Okeme is identifying which ones cause chronic diseases.
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Université de Moncton Faculty of Science dean and researcher Céline Surette
podcast
New Brunswick

Meet Acadian researcher Céline Surette, for whom interdisciplinarity is second nature

Céline Surette embodies both the chemistry of living things and interdisciplinarity to serve the real needs and questions of communities. And to achieve this, and ensure that critical thinking triumphs, she'll pull out all the stops.
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Image of various cellphones on a wooden table displaying photos of researchers.
video

A promising future, now: 25 years of investing in ideas that change our world

The Canada Foundation for Innovation has supported cutting-edge research in Canada for 25 years. In these videos, researchers reflect on how CFI funding has advanced their work and how future generations will benefit. They tell passionate stories of curiosity, commitment and innovation.
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A graphic of lungs criss-crossed with intersecting lines
article
Alberta

Is COVID-19 a vascular disease?

There is mounting evidence that COVID-19 affects blood vessels. If proven, it could change the way we approach treatment. A University of Calgary research team will use specialized microscopes to test the theory
A jar of yellow liquid arranged with herbs and a bowl of peppercorns
article
Ontario

Booming business in bone broth

A burgeoning new food company all started with a desire to get healthier and a little help from food scientists at Niagara College
An illustration of a woman with white hair sitting up in a hospital bed gazing toward a window
article
Nova Scotia

Understanding the challenges in how we care for our elderly

As COVID-19 magnifies problems in Canada’s long-term care centres, researchers at Mount Saint Vincent University are informing policies to make improvements
Image de Fabien Durif dans le GreenUXlab superposée à une image floue d'une allée de supermarché avec un caddie net au premier plan
article
Quebec

Adapting to changing consumer behaviours

Using a mock retail environment to predict the impact of the pandemic on buying behaviour and the future of consumption
Smartphone screen emitting points of light and appearing to float over an sound wave
article
British Columbia

Diagnosing COVID-19 instantly with artificial intelligence

A Vancouver company’s handheld ultrasound devices are becoming an indispensable tool for quick diagnosis of COVID-19 in remote areas
An illustration of a teacher speaking to several monitors set up on school desks to demonstrate the idea of e-learning
article
Ontario

Education’s next act

A researcher in e-learning and expert in digital literacy is on the front lines for a school system struggling to transition to a new way of teaching.
Three small piles of coffee beans, coffee grounds and coffee pods on a white background
article
Ontario

Trailblazing company turns chaff to caff

With help from a University of Guelph lab, a small business in southern Ontario is finding opportunity in agricultural waste
Teaghan Wellman poses in front of a blurred background
article
Manitoba

Repairing the roads

There’s booming demand for a Manitoba company’s product that transforms unpaved roads into smooth, durable surfaces
A researcher posing for a photo.
video

Revolutionizing construction

A Quebec company has created a construction product that lets builders reach new heights and gives the forestry industry a new way to make money and increase employment
A researcher posing for a photo.
article

Repurposing the MRI

A New Brunswick company is making its mark around the world by commercializing a new technology that uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging, typically a healthcare technology, to extract oil and gas more efficiently
Heidi Fielding poses in front of a blurred image of a vineyard in the background
video

Refining sparkling wines

Ontario winemakers are using innovations from Brock University to be more competitive
Richard Myerscough poses in the foreground with a large kite from a kiteboard in the sky in the background.
video

Reinventing kiteboard equipment

A British-Columbia kiteboard manufacturing company has set a new bar for kiteboard technology with an innovative product, now licensed internationally