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. 

Portraitof Suzanne Kearns

The future of flight depends on sustainability that goes beyond biofuels

The University of Waterloo’s Suzanne Kearns is a global leader in sustainable aviation, but her flight path wasn’t without turbulence

All stories

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Saskatchewan

Understanding the importance of where we live

Historians are merging Indigenous research methods with digital historical data to rethink how we view the places we live and how those change over time
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Ontario

Taking aim at online hate and fake news

Dangerous disinformation campaigns on social media are on the rise. So are targeted personal attacks. The Digital Society Lab is using AI-powered countermeasures to push back.
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British Columbia

Transforming dry data into Instagrammable art

Researchers are blending science, art and augmented reality to bring data to life, make complex information more evocative — and create plenty of buzz
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Newfoundland and Labrador

Archaeology’s high-tech race to save North Atlantic heritage

Climate change is threatening millennia of history in Newfoundland and Labrador. New LiDAR-equipped drones and other technology is helping archaeologists triage the sites at greatest risk and document crucial heritage before it disappears.
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New Brunswick

Tackling the many dimensions of New Brunswick’s housing crisis

How one social science lab — with a few well-placed couches — is bringing stakeholders together to address the intersecting issues of housing affordability, mental health and food security
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Ontario

Finding hope and deep learning in the drama classroom

Can the unique “messiness” of theatre empower young people to create radical change in the face of crises like the climate emergency? Absolutely, according to insights from multi-country research that merges ethnography, pedagogy and playwriting.
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British Columbia

Choosing the right route to lower traffic emissions

By profiling tailpipe emissions and creating community-specific transportation models, researchers will help cities reach their net-zero mobility goals faster — even in sub-zero temperatures
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Ontario

Packaging with potential

Developing efficient and sustainable packaging is a pressing concern for food processors, but a new research centre will help them find solutions
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Alberta

Improving safety from the skies

Large drones are poised to offer a cheaper, more secure alternative to manned flights in remote areas
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Quebec

An ounce of disaster prevention for a pound of long-term benefit

At a new experimental simulation site, the first of its kind in Canada, emergency management practitioners will learn how to handle the risks of natural and human-made disasters