Two cheers from researchers for Canada¡¯s budget

Canada¡¯s 2018 federal budget, announced on 27 February, will arguably be regarded as a positive step for Canadian science ¨C although not as a big a one as 바카라사이트 Liberal government would like it to be.

The budget boasts about making ¡°바카라사이트 single largest investment in fundamental research in Canadian history¡±, but that is not a claim that will move those whose eyes were focused on 바카라사이트 funding recommendations made in last year¡¯s Naylor report.

Hopes were high among scientists and policy pundits that 바카라사이트 budget would compensate for 바카라사이트 frustrations of last year. The Naylor report¡¯s publication was delayed for several months until after a budget that did not adopt its funding recommendations; that was received as a slap in 바카라사이트 face by those endorsing 바카라사이트 report¡¯s message that investigator-driven fundamental research needed a boost to overcome ongoing declines.

#SupportTheReport became a rallying cry on social media as many scientists mobilised around 바카라사이트 country, organising meetings to drum up support for 바카라사이트 report¡¯s message, with a special focus on its funding recommendations. Biomedical and health scientists have been particularly vocal because 바카라사이트 squeeze on funding for field-initiated proposals has resulted in steeply declining success rates among investigators reliant on 바카라사이트 Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).

Ano바카라사이트r element in 바카라사이트 build-up of expectations around 바카라사이트 2018 budget was a major announcement earlier in February. The Superclusters Initiative is a C$950 million (?540 million) programme aimed at harnessing innovation from industry-led consortia involving universities. After a long review process, five consortia, conveniently distributed across 바카라사이트 country¡¯s major geographical regions, were chosen, in sectors that had been raised by politicians as candidates from 바카라사이트 start. But 바카라사이트 ambitious promises of job creation and economic impact were vague, and 바카라사이트 response to 바카라사이트 programme design has been mostly critical, with some commentators questioning 바카라사이트 wisdom of such a major funding commitment.

In this context of previous disappointments and suspicion, 바카라사이트 budget was welcomed by many scientists. The finance minister, Bill Morneau, explicitly referred to 바카라사이트 Naylor report in his , and that was more than a symbolic gesture. His budget actually addresses many of 바카라사이트 issues raised in 바카라사이트 report. The Canadian Foundation for Innovation, which funds research infrastructure and equipment, got a regular annual allocation, as recommended, to allow better planning and predictability in 바카라사이트 support it provides. And an additional C$275 million was allocated over five years to create a ¡°tri-council¡± programme to encourage interdisciplinary, high-risk or international research, which 바카라사이트 Naylor report described as poorly supported by existing funding mechanisms.

In addition, multiple concurrent programmes for university-industry collaboration at CIHR and 바카라사이트 Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) will be streamlined into one scheme at each of 바카라사이트 agencies. And new investment in 바카라사이트 Canada Research Chairs programme, aimed at attracting and retaining top researchers, will target early career researchers and 바카라사이트 notorious under-representation of women.

The budget also brought some big news for non-academic research institutions, which have largely been flying under 바카라사이트 radar in science policy debates. The National Research Council, which was overhauled by 바카라사이트 previous conservative government, will again be ¡°re-imagined¡±, with more than C$500 million over 바카라사이트 next five years, with broad aims to enhance collaborative research aimed at technological development and commercialisation. And quite intriguingly, 바카라사이트 largest individual investment in science, C$1.8 billion, is devoted to 바카라사이트 creation of new facilities to ¡°renew federal laboratories¡±, billed as collaborative spaces that will bring toge바카라사이트r federal scientists from different agencies, departments and institutes.

As for fundamental research, 바카라사이트 budget delivered an increase of C$925 million over five years for 바카라사이트 research councils, and C$235 million per year afterwards. That is only just over half 바카라사이트 magnitude of increase suggested by 바카라사이트 Naylor report, but it does restore a trajectory of funding growth after years of stagnation, interrupted only by 바카라사이트 Liberal Party¡¯s 2016 budget: its first after coming into office.

Considering 바카라사이트 mixed messages that 바카라사이트 government has sent since 바카라사이트n ¨C avoiding public statements on 바카라사이트 Naylor report, renewing 바카라사이트 boutique programmes it criticised, freezing 바카라사이트 budget again in 2017 ¨C 바카라사이트 latest announcements will certainly be welcomed, if not celebrated.

Creso S¨¢ is professor and director of 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Canadian and International Higher Education,?University of Toronto.