Federal budget provides welcome investments in research: CAUT
April 16 2024 - 8:02PM
Today’s budget delivered investments for researchers across the
country, including long-awaited and much-needed increases to
graduate and post-doctoral fellowships as well as increases to core
research funding.
“This investment in Canada’s next generation of researchers will
help recruit promising scholars and support them as they advance
our understanding of the world around us,” said Peter McInnis,
president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers
(CAUT). “It will encourage early-career scientists and researchers
to develop their ideas and innovations here, benefitting all
Canadians.”
Today’s budget included the following investments in
research:
- $1.8 billion over five years to core
research grant funding at CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC – an approximately
30% increase
- Increased annual value of master’s
and doctoral student scholarships to $27,000 and $40,000
respectively, and post-doctoral fellowships to $70,000
- Funding for an additional 1,720
graduate student scholarships and fellowships each year
- $26.9 million over five years to the
granting councils to establish an improved grant management
system
- $30 million over three years to
support Indigenous researchers and their communities
While details are limited, the budget also signaled the creation
of a new research funding organization to support
investigator-driven research and advance international,
multi-disciplinary and mission-driven research.
“We have long emphasized the opportunities our country was
missing by underfunding basic research, so it is both exciting and
reassuring to see the federal government’s focus and investment in
this year’s budget,” said McInnis. “As part of the Coalition for
Canadian Research, our members were strong advocates for these
investments that show what we can do when we work together.”
CAUT is the national voice of more than 72,000 academic and
professional staff at more than 125 universities and colleges
across the country.
Elizabeth BermanCanadian Association of University
Teachersmedia@caut.ca613-400-1633