Students and researchers at the University of Waterloo to share in historic Budget 2018 funding for science

News release

Canada’s research community to benefit from largest investment in discovery science in Canadian history

October 11, 2018 – Waterloo, Ontario

Science is about discovery. When researchers are given the tools to push the boundaries of knowledge, great things happen. These discoveries lead to the innovations that will grow the economy and help ensure Canada has a workforce capable of taking on the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Today, the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced an investment of more than $29 million to support fundamental research at the University of Waterloo. Among this year’s Discovery Grants recipients is the University of Waterloo’s Dr. Donna Strickland, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, who is receiving support for her work on using lasers to better understand matter at the molecular level.

The funding is part of the more than $558 million announced earlier this week by Minister Duncan for institutions across Canada and supports the Government of Canada’s plan to attract global talent and promote diversity. The national funding will provide nearly 4,300 researchers and students with the means to pursue world‑leading discovery work.

This $558-million investment in research—the largest one this year from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)—includes $70 million in new funding announced in Budget 2018. With this investment, the Government of Canada is delivering on Budget 2018’s historic commitment to science by giving more support to researchers and students.

This year, as part of the $558-million investment, the NSERC Discovery Grants Program is providing more than $5 million in supplements for early-career researchers, ensuring the next generation of scientists, engineers and researchers will have the tools they need to flourish. The investment at the University of Waterloo will support projects in areas ranging from physics to chemistry to mechanical engineering.

Quotes

“The investments we are making today here in Waterloo are giving researchers and students the foundation they need to explore the new avenues of discovery that will benefit all of us. Their work will help cement Canada as a world leader in science and engineering.”

– The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

“Canada supports science and our talented researchers. Today, we are delivering on our historic investment in research and in the next generation of scientists. The remarkable researchers and students we are celebrating are working to make the world a better place and to secure a brighter future for all Canadians.”

– The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport 

“The funding commitment outlined in Budget 2018 will provide a very significant increase to the Discovery Program to support science and engineering researchers. Additionally, this investment will contribute critical supplementary funding to launch early-career researchers and to support equity, diversity and inclusion.”

– Dr. Pierre Charest, Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships Directorate, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

“Research is an integral part of Waterloo, and we're extremely proud of the groundbreaking discoveries made by our researchers. This generous support from the Government of Canada will allow our brightest minds to move forward as they continue to solve the problems of tomorrow on a local and global scale.” 

– Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Waterloo

Quick facts

  • The $558-million research investment announced by Minister Duncan on October 9 includes $70 million in new funding from Budget 2018. The grants go toward NSERC discovery programs, graduate and postgraduate scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships, and research tools and instruments.

  • The $558-million investment also includes $5.4 million in funding to help more than 400 early-career researchers in the first year of their Discovery Grants launch their careers.

  • Investments in science are essential to innovation and to the economic strength of a country.

Associated links

Contacts

Follow @CDNScience on social media for science-related news: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA

Follow NSERC on Twitter: @nserc_crsng

Nyree St-Denis
Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of Science and Sport
343-291-4051
nyree.st-denis@canada.ca

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca

Valérie Levert-Gagnon
Media and Public Affairs Officer
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
613-996-2341
Valerie.Levert-Gagnon@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

About NSERC

NSERC invests over $1.2 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Our investments deliver discoveries—valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 11,000 professors. Our investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect industry with discoveries and the people behind them. Researcher-industry partnerships supported by NSERC help inform research and development and solve scale-up challenges.

NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.

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