Government of Canada funding research collaborations for breakthrough technologies

The National Research Council of Canada is providing research and development funding for a wide range of projects, including a chewable diagnostic test for viruses, CO₂ conversion technologies, a materials platform for quantum devices, and more

August 6, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Research Council Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of supporting science and research in Canada to push the boundaries of discovery. The Government of Canada is continuing to make investments in science and research to further innovative solutions for Canadian priorities such as environmental sustainability, health care and quantum devices.

Today, the Honourable François‑Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced more than $23 million in funding from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to advance 114 innovative research projects under the NRC’s Ideation Fund initiatives, Challenge programs and the Supercluster support programs. Through these investments, NRC scientists are collaborating with scientists from Canadian and international academia, Canadian industry, and non-profit organizations on high-risk high-reward solutions to address Canada’s most pressing challenges.

Bringing together the best innovative minds from across the country, the NRC’s collaborative research and development (R&D) programs aim to generate game-changing discoveries and technological breakthroughs in a wide range of challenges facing Canadians. This includes improving the wellness of Canadians through COVID-19-related R&D, developing high-quality plant protein crops, and developing precision-engineered cell and gene therapies for chronic diseases and rare genetic disorders. Others are developing clean and sustainable sources of energy, and addressing ocean priorities while encouraging the development of a sustainable ocean economy. Additionally, some researchers are expanding broadband internet service in rural and remote areas, developing smart manufacturing in ground and aerospace equipment, and using AI and digital technology to support a wide range of priorities for Canada, to name a few.

Examples of projects receiving funding include:

• $1,603,078 to the University of Manitoba to collect freight data and use AI to develop intelligent road freight maps and models for the Canadian prairies and northern region, as part of the AI for Logistics Supercluster support program.
• $1,143,150 to Prince Edward Island BioAlliance to develop atypical fermentation platforms for the creation of products from renewable sources, as part of the Ocean and Sustainable Protein Production Supercluster support programs.
• ·$602,190 to the University of Toronto to collaborate on the development of a chewable lollipop-like device to use as a platform for non-invasive detection of viruses in saliva as part of the NRC’s Pandemic Response Challenge program.
• ·$594,000 to Carleton University to explore stoichiometric silicon nitride, a materials platform for quantum devices which will enable reliable sourcing, processing and transfer of quantum information and next-generation quantum cybersecurity, as part of the NRC’s High-Throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program.
• $490,287 to support McGill University in advancing a compact and mobile “lab on a chip” system that will help automate the identification of high risk COVID-19 virus variants as part of the NRC’s Pandemic Response Challenge program.
• $250,250 to Corporation de l'École Polytechnique de Montréal to develop economically viable and environmentally friendly technologies for recycling automotive polymer components, through the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster support program.
•  $249,999 to McMaster University to develop new optical detection systems and signal processing approaches for atmospheric fluctuations for high bandwidth satellite-based optical communications that will enable faster internet connections, as part of the NRC’s High-Throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program.