Research & development

CFI invests $665 million in state-of-the-art projects

OTTAWA – The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, in June announced more than $665 million for new state-of-the-art infrastructure at 41 Canadian research institutions.

Supporting 133 projects through the CFI’s Leading Edge Fund and New Initiatives Fund will help Canada’s best and brightest researchers conduct cutting-edge research with world-class equipment and facilities.

This investment in Canada’s research enterprise will help stimulate the economy by employing the workers to build the labs and equipment needed to conduct cutting-edge research, as well as the technicians and scientists to efficiently run them.

“Through the CFI, our government is creating leading-edge facilities to attract world-class researchers,” said Minister Tony Clement. “Our government understands that these investments provide a significant short-term economic stimulus while making a difference in the lives of Canadians.”

Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO of the CFI, joined Minister Clement at the University of Ottawa in making the announcement. 

“By investing in leading-edge research infrastructure, we are ensuring that our country continues to prosper as a nation of innovation,” said Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO of the CFI. “This new investment will substantially increase Canada’s capacity to carry out important world-class scientific research and technology development that will benefit all Canadians.”

This funding will lead to new discoveries and technologies that will keep Canada competitive in the global marketplace. Of note are projects such as Robotic Positioning for Image-guided Surgery and Radiation Therapy, headed by David Jaffray at the University Health Network in Toronto. Dr. Jaffray’s project was awarded $7,226,574.

The latest round of investments were approved by the CFI’s Board of Directors following a rigorous merit-based expert review process. 

A total of $247,664,977 was awarded to 64 projects under the Leading Edge Fund, which enables institutions to build on already successful and productive initiatives supported by past CFI investments. $264,741,466 was awarded to 69 projects under the New Initiatives Fund, which aims to enhance Canada’s capacity in promising new areas of research and technology development.

An additional $153,721,933 was awarded under the Infrastructure Operating Fund, a mechanism that assists institutions with the incremental operating and maintenance costs associated with the new infrastructure.

A complete list of award recipients, as well as a list of all projects funded by the CFI to date, is available at: http://www.innovation.ca/en/news/2009.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI’s mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians.