The Globe and Mail and CBC News continue to devote serious coverage to the apparent cuts to Genome Canada’s funding in the 2009 budget. Both sources quote government sources who state that the funding allocated to Genome Canada in 2007 and 2008 were to be rolled out over a five year span and that this money should be sufficient to last the organization until 2013. This arrangement appears to be a surprise to Martin Godbout, president of Genome Canada, who expected to receive roughly $70-million annually – the amount he presented to Industry Canada staff in a presentation he said was “well received”.
In an editorial, the Globe and Mail argues that the cuts to research funding in the 2009 budget confirms the short-sightedness of the Conservatives’ stimulus package. It argues that the infrastructure spending represents a short-term solution at the expense of the long-term productivity and value provided by research. The editorial board implies that the decision to spend on construction rather than research is politically motivated – that there are more votes for them among construction workers than among researchers.
The funding cuts are also making an impact internationally, as the major journal Science has published two pieces online detailing the cuts to research funding in Canada. Furthermore, the American-based journal has raised the possibility of a renewed “brain-drain” from Canada to the US, given the contrast between the Canadian budget cuts and the major increases in research spending in the stimulus package recently passed by the US Congress. Here, again, an Industry Canada spokeswoman argues that funding to Genome Canada isn’t being cut, but rather that the 2008 budget provdes funding through 2012-13. The articles quote leading scientists from across the country, however, who argue that the cuts will result in a loss of Canadian leadership in major scientific projects and will result in a loss of top talent to the US.
Rob Annan Federal Funding News
The Globe and Mail reported this morning that the omission of Genome Canada funding details from the 2009 federal budget represents a decision by the Conservative government to cut funding to the agency. Gary Toft, spokesman for the Minister of Science and Technology, defended the decision by saying that the government had invested in Genome Canada for the two previous years but did not seem to mention anything about funding for this year or in future.
Genome Canada received $140-million last year and supported 33 major research projects across the country. Whereas cuts to the other granting agencies were detailed and broken down over the three year projection of the budget, no mention was made of Genome Canada, and it is unclear whether the omission of Genome Canada funding is temporary or whether this sounds the death knell for the agency.
Given the removal of this funding combined with the cuts to CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC, the 2009 budget cuts a total of between $287.9-million and $567.9-million from scientific granting agencies, depending on whether Genome Canada’s funding is restored in 2010-12.
Projects funded by Genome Canada are reported to employ more than 2,000 researchers on major research projects across the country. Genome Canada president Martin Godbout has said he’s “devastated”.
Rob Annan Federal Funding News
Canada’s research community will receive billions of dollars from Ottawa in a mixed-bag of spending and saving announcements unveiled in yesterday’s federal budget. Science-related spending focuses heavily on much-needed improvements and upgrades on infrastructure and short-term increases in student funding, while federal granting agencies will see their budgets cut.
The big spending announcements included $2-billion dollars for infrastructure upgrades at colleges and universities, $87.5-million for new graduate student scholarships, and $750-million for the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), a major source of infrastructure funding.
One major source of concern in the budget is the status of federal granting agencies. The budget states that CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC will be “streamlining operations and aligning programs with the objectives of the Government’s Science and Technology Strategy and national research priorities.” The budget suggests that $147.9-million will be cut from these budgets in the next three years, which will be used to help pay for the new spending initiatives. Given the strong support for science voiced by American President Obama, there is concern that Canada may find it hard to retain top researchers.
Health Research Budget details:
- $2-billion spending to “repair, retrofit, and expand” infrastructure at colleges and universities. The budget states: “Preference will be given to projects at universities that can improve the quality of research and development at the institution. Projects at colleges will strengthen their ability to deliver advanced knowledge and skills training.” Seventy percent of the funds will be allocated to universities, and 30% to colleges and will be administered through Industry Canada. These funds, though, must be matched by a minimum of 50% from outside sources.
- $750-million spending to fund “leading-edge research infrastructure” through the CFI. $150-million will be allocated in 2009 for Leading Edge and New Initiative Funds competitions. The remaining $600-million will be for future activities of the CFI, which is drafting a new strategic plan for 2010, and will fund “one or more” new funding initiatives.
- $250-million spending over two years to “address” deferred maintenance at federal research labs. This funding will be focused on labs that contribute to regulatory responsibilities of the government, such as health and food safety. Interestingly, the budget also states that this money will be used to modernize government labs that submit a “realistic business plan” for their transfer to university, business, or non-profit group, suggesting the government is seeking to divest itself of some of its research capabilities.
- $87.5-million spending over three years for graduate student scholarships via the Canada Graduate Scholarships program. This includes $35-million each for NSERC and CIHR, and $17.5-million for SSHRC. These will support a further 500 doctoral students at $35,000/yr for three years and 1,000 master’s students at $17,500 for one year. The expanded scholarship program is explicitly stated to be temporary.
- $3.5-million spending over two years for internships in business and science, to be administered by Industrial Research and Internship program.
- “Strategic reviews” at Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada result in cuts of $167.8-million over three years, including $6.3-million through “refocusing research to take advantage of advancements in science”.
- The granting councils (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) will see budget cuts of $147.9-million over three years. The bulk of these cuts will be due to “aligning funding with actual needs and making better use of other programs with similar objectives”. The government will also save money by “streamlining research support activities to
reduce overlap in granting programs” and “reducing programs that overlap with the mandate of other federal organizations to focus on priorities”.
- The NRC will see its budget cut by $27.7-million, with the money used to “increase support for small and medium-sized businesses to innovate.” The NRC will also be expected to continue to “[consider] alternative service delivery models for certain activities that are not aligned with its core role.”
Rob Annan Federal Funding News
The Conservative government will table a spending budget today that will focus on stimulus spending to meet economic hard times, with a projected deficit of $35B. What this means for research funding remains to be seen, as the bulk of the spending announcements are focused on infrastructure and job creation. Universities stand to benefit from the infrastructure spending and may use the money to upgrade or repair existing research facilities across the country.
Rob Annan Federal Funding News
