Canada’s research and innovation landscape is ready for an overhaul. For years, Canada’s public research and development (R&D) spending has trailed behind other Group of Seven (G7) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, and we’re missing out on realizing the full benefits of our research right here at home.
But here’s the good news: change is on the horizon.
The Government of Canada wants to create a new capstone research funding organization to enhance the impact of federal funding. The goal is to improve coordination among diverse research actors and foster collaboration to address emerging challenges – a move that hits all the right notes with our sector!
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)’s Perspective: Anchoring Impact
In response to the Government’s request for feedback on the design of the new organization, CICan consulted its National Applied Research Committee, comprising vice presidents and deans of applied research from colleges and institutes across Canada.
Our recommendations focus on how the new organization can ensure the benefits of Canadian research are captured and retained within the country, driving both community and economic returns. We also highlighted how colleges and institutes are ideally positioned for mission-driven research, creating real-world solutions through partner-focused, efficient, and specialized research – a unique approach that yields practical benefits for Canadians.
- On the Blog: Canada’s Research and Innovation Group Chat Needs Colleges and Institutes. Challenge-driven research mobilizes college and institute applied research expertise, their networks of partners across sectors, and state-of-the-art facilities to develop solutions for Canada’s biggest challenges.
Our key recommendations include:
- Identify and Address Research Gaps: Clearly define the problems and gaps the new organization is designed to solve, prioritizing the anchoring of research benefits in Canada.
- Inform Structure with Stakeholder Needs: Tailor the new organization’s strategy and mandate to meet the needs of small-and medium-sized enterprises and underserved communities, including Indigenous groups.
- Expand Research Capacity: Support historically excluded groups in conducting impact-oriented research.
- Ensure Strong Organizational Capacity: Dedicate appropriate expertise and operational resources to the capstone organization.
- Provide Proper Investment: Provide the organization with a reasonable stand-alone budget that enables it to support its objectives.
For our full list of recommendations and detailed insights on the essential role of colleges and institutes, explore our submission here.