Funding provides support for high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary research, attracting and retaining exceptional talent, and research infrastructure
OTTAWA, ON, May 13, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, announced the federal government is investing over $168 million in research funding. Investing in world-class researchers and research teams at Canadian institutions helps drive solutions for society's most pressing challenges.
Nearly $140 million will support 165 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs. This funding will allow researchers and their research teams in the strategic sectors of health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities disciplines to advance their expertise in areas such as sustainability management, educational psychology, neurodegeneration and environmental geography, among others.
As a Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) partner, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is also committing over $5.8 million to support 25 research infrastructure projects at 16 institutions, through its John R. Evans Leaders Fund.
Nearly $23 million will be distributed through the New Frontiers in Research Fund's (NFRF) Exploration stream, which supports high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. Some of the 92 funded projects include developing the next generation of wearable health sensors, decolonizing artificial intelligence for health equity in Indigenous and Black communities, and transforming Arctic security.
Canada's research community is already home to exceptional talent, and today's investment will further provide researchers with the tools necessary to pursue bold, groundbreaking research that will benefit Canadians and strengthen our economy.
Quotes
"Canada is a global leader in research and innovation, and today's investment strengthens our position in an increasingly competitive world. By backing top talent and bold ideas, we are driving economic growth, attracting the best minds and turning Canadian discoveries into real-world solutions that will shape our future."
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
"Investing in Canada's top researchers and professors is an investment in our students today, and our present and future prosperity. Across Canada, these investments are building a strong pipeline of talent equipped to take on tomorrow's challenges and contribute to a more innovative and inclusive economy."
– Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
"This investment will help cement Canada's already-strong reputation as a world leader in research and innovation. The funding will support 165 research chairs--leaders in their fields who will help us advance our expertise and help pave the way for a stronger and more sustainable future as a country. I am proud this investment includes the University of Toronto--an institution within my riding that is at the forefront of research and is a critical partner in our efforts to foster new talent in a wide range of fields."
– Danielle Martin, Member of Parliament, University-Rosedale, Ontario
"By investing in researchers and research teams across Canada, we are strengthening our research capacity, nurturing world‑class talent, and enabling innovative, interdisciplinary work that will translate into real‑world impact."
– Sylvie Lamoureux, Chair, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat Steering Committee, Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President, Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
"Building Canada's resilience depends on world-class research teams making discoveries that keep our country competitive and ready to meet new challenges. Through the Canada Foundation for Innovation's partnership with the Canada Research Chairs Program, we provide these teams with access to innovative facilities and advanced tools they need to push boundaries and deliver impact for Canadians."
– Sylvain Charbonneau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Foundation for Innovation
Quick facts
- The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), through its Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, administers NFRF and the CRCP on behalf of Canada's three federal research funding agencies--the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and SSHRC. The NFRF program falls under the strategic direction of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee.
- The CRCP invests up to $311 million annually to attract and retain some of the world's most promising and accomplished researchers. The program aims to advance research that leads to groundbreaking discoveries and innovations across health, engineering, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
- NFRF supports world-leading interdisciplinary, international, high-risk/high-reward, transformative and rapid-response Canadian-led research. Its Exploration stream funds projects that bring research teams together to reach beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches. Researchers are encouraged to undertake projects that defy current paradigms; bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives; and have the potential to be disruptive or deliver game-changing impacts.
- The CFI invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and not-for-profit research institutions, equipping researchers with the tools they need to be global leaders. Through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund, the CFI supports the research infrastructure Canada Research Chairs need to conduct their work.
Associated links
- Canada Research Chairs: Cycle 2025-1
- John R. Evans Leaders Fund
- New Frontiers in Research Fund: 2025 Exploration award recipients
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CFI: X - @InnovationCA, Bluesky - @Innovation.ca and LinkedIn - Canada Foundation for Innovation/Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation
SOURCE Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat
Contacts: Gabrielle Landry, Deputy Director, Media Relations, Office of the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [email protected]; Media Relations: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]; Media relations: Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, [email protected]; Media relations: New Frontiers in Research Fund, [email protected]; Media relations: Canada Foundation for Innovation, [email protected]
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