Comments on the 2008 Federal Budget

Posted: February 27, 2008

Jump to: CFBS Comments | CCR Press Release

Presented by:
Dr. Gabrielle Adams
CFBS Executive Director

For the scientific and academic communities, the highlight of the Budget is its support to higher education. The biggest boost is the introduction of the Vanier Scholarships for doctoral students within the Canadian Graduate Scholarship program. The Government will initially provide $25 million over two years beginning in 2008-09 but the intention is to ramp up to $100 million over five years. The program will give 500 PhD students from Canada and abroad $50,000 annually for up to three years and is aimed at attracting the best young students to Canadian universities.

The Government will also provide $3 million over two years for Canada Graduate Scholarship recipients ($6,000/year to 250 students) to help Canadian students study abroad for one semester. Both of the above programs will be administered by the three granting councils.

The Millennium Scholarship Foundation will be wound down, but will be replaced by a $350 million per year Canada Student Grant Program that will give monthly payments to students from low and middle income families. This program will not take effect until 2009. The money will increase to $430 million by 2012-13. The Government will also streamline and modernize the Student Loans Program with $123 million over four years starting in 2009-10. However, the interest rate for these loans will not be changed.

To build upon the success of the Canada Research Chairs program, 20 new Canada Global Excellence Research Chairs will be established with an initial $21 million investment. Each Chair will receive $10 million over seven years. The Research Chairs will be targeted to the four priority areas identified in the Government’s S&T Strategy: environment, natural resources and energy, health and information and communications technologies.

The Budget is light in terms of new funding for research and development. The funding that is being provided is appreciated in view of the Government’s prudence in light of the expected slower economic environment. Genome Canada is getting a one-time $140 million this year to launch a new competition in genetic research, support six regional genome centres and help Canadian scientists participate in an international genomics project. An additional $10 million over two years will be provided to the Canadian Light Source Research Synchrotron in Saskatoon. An additional $15 million per year will be added to support the indirect cost of research at universities. A $20 million endowment will be given to the Gairdner International Awards to mark its 50th anniversary in 2008. The three granting councils will receive an additional $80 million per year, but this will be targeted to research in support of industrial innovation (automotive, manufacturing, forestry and fishing industries), health priorities, and social and economic development in the North. Although these priorities are important, the additional money will not alleviate the low funding levels at Canada’s granting councils for highly rated grant applications for fundamental research at our universities. We must continue to stress the importance of basic research as a foundation for applied research and technology to enhance Canada’s competitive edge. The Budget did not address the need to reinvest in the Government’s own research infrastructure, although the savings from the renewal initiative were mentioned as a means to redirect funds to new initiatives within government departments as well as to other priorities.

Canadian Consortium for Research
Consortium Canadien pour la Recherche

2675 promenade Queensview Drive, Ottawa, ON, K2B 8K2
Tel (613) 820-2270 - Fax (613) 820-7244 www.cpa.ca/ccr

Steering Committee Members

Canadian Association of Physicists
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
Canadian Federation of Biological Societies
Canadian Psychological Association
Chemical Institute of Canada

(OTTAWA – February 27, 2008) – On preliminary examination of the 2008 Federal Budget, the Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR) has identified several positive initiatives. In light of Canada’s slower economic outlook, the CCR acknowledges the importance of this budget’s support for post-secondary education and research.

• The CCR acknowledges, with appreciation, an $80M increase to the granting councils: NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC. We note that all three granting councils’ increases are targeted to specific government-determined priorities. Although the identified priorities are important, we are concerned by the gradual erosion of the non-directed base. The CCR believes strongly that basic research is critical to maintaining Canada’s competitive edge. There is no inflationary increase to the non-targeted, base budget of the three granting councils.
  
  
• The CCR welcomes the creation of the Vanier Scholarships, within the Canadian Graduate Scholarship program, which are designed to attract and retain in Canada the very best Canadian or international doctoral students. The $25 million over two years is expected to support up to 500 students and will be worth up to $50,000 per year for three years for top doctoral students.
  
  
• The CCR similarly welcomes, in principle, the creation of the new Canada Global Excellence Research Chairs. However, we are interested in seeing how these 20 chairs will be awarded.
  
  
• The CCR notes the budget’s $3.2B allotment to post-secondary education (PSE) as part of the Canada Social Transfer. The CCR continues to call for accountability mechanisms that will ensure the provinces spend these funds in the university and college sectors.
  
  
• Although the budget is positive for research, the CCR believes that the Government must also reinvest in its own research infrastructure—research that underpins and supports regulatory decisions and is at the forefront of the science policy interface. The CCR anticipates further renewal initiatives of government-based S&T activity based on its on-going review. This reinvestment appears to be missing in this budget.

For more information:
Roland Andersson,
Chair Canadian Consortium for Research
randersson@cheminst.ca