Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR) - February 2, 2023

A. Ministers Opening Remarks

1. 10 minutes on both topics combined (French & English)

SRSR Committee meeting evidence No. 27

B. SRSR Summary

1. NRC Parliamentary Affairs Summary: Standing Committee on Science and Research, Study on International Moonshot Programs

Prepared by: Policy, Strategy and Performance
Prepared on: Friday, December 9, 2022
Updated on: Thursday, January 26, 2023

Parliamentary Overview

The winter sitting of the House of Commons begins on Monday, January 30, unofficially launching the pre-budget season. Academia, industry, and news outlets have additional commentary and proposals for the future direction for the Canadian economy, influencing debates in Parliament. This includes a recent series of in-depth articles published in the Globe and Mail examining Canada's innovation policy, which may inform potential lines of critiques that could arise during the Minister's appearance. Specifically, Globe and Mail Technology Reporter Sean Silcoff, positions the government's innovation policy as fragmented and failing to meet stated goals. The conclusion of the three-part series also provided critical views of the proposed Canadian Innovation Investment Agency, and the broader institutional and programming supports to support commercialization of research and scale up of companies. His recent articles include quotes from industry spokespersons such as Benjamin Bergen of the Canadian Council of Innovators, and others, who are calling for a greater focus on improved supports for commercialization.

SRSR Overview

Launched at the beginning of the 44th Parliament, the Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR) is the first Parliamentary committee with a mandate to explore themes related to science and the interplay between science and public policy.

SRSR is unique compared to other committees such as the Industry and Innovation Committee (INDU), in that it does not have any legislative responsibilities or departmental oversight functions built into its mandate. As a result, SRSR has so far not followed the conventional rhythms of periodic Ministerial appearances related to Government Bills or the Estimates Cycle

This will be the first opportunity for the SRSR committee to hear from Minister Champagne on any topic of study.

On Thursday, January 26 SRSR Committee Chair, the Hon. Kirsty Duncan announced she is taking a medical leave of absence from her duties. Her announcement did not indicate the expected duration of her absence. Committee business will proceed per usual with a Vice-Chair hosting the meetings. If her absence is prolonged, a new permanent chair could be elected. PSP will monitor House of Commons Proceedings in advance of the February 2nd meeting for relevant updates.

House of Commons Debates Related to Science & Innovation

A review of Hansard indicates that topics related to science and innovation are rarely raised in the House of Commons. In general, it may arise in the context of general statements such as "will the government follow the science," or as part of the framing for questions related to climate change, oil and gas exploration, or more recently with regards to the policy rationale for the use of the ArriveCan App.

On May 31, 2022, the Bloc Quebecois used its Supply Day to debate its Opposition Motion related to the assessment criteria for the selection of Canada Research Chairs. This debate was raised in part due to applications for a Canada Research Chair position at Université Laval, which included a criteria that the position was only open to women and gender minorities, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, or racialized individuals.

Within the framework of science and innovation debates, the theme of IP emerged occasionally during the SRSR committee study on "Successes, Challenges and Opportunities for Science in Canada". Similarly, IP was also touched on by the INDU Committee during its study of Quantum Computing, and Budget 2022 provisions related to the Competition Act. More broadly, IP has been regularly mentioned in debate related to changes to the Copyright Act, and Bill C-11 amendments to the Broadcasting Act.

MP Richard Cannings has on occasion used Question Period to call attention to the wages paid to postdoctoral fellows and researchers in academia. On November 18, 2022, MP Cannings questioned the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry on his announcement of new funding for science research:

"Canada's graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are living in poverty because the government has not increased their wages in almost 20 years. This week, scientists were completely unimpressed when the minister tried to tell them that ongoing funding was new money. One Canada research chair even tweeted "just the same old investment with a shiny new bow." When will the Liberals stop pretending they support science and increase the funding for Canada graduate scholarships and post-graduate fellowships?"

Study on Research and Scientific Publication in French – In Brief

It is not anticipated that the NRC will be asked to comment in detail in relation to the SRSR Study on "Research and Scientific Publication in French." To date, the Committee has largely focused on academic publications in French, with limited (or no) focus on intramural federal government publications. Witnesses have been drawn from academia, francophone science associations (ex. ACFAS), along with Granting Council representatives. There have been no previous representatives from federal departments, with the exception of Nipun Vats from ISED. Recommendations from witnesses to date have included additional financial supports, supporting this goal a priority for the next Action Plan for Official Languages, and other targeted measures by the Granting Councils and federal government to support francophone researchers.

MPs have been interested in exploring a range of topics including:

• Success rates for Tri-council funding applicants submitted in English and French.
• Declaration on Research Assessment Principles.
• The roll of the government in funding French research.
• Lack of funding for French researchers.
• Challenges for Francophone institutions.
• The cost/challenges of translation.

As noted above, while it is not anticipated that questions will be directed at NRC, responsive messages developed in coordination with KITS have been included in background materials (under separate tab).

Study on International Moonshot Programs – In Brief

Across the three meetings held to date, witnesses have largely pitched moonshot ideas to the committee in support of their own research projects. Suggestions have covered the research landscape from fundamental/basic research, to next generation zero-emission energy, agriculture, and health sciences.

Some witnesses offered suggestions through their remarks and in response to questioning on how to best create sustainable moonshot programs in Canada. This was often offered in the context of the high costs associated with moonshot programs, set against the often slow or low probabilities of commercial or societal benefits that might be achieved by this research. Dr. Kevin Smith, of the University Health Network directed the committee to consider the work of the Brookfield Institute, which has identified five policy recommendations for successful moonshots:

1. Clearly defined grand challenge anchored in unaddressed real-world needs.
2. Facilitating policy innovation by giving delivery agencies lean, agile and independent governance structures.
3. Creating a portfolio of moonshot projects that are truly cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, inclusive, and embrace a range of different risk levels.
4. Supporting the full innovation continuum and the value chain from invention and basic science right through to manufacturing and commercialization.
5. Focusing on clear, central metrics that matter to the success of the grand challenge, and in this case showing value to Canadians.

Other suggestions from witnesses have included:

• increased funding to S/T/I research
• higher base levels for research grants
• better conditions for international and domestic collaboration
• favourable foreign investment conditioning
• streamlining regulatory review/approval processes
• clear government support for emerging technology
• flexible immigration system to attract and retain top talent

An overview of the opening statements offered by witness in included in Annex A.

Study on International Moonshot Program - Themes Explored by MPs

Conservative MPs on the committee have brought a range of views into their questions to witnesses including: the role of the private sector in funding moonshots and big science infrastructure; how to we build and sustain domestic research capacity; access to, and retention of global top talent; zero-emission energy (nuclear and fusion) as a moonshot to address climate change; Canada's role as a leader in food sciences and agricultural research; policy or regulatory barriers to science collaboration, innovation and commercialization; Canada's commercialization gap; could foreign credentials recognition for physicians and professionals be considered a moonshot; and describing fundamental science and its importance to lay persons.

Liberal MPs on the committee explored with witnesses a variety of topics including: the role of AI to tackle moonshots or address local issues like wasting disease in deer populations; the role of cultural change when partnering with stakeholders, like farmers, to address agricultural moonshots; best examples internationally of programs or projects to emulate; frustrations within the research community that lay persons have final authority over funding decisions; moonshots potentially linked to cancer, personalized medicine or health outcomes; work of the space agency in partnering with others to address global challenges; federal-provincial-territorial partnerships in funding moonshots or big science infrastructure; and should conditions be attached to moonshot funding.

Bloc Quebecois MPs discussed with witnesses a range of topics including: how COVID-19 changed the way domestic and global research is challenged and harnessed to address the public good; the impact of long-term federal neglect in R&D funding on the research community and the biopharmaceutical sector in particular; Canada's ability to attract and retain top talent; the role of the market and private sector in identifying and funding moonshots; the dichotomy of applied research and discover research; and the need to priorities funds towards fewer larger challenges over sprinkling funds to multiple projects.

NDP MPs directed questions to the witnesses covering topics such as: the role of government to mobilize large-scale resources like during the Second World War to tackle climate change; the importance of the government and the private sector being aligned to address large challenges like moonshots; international examples Canada could follow for identifying and funding moonshots; programs domestically that can be amplified, like CHIME, by making its work a moonshot type objective; the importance of interdisciplinary teams in tackling moonshots; criticisms of the lack of real increases in tri-council grants; and the ability of Canada to attract and retain top talent.

A complete overview of questions to witnesses can be found in Annex B.

Annex A – Witness Testimony Overview, International Moonshots Programs

SRSR Meeting - November 14, 2022

Yoshua Bengio (Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute)

Mr. Bengio raised the fact that historically, funding of research drives industry and therefore the economy. He acknowledged market failures such as bacteria that are resistant to drugs, which aren't being researched because it is not profitable and said that while research may not result in profit, there can be a large social benefit to the research being done. This is why Mr. Bengio says it is crucial for governments to provide incentives to solve these socially important problems.

Rosemary Yeremian (X-energy Canada)

Ms. Yeremian discussed a future in Canada where green energy is used and the economy is net zero. She identified a number of current technologies such as advanced small modular reactors (ASMRs) that would enable us to do that. She said that X-energy would like to expand across Canada to deploy ASMRs across the country.

SRSR Meeting - November 21, 2022

The Right Hon. David Johnston (as an individual)

Mr. Johnston discussed the international collaboration required to further our knowledge. He recommended that Canada develop a ten-year strategy for international cooperation in learning based on the need to develop and advance knowledge, share information, and broaden how we learn. He pointed to the need to increase the number of international students in order to accomplish these goals.

Alan Bernstein (CIFAR)

Mr. Bernstein told members that we will only solve climate change through science and research. He discussed how the commitment to science during the pandemic helped save countless lives through the rapid creation and distribution of vaccines. He identified recent moonshots (artificial intelligence and mRNA vaccines) that have changed the world and told the committee about the large Canadian contributions to these moonshots.

Seth Klein (Climate Emergency Unit)

Mr. Klein discussed his career and framed climate change as a crisis that needs to be dealt with immediately. He compared the efforts required to fight climate change to the efforts of government and the private sector during war time. He noted the need to devote massive amounts of resources and government attention to solve this problem and said that this is the moonshot of our time. He finished by saying that the government needs to mandate change as opposed to simply encouraging it.

SRSR Meeting - November 28, 2022

Arthur McDonald, (As an Individual)

Spoke of the importance of facilities like the SNOLAB in the exploration of fundamental science. Noted the high cost of the type of research conducted at the SNOLAB and similar facilities globally – offering that collaboration is required to keep the research ongoing.

Brandon Russell, (Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science)

Is the nephew of MP Gerald Soroka (Yellowhead, CPC), who later directed questions to the witness.

He noted that while he is from Alberta, he is now a research fellow at the University of Michigan conducting research using the ZEUS laser system funded by the National Science Foundation in 2019. He painted a narrative that the majority of these particular research lasers are at U.S. institutions, while noting that the Advanced Laser Light Source in Quebec also belongs to the LaserNetUS network and can be booked by researchers to run experiments. He commented on a global push for petawatt powered lasers in the US, Europe and Asia, suggesting that he has not seen any commitment for this research in Canada.

Arinjay Banerjee, (As an Individual)

Offered remarks that pitched an international moon shot program that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. He suggested that Canada is strategically positioned to lead this as a global initiative.

Cate Murray, and Michael Rudnicki (Stem Cell Network)

Pitched that it is the human body that presents the opportunity to achieve the greatest moonshot of all - the eradication of disease, of illness and of injury. Offering that a regenerative medicine moonshot is "ambitious, audacious and grand."

Baljit Singh, (University of Saskatchewan)

Pitched the committee on his vision for a moonshot program centred on a food-secure world. Offering his criteria on what should be considered when designing and funding moonshot programs, including the inspirational, credible, expertise/capacity, and imaginative.

Kevin Smith, (University Health Network)

Proposed a number of potential moonshot programs in the health sciences space. Recommended the committee explore creating a national strategy for identifying and establishing moonshot programs, ensuring they are sustainable. He directed the committee to the work done by the Brookfield Institute to identify five policy recommendations for successful moonshots, which are to:

1. Clearly define a grand challenge anchored in unaddressed real-world needs.
2. Facilitate policy innovation by giving delivery agencies lean, agile and independent governance structures.
3. Create a portfolio of moonshot projects that are truly cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, inclusive, and embrace a range of different risk levels.
4. Support the full innovation continuum and the value chain from invention and basic science right through to manufacturing and commercialization.
5. Focus on clear, central metrics that matter to the success of the grand challenge, and in this case show value to Canadians.

Amee Barber, (General Fusion)

Pitched the field of fusion research as a potential candidate for a moonshot program to provide zero-emission energy to Canadians. Offered remarks about Canada's well-known commercialization gap.

SRSR Meeting - December 5, 2022

Anya Waite, (Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director Ocean Frontier Institute)

Dr. Waite recommended that Canada will take a leadership role in an initiative to launch a global exemplar of ocean observation. She discussed the importance of launching a step-change in ocean observation to reach climate targets as the ocean is missing in the conversation around carbon-based climate targets. She noted that if ocean carbon absorption does not continue then achieving the net-zero targets will not achieve our climate goals.

Chad Gaffield, (Chief Executive Officer, U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities)

Dr. Gaffield deliberated on the importance of developing top talent in science and research. He noted that while Canada's talent innovation ecosystem has great potential, it is operating at too small a scale. He noted that Canadian universities face funding pressures to retain top talent and that research initiatives must be supported and elevated with structures and dedicated funding.

Guy Rouleau, (Director, Montréal Neurological Institute and Hospital (As an individual))

Dr. Rouleau discussed the importance of the brain and that while other fields have made great scientific strides, neuro-sciences have much work to do. He noted that the neuro-science community in Canada is vibrant, unified and attracting top talent which has created the perfect condition for successful moonshots.

Stéphanie Michaud, (President and Chief Executive Officer) and John Bell (Scientific Director, BioCanRx)

Dr. Michaud referred to the United States and Europe's moonshot programs for treating cancer and the hope that Canada invests on a larger scale. She noted a lack of coordination for translational research. Dr. Bell discussed how BioCanRx has advanced the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies, citing genetically engineers patients' personalized cells as an example. He gave the example of a patient who prolonged their life through BioCanRx' clinical trial and noted concern for the trial as their funding is sun setting in March 2023.

Joseph McBrearty, (President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories)

Mr. McBrearty spoke to the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) estimate that isotopes produced in Chalk River have been used in over one billion medical procedures. He emphasized that CNL intends to help cure cancer through studying and producing research quantities of a rare and highly sought-after isotope. He noted that CNL has developed a small-scale generator for research. He also noted that CNL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a radiopharmaceutical biotech company based out of Germany to build on the isotope production.

Annex B – Questions Posed by MPs, International Moonshots Program

Conservative Party of Canada (CPC)

Dan Mazier (Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa)

• Discussed with witnesses the importance of the internet in sharing knowledge and creating a culture of innovation. In this vein, he framed rural access to internet as limiting to economic growth opportunities and suggested that providing reliable internet to all regions across the country could be a moonshot.
• He and witnesses also discussed how Canada can benefit from its scientific relationship with the US to develop our own moonshots, and build a pool of talent based on the exchange of international students.
• Explored the idea of nuclear energy or fusion as a moonshot, as a means to drive low emission energy, and help achieve net-zero targets.
• Probed witnesses on the skilled-labour shortage in Canada, seeking input on their experiences and pressure points in the system.
• Explored policy and regulatory challenges limiting the flow of private capital and investment into energy projects (nuclear and fusion) that could lower Canadian GHG emissions.
• Asked about statements made by witnesses about Canada's well-known commercialization gap.
• The use of AI in agriculture and noted that Canada should lead in agricultural research projects to support food security.

Corey Tochor (Saskatoon—University)

• Discussed how Canada should increase investment and drive talent and domestic capacity, using vaccine production in Canada during the pandemic as an example.
• With CNL, noted the importance of using isotopes for imaging and the need to detect cancers early for better treatment. Discussing how CNL is a world leader in developing nuclear technology, given their presence in CANDU reactors in Canada, spoke to how nuclear is needed to wean off of fossil fuel and Small Micro Reactors as a clean energy solution.

Ben Lobb (Huron—Bruce)

• Asked witnesses why Canada has such a shortage of doctors and a lack of students entering the medical field. Building on this discussion, they conversed on the potential of a moonshot related to recognizing the credentials of foreign workers to fill the gap in employment that we currently see.
• He also questioned whether witnesses believed that nuclear energy could be part of the clean technology strategy and how environmental assessments should be expedited.
• Noting that issues going on for many years have not been solved, how can moonshots help in fixing current challenges before we invest in other moonshots?
• Asked witnesses how big research facilities, like the SNOLAB, and companies like General Fusion are financed and operated. Asking why private capital flows to US projects and companies and not those in Canada.
• Prefaced by noting the significant public funding going into fundamental research, he explored how to explain big science, and scientific research to "Joe Public" at Tim Horton's.

Gerald Soroka (Yellowhead)

• In questioning his nephew, Brandon Russell, (Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science) he discussed what could improve better research, or better understanding of plasma physics here in Canada; and why other countries are coming to the States to collaborate on research in the space. He sought details on the ZEUS laser system built in Michigan, and how to build it in Canada.
• Discussed barriers and challenges posed by policies, programs or government initiatives. In response witnesses offered funding cycles, and regulatory barriers, immigration delays, and corporate research limitations in funding agreements as challenges.
• Asked if greater investment in witness facilities is to expand current research capabilities, or if it entails new infrastructure for new research opportunities.
• Explored the idea that even with significant private sector investment, are witnesses still having issues getting funding?

Ryan Williams (Bay of Quinte)

• Discussed if Canada has the correct IP policies, and innovation policies to bridge the commercialization gap.
• Explored how Canada can compete with the US when the scale of government investment in clean technology through the Inflation Reduction Act is so vast compared to Canadian or even European investments in the space.

Alex Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound)

• Discussed the research advancements made on Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). They also discussed how CNL sees an opportunity to be a world leader in isotope production and processing.

Liberal Party of Canada (LPC)

Stéphane Lauzon (Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation)

• Explored how artificial intelligence could play a role in various moonshot programs to address local problems like wasting disease if more data specific to a situation was available, and how the government could support that type of research.
• Explored the role of AI in enhancing diagnostic tools for brain research, or in addressing research in agriculture.
• Discussed how we can support cultural changes, through moonshot research programs proposed by witnesses. Focusing the conversation on the agricultural sector where there needs to be a partnership with producers to assist in large-scale crop and soil research.
• Explored what witnesses felt best attracts top talent to Canada, including research infrastructure and existing research expertise.

Lena Metlege Diab (Halifax West)

• Asked for examples of what Canada should be doing in the space of moonshot research.
• Discussed the need for more regulatory movement and further investment in ocean research with witnesses.

Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay—Rainy River)

• Discussed with witnesses if they are frustrated with the fact the people who know nothing about the field of research, and what is important, have the ability to fund and make the policies that impact research and innovation.
• Asked if it is possible to fund a cancer moonshot and hope for rapid successes, as was seen when the world focused on a vaccine for COVID-19.

Valerie Bradford (Kitchener South—Hespler)

• Discussed the role of curiosity-driven research being a main factor in driving innovation.
• Explored the role of CIFAR in bringing forward near moonshot projects, and if government can look to CIFAR to understand how they develop their priorities.
• Explored the costs of customized medicine to the health care system with proponents' regenerative medicine moonshot programs.
• Discussed with witnesses how Canada could play a leadership role in convening global research efforts, and what structure or supports are needed to build and deploy moonshot programs.

Sonia Sidhu (Brampton South)

• Identified the Canada Space Agency and its impressive ability to punch above its weight class through international collaboration. Asking if other departments can learn from this example.

Chad Collins (Hamilton East Stoney Creek)

• Spoke of the role universities and the government in creating a culture of innovation and economic benefit in building and supporting moonshot programs.
• Asked witnesses for international examples Canada can model its own moonshot programs, or if there are programs in Canada today that should be identified for a moonshot/strategic investment opportunity.
• Explored what if any conditions should be attached to funding.
• Asked witnesses for suggestions on federal-provincial collaboration to investment in moonshot projects across the country?

Bloc Québecois

Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (Rimouski-Neigette—Temiscouta—Les Basques)

• Discussed with witnesses how the COVID‑19 pandemic changed the way things are done in funding, research and collaboration, and, of course, scientific communication. Extending that line of question to probe witnesses on how Canada is the only G7 country to not produce a COVID-19 vaccine, and the consequences of years of disinvestment in R&D and in the biopharmaceutical sector in Canada. Exploring with witnesses how the government should allocate the funds intended for the health research.
• Discussed the role of Open Science and the sharing of data in accelerating the pace of medical discovery. As seen during the pandemic.
• Explored climate change in the context of moonshots, and if that could make a difference to help Canada meet its commitments. Noting other recommendations that Canada begins spending 2% of GDP on climate change and create new crown corporations to address the issue.
• He was critical of Canada's stagnant or reduction of funding for research and development and the role that plays in bringing students to Canada. Discussed the need to become the first choice for international students.
• Commenting that moonshot-type programs focus a lot of funds on few projects, asked witnesses if this risks government needing to neglect other equally important projects. While also asking some witnesses what type of moonshot program should be built.
• Asked if markets should be allowed to determine research priorities.
• Discussed cutting-edge scientific research being highly international, and therefore extremely competitive. Countries must compete with each other to keep and even attract talent from abroad. Asking witnesses if Canada struggling to compete with other developed countries to retain and attract top talent.

Jean-Denis Garon (Mirabel, BQ)

• Questioned witnesses on the difference between applied research being driven by commercialization, while fundamental research is a public good and so should be publicly supported.
• Discussed with witnesses the funding level of federal grants and scholarships being roughly the same value as they were 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. Linking that flat funding level to the ecosystem that is required to fund and sustain moonshot programs.

New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP)

Richard Cannings (South Okanagan—West Kootenay)

• Discussed Canada's expansion of production during war time and how we can utilize this to act on climate change. Touching on the idea with witnesses that government can coordinate a vast amount of resources to prioritize in emergencies. Noting that this is something not yet seen with climate change.
• Noted that both the government and private sector need to be involved in the solution but that the government needs to lead the response and mandate the private sector to act on their behalf.
• Discussions were also held on the international work that is being done on climate change that Canada can take inspiration from. Witnesses raised examples from other G7 countries and measures by municipalities in Canada.
• Asking how can we decide what moonshot program to invest in? Are there international examples that we can use? Witnesses offered the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research has been hugely successful in funding moonshots on a small scale.
• Also asked witnesses how we ensure public trust in these projects.
• Discussed with witnesses how to weigh the funding levels of basic vs. applied science and sought recommendations for the committee. In the context of the question he mentioned CHIME, located at the NRC DRAO Facility in his riding.
• In speaking of his own experience as a bird biologist and monitoring of West Nile virus, discussed with witnesses the collaborative and multidisciplinary nature of moonshots.
• Explored the idea that real funding to individuals through the tri-council has not increased since 2003.

C. NRC Facts and Figures

1. NRC Two Roles (Slide)

2. NRC Challenge Program Fact Sheet (December 2022)

Key facts - NRC CSTIP Collaborative R&D Initiatives

The government has invested a total of $140.9 million G&C funding through nine (9) Challenge and five (5) Cluster Support programs, New Beginnings, Small Team and Outreach initiatives, delivered by the NRC-CSTIP to-date.

3. NRC-IRAP Support for Vaccines & Therapeutics (as of January 24, 2022)

In March 2020, NRC IRAP was tasked by the Government of Canada to build on its existing relationships with thousands of Canada's most innovative SMES to expedite technology development in response to COVID-19. NRC IRAP's activities in response to COVID-19 include research, development and deployment of products, processes and/or services projects. Projects supported by the NRC IRAP's COVID-19 response may enhance Canada's long-term capacity to combat future pandemics.

4. NRC Corporate Fact Sheet (2021-2022)

The National Research Council (NRC) advances knowledge, assists government policy mandates, and supports business innovation. The NRC fact sheet provides a quick reference for key NRC statistics for a given fiscal year. The information below refers to data for the 2021-22 fiscal year as of May 2022. This information can be communicated to both internal and external audiences.

People

• 4,286 total NRC full‑time equivalent staff including 2,228 scientists, engineers and technicians and 262 IRAP industrial technology advisors
• 487 students, postdoctoral fellowships and research associates
• 26.7% women in STEM (relative to Canadian market availability of 25.8%)
• 95 nationalities in our workforce
• 24 laboratory locations
• 106 IRAP points of service

Scientific achievements

In 2021, NRC researchers published a total of 1,187 peer-reviewed publications ^{Footnote 1}, which represented 52 publications per 100 scientists/engineers/technicians.

The NRC field-weighted citations score^{Footnote 2} on a 3‑year average (2019‑2021 calendar years) was 1.21 relative to world average.

In 2021, the co-authorship rate with external partners^{Footnote 1} was 81% including:

• United Kingdom: 9.6%
• Germany: 8.6%
• Japan: 5.1%

Patents

In 2021-22, the NRC:

• filed 270 new patent applications
• had a portfolio of 1,855 active patents (issued or pending)
  • had 542 under license
  • had 441 patent families

R&D clients

• In 2021-22, we had 1,035 research and development clients and worked on 1,114 distinct research and development projects for those clients.
• According to the Annual Client Satisfaction Survey, 93% of respondents said the NRC helped them achieve results^{Footnote 3} such as increased jobs, sales and R&D capacity.

Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP)

• 9,078 clients
  • 3,657 firms funded
  • 5,421 firms received advisory services only
• 16,160 jobs supported
• 32% total revenue growth of client firms^{Footnote 4} – as an average compound annual growth rate over the 2018-2020 period
• 18% employee growth of client firms^{Footnote 4} – as an average compound annual growth rate over the 2018-2020 period

Financials (unaudited results)^{Footnote 5}

Figure 1. Total expenditures (operating, capital, and grants and contributions)

Figure 1. Total expenditures - Text version

• Total: $1,436.3M
  • Research centres $871.1M
  • NRC IRAP $565.2M

 

Figure 2. Funding programs · $590.8M (grants and contributions expenditures)

Figure 2. Funding programs - Text version

• IRAP $468.0M
• TRIUMF $62.2M
• Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation $31.9M
• Telescopes $27.5M
• Other grants & contributions $1.2M

Figure 3. Total revenue

Figure 3. Total revenue - Text version

• Total: $169.8M
  • 48%Industry
  • 45% Other government departments
  • 7% Other (academia, non‑profits, etc.)

 

 

5. NRC Student Placement (FY 2021-22)

6. NRC Pay Scales (Annual and Hourly)

Students/ Post-Doc/ RCO

Postdoc Fellow

RO/RCO

7. NRC Intellectual Property Figures

D. Key Messages – Research and Scientific Publication in French

1. National Research Council scientific publication in French

Question: Can the government comment on how the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) serves the needs of francophone scientists by encouraging the publication of scientific research in French?

Key messages (136 words)

• The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) respects the Official Languages Act and the relevant Treasury Board policies.
• The NRC Publications Archive is the NRC's online institutional repository for the storing, managing and sharing of NRC-authored technical reports, conference publications, articles and other similar works.
• Documents in the NRC Publications Archive are available in the language in which the authors have chosen to communicate their scientific results. However, abstracts may, upon request, be made available in both official languages.
• NRC scientific publications are accessible in the language in which they were originally published through various online sources, such as publishers' websites, bibliographic databases (e.g. Scopus), and the Federal Science Libraries Network.
• The best way to bolster access to French research is to ensure that Canada's research and science enterprise includes and supports Francophone researchers.

Supplementary messages

• If pressed on official languages
  • The National Research Council of Canada respects the Official Languages Act and the relevant Treasury Board policies, we are committed to ensuring all information and services on our website are available in both English and French.
• If pressed on communicating to the public in both official languages
  • The National Research Council of Canada adheres to the Government of Canada's Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and its supporting tools, which requires the NRC to communicate with the public, in both official languages, about its policies, programs, services and initiatives.

Background

Related NRC Statistics

2021-2022 NRC Publications Indicators

1,187

Peer-reviewed publications^{Footnote 1}
52 publications per 100 scientists/engineers/technicians

1.21

Citation score^{Footnote 2} relative to world average

81%

Co-authorship rate with external partners, of which^{Footnote 1}
United Kingdom 9.6% · Germany 8.6% · Japan 5.1%

(Source: NRC Fact Sheet 2021-2022)

The NRC uses Scopus to report publicly on the number of peer-reviewed publications produced by its researchers. Scopus is one of the two curated bibliometric databases (the other one being Web of Science) considered an international standard for evaluating research. It contains peer-reviewed articles from approved sources with ethical publishing practices.

NRC Francophone Workforce

30%

Proportion of the NRC total workforce who have selected French as their first official language (as of March 31, 2022)

25%

Proportion of the NRC STEM^{Footnote 6} workforce who have selected French as their first official language (as of March 31, 2022)

NRC Publications Archive

Documents in the NRC Publications Archive are not translated from the language in which the authors have chosen to originally communicate their scientific results.

In developing the NRC Publications Archive (NPARC) OL Policy, two main factors were considered:

1. The cost in translating all submitted content is prohibitive;
2. The challenges/risk in translating content that is very technical in nature due to losing research integrity. There is a risk that critical scientific information could be lost in translation, increasing the risks of decisions made from translated scientific publications.

NPARC includes approximately 61,900 total records, including about 1,900 records in French.

• Almost 50% of the 1900 records include the full text articles (as opposed to just an abstract). These records include technical reports, journal articles, NRC newsletters, construction codes, etc.

Additionally, some documents in the NRC Publications Archive are from external sources that are not subject to the Official Languages Act. In such cases, the information is posted without modification in the language in which it was provided. While these documents are available in the NRC Publications Archive in the language in which they were originally published, abstracts may, upon request, be made available in both official languages.

Other Observations

• In general, the number of scientific articles and other research materials published in French will be very low compared to those published in English.
• Providing searchable abstracts, keywords and required metadata in both official languages can help French speaking researchers and citizens discover scientific information online.

Preparation and approvals

Sector contact: John Burnett, Director, Stakeholder & Parliamentary Affairs (NRC), [Redacted]
Sector approval (ADM/DG-level): Iain Stewart, President (NRC), 613-993-2024

2. Canada announces intention to become full member of SKAO

Question: Can the government comment on how participation in the SKAO will advance scientific discover in Canada?

Key messages (125 words)

• Canada has announced its intention to become a full member of the international SKAO radio astronomy observatory, which will ensure Canadian astronomers will have access to one of the world's leading facilities, further strengthening our reputation in astronomical discovery.
• The SKAO will be a next-generation radio astronomy observatory―the largest in the world―that will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe from the origins of life to the laws of fundamental physics.
• Canada's expertise in radio astronomy and technical contributions to SKAO's core technology will have spin-off applications to help advance other, far-reaching industries―from data centres to satellite communications, signal processing and more.
• In addition to being an important project for astronomy and fundamental science, SKAO is also considered by many to be the ultimate big data project. Canadian contributions to SKAO will result in contracts for Canadian industry and opportunities for Canadian academic institutions.
• SKAO-related technologies, including digital signal processing (DSP) and low-noise amplifiers, are expected to have applications in many sectors such as: telecommunications; industrial (robotics, Internet of Things); consumer electronics; aerospace and defense; data processing and storage; and medical imaging, as well as emerging quantum sectors such as computing, metrology and sensing.

Supplementary messages

• If pressed on how much Canada will invest to become a full member
  • The NRC will be in a position to share the full details of Canada's membership following the signing ceremony in the coming months.
  • Participation in the SKAO will expand knowledge of the origins of our Universe and the laws of physics in order to better understand the world we live in.
  • Canadian contributions to SKAO will result in contracts for Canadian industry and opportunities for Canadian academic institutions.
  • Currently, there are 9 Canadian companies spread over 3 regions already benefitting from SKAO-related research and development. Canada's increased involvement in the SKAO, by becoming a full member, will benefit other regions and communities.
• If pressed on whether Indigenous communities were consulted and whether consent was obtained for the location of the telescopes and/or on whether SKAO will experience the same level of protest and delay seen at the Thirty Meter Telescope
  • The SKAO is committed to the sustainable development of the project across the globe, with a particular focus on building partnerships with Indigenous and local communities at the remote sites where the dishes and antennas will be located.
  • Respecting Indigenous cultures and the local populations, and engaging positively with those communities, has been a key consideration since the inception of the SKAO. This approach is aligned with the NRC's priorities on Indigenous engagement and reconciliation.
  • SKAO and its host country partner institutions have led extensive consultations with the local and Indigenous populations where both telescopes are located. To learn more about the SKAO and its consultations with Indigenous communities, please contact the SKAO.
• If pressed on the environmental impacts of building and operating observatories
  • The SKA telescopes are designed to deliver transformational science for at least 50 years. The SKAO's aim is to build and operate a sustainable observatory and work to minimize negative environmental and other impacts of the construction and operation of the telescopes over their entire lifetime. To this end, the SKAO has included sustainability as a requirement within its procurement policy.
  • To learn more about the SKAO and its commitment to sustainability, please contact the SKAO.

Background

The science behind the telescope

Radio astronomy, the study of naturally occurring radio emissions from celestial objects, provides an alternative view of the Universe that could not be obtained any other way. Radio telescopes – radio antennas used individually or linked together in an array – detect these radio emissions, which have wavelengths about one million times longer than visible light.

Each SKAO telescope site (Australia and South Africa) will have a large Central Processing Facility, housing state-of-the-art equipment (such as correlators, beamformers, pulsar search and timing engines, and timing- and power-distribution equipment) necessary for the functioning of the telescopes.

The two telescopes are being built on existing radio observatory sites which will be expanded to house the new infrastructure. Although the two telescopes will each observe separately, they (together with host country support facilities, the United Kingdom's headquarters office and a global network of data centres called SKAO Regional Centres [SRCs] located in some member countries), will form a single observatory.

NRC's involvement in the SKAO project

The National Research Council of Canada's Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research (HAA) Centre is the Government of Canada's foremost authority on astronomy and astrophysics. HAA is mandated to operate and administer any observatories established or maintained by the Government of Canada.

HAA serves the astronomy community by facilitating access to international telescopes, designing and developing innovative technologies with industry, and providing specialized astronomy data management tools, to enable the Canadian astronomy community to perform research at the highest level of international science.

HAA engages industry in the design and development of the innovative technologies that make our domestic and international observatories ever more powerful, for astronomers in Canada and around the world.

We support more than 60% of the global astronomy community through our Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC), one of the largest and most powerful astronomy data centres in the world. The CADC is well-positioned to contribute to the development of a SKA Regional Centre.

The NRC has been involved in the pre-construction phase of the SKA since 2012. In conjunction with industry partners, the NRC has made two key contributions to the SKA design:

• Developed the SKA-Mid Correlator Beamformer with industry partner MDA. Better known as the "brain" or processor behind the telescope in South Africa, the TALON-DX processing board will take in data from all 197 antennas and produces the visibilities needed to make astronomical images, with an unmatched combination of speed and efficiency.
• In addition, the NRC has developed the prototype for the Low Noise Amplifiers, the technology which increases the very faint signals detected from space, without introducing unwanted noise. This technology is already in use at the co-located South African MeerKAT telescope.

Preparation and approvals

Sector contact: John Burnett, Director, Stakeholder & Parliamentary Affairs (NRC), [Redacted]
Sector approval (ADM/DG-level): Iain Stewart, President (NRC), 613-993-2024

E. Key Messages – Research and Scientific Publication in French

1. Fall Economic Statement – National Research Council Recapitalization

• To drive innovation and increase the impact of Canada's science and technology, universities and industry need access to state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities.
• That is why, in the Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced over a billion dollars to renew the National Research Council's research and development facilities.
• These facilities are unique to Canada and the world, and are critical to supporting industrial innovation linked to emerging technologies.
• Modernized National Research Council facilities will foster collaboration between industry, academia and government to accelerate innovation and bring new technologies to market.

• L'accès à des équipements et à des installations de recherche de pointe pour les universités et l'industrie est essentiel afin de stimuler l'innovation et d'accroître les retombées de la science et de la technologie.
• C'est pourquoi, dans l'Énoncé économique d'automne, le gouvernement du Canada a annoncé l'octroi de plus d'un milliard de dollars pour renouveler les installations de recherche-développement du Conseil national de recherches du Canada.
• Ces installations sont uniques au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde, et sont indispensables pour soutenir l'innovation industrielle liée aux technologies émergentes.
• Les installations modernisées du Conseil national de recherches du Canada favoriseront la collaboration entre l'industrie, le milieu universitaire et le gouvernement afin d'accélérer l'innovation et la mise en marché de nouvelles technologies.

Supplementary messages

• The revitalization of the NRC's research and development facilities and real property is an opportunity to advance research excellence, better partner with universities and industry, and increase the impact of the NRC's work in support of Canada's science, technology and innovation goals.
• The revitalization follows a comprehensive review of 126 research facilities carried out by the NRC in 2021, including assessments by panels of Canadian and international subject matter experts from academia, industry, and government.

• La revitalisation des installations et des biens immobiliers destinés à la recherche et au développement du CNRC est une occasion de promouvoir l'excellence en recherche, de mieux collaborer avec les universités et l'industrie et d'accroître les retombées des travaux du CNRC en appui aux objectifs du Canada en matière de science, de technologie et d'innovation.
• La revitalisation fait suite à un examen complet de 126 installations de recherche par le CNRC en 2021, y compris des évaluations par des groupes d'experts canadiens et internationaux issus du milieu universitaire, de l'industrie et du gouvernement.

Background

Between September 2017 and March 2021, the National Research Council (NRC) conducted a comprehensive review of 126 research facilities, including assessments by panels of Canadian and international subject matter experts from academia, industry, and government. The review sought to create an inventory of NRC-owned facilities, to determine the value that each facility provides to the NRC and to Canada, and to provide evidence and recommendations for renewal, investment planning, and divestiture.

This process allowed the NRC to gain valuable information about its research and development (R&D) facilities, their place within the broader national and international landscape, and their investment needs, which will inform the organization on investment planning for years to come.

Key findings from the expert panel include that the NRC is uniquely situated to act as a steward of major scientific platforms in Canada, the NRC facilities play an important part in Canada's research capacity, and some NRC facilities are considered a cornerstone to certain industrial or academic clusters.

The 126 facility reviews that were conducted revealed total investment needs of approximately $734 million over the next 10 years, which represents approximately 40% of the total replacement value for these facilities ($1,838 million). The total investment includes approximately $489 million required within 5 years and $245 million required in 6 to 10 years.

NRC employees who engage in research and development activities will also benefit from modern research infrastructure, as will those employees who administer these facilities. The NRC has a total workforce composed of 36.6% women, 18.1% racialized Canadians, 2% persons with disabilities, and 0.8% Indigenous peoples.

The NRC has a range of unique research facilities across Canada that support key sectors like aerospace, advanced manufacturing, construction, telecom, defence, life sciences, and digital technologies, among others.

In its Fall 2022 Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced $962.2 million over eight years, and $121.1 million ongoing, to renew support to the NRC's research and development facilities.

2. Budget 2022 investments in science and research

• Our government is investing to help cement Canada's position as a world leader in research and innovation, building a global brand that will attract talent and capital for years to come.
• Since 2016, we have provided more than $14 billion in new resources to support science and research.
• In addition, our government proposed establishing a new innovation and investment agency to proactively work with Canadian businesses, helping them make the investments needed to innovate, grow and be competitive.

• Notre gouvernement investit pour mieux consolider la position du Canada en tant que chef de file mondial de la recherche et de l'innovation, en créant une marque mondiale qui attirera des talents et des capitaux pour les années à venir.
• Depuis 2016, notre gouvernement a fourni plus de 14 milliards de dollars en nouveau financement pour soutenir les sciences et la recherche.
• Nous avons aussi proposé de créer une nouvelle agence d'innovation et d'investissement pour travailler de manière proactive avec les entreprises canadiennes afin de les aider à faire les investissements nécessaires pour innover, croître et être concurrentielles.

Supplementary messages

• Through Budget 2022, the Government of Canada proposed more than $500 million in new investments to support and protect Canadian research and science.
• A plan for a long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic must look to challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the years and decades to come.
• It must be led by a growth strategy that builds on the unique competitive advantages of the Canadian economy.

• Dans le cadre du budget 2022, le gouvernement du Canada a proposé plus de 500 millions de dollars en nouveaux investissements pour soutenir et protéger la recherche et les sciences au Canada.
• Un plan de relance à long terme au lendemain de la pandémie de COVID-19 doit tenir compte des défis à relever et des possibilités à exploiter dans les années et les décennies à venir.
• Il doit être s'appuyer sur une stratégie de croissance qui tire parti des avantages concurrentiels particuliers à l'économie canadienne.

Update

On April 7, 2022, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, tabled the Government of Canada's 2022 Budget. Through this budget, the government proposed a series of measures designed to help Canadian businesses to innovate and become global leaders in the industries that will grow the economy and create new jobs.

Through Budget 2022, the government proposed a series of measures to support, leverage and protect Canadian research and science to grow the Canadian economy. Among these measures, the following could be considered the most significant, in terms of funding, to support, leverage and protect research and science:

• $159.6 million, starting in 2022-23, and $33.4 million ongoing, to implement the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships:
  • $125 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $25 million ongoing, for the Research Support Fund to build capacity within post-secondary institutions to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks to research security.
  • $34.6 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $8.4 million ongoing, to enhance Canada's ability to protect our research, and to establish a Research Security Centre that will provide advice and guidance directly to research institutions.
• $100 million over six years, starting in 2022-23, to the federal granting councils to support post-secondary research in developing technologies and crop varieties that will allow for net-zero emission agriculture.
• $47.8 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, and $20.1 million ongoing to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to launch a new national lab-to-market platform to help graduate students and researchers take their work to market.
• $40.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $9.7 million ongoing to the federal granting councils to support targeted scholarships and fellowships for promising Black student researchers.
• $38.3 million over four years, starting in 2023-24, and $12.7 million ongoing for the federal granting councils to add new, internationally recruited Canada Excellence Research Chairs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This will support a further 12 to 25 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs— reinforcing Canada's competitive advantage as a destination of choice for world-class researchers.

3. Moonshot / Vaccine Moonshot Programs

• Science and research have been at the heart of the government's priorities since day one.
• We have made major strategic investments in areas where Canada has major comparative advantages and is well positioned to achieve ambitious goals.
• Initiatives such as the Pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy, the National Quantum Strategy, the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, and the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy are a few examples of our government's support for science.

• La science et la recherche sont au cœur des priorités du gouvernement depuis le premier jour.
• Nous avons fait d'importants investissements stratégiques dans des domaines où le Canada possède des avantages comparatifs majeurs et est bien placé pour atteindre des objectifs ambitieux.
• Des initiatives comme la Stratégie pancanadienne en matière de génomique, la Stratégie quantique nationale, la Stratégie pancanadienne en matière d'intelligence artificielle et la Stratégie en matière de biofabrication et de sciences de la vie du Canada ne sont que quelques exemples du soutien que notre gouvernement accorde à la science.

Supplementary messages

• The Government of Canada is making critical strategic investments in cutting-edge life sciences and research to accelerate the development and commercialization of Canada's world-class vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
• That is why the government launched the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy to ensure Canada has the talent, experience and expertise to develop vaccines and therapeutics as a global leader in the life sciences.
• Since 2020, the Government of Canada has invested $1.8 billion across Canada to accelerate the development and commercialization of commercial vaccines and therapeutics.
• Within my mandate, I have also been asked to lead on the creation of a new fund to pursue moonshot research into high-impact illnesses where a vaccine may be possible.

• Le gouvernement du Canada effectue des investissements stratégiques et cruciaux dans les sciences de la vie et la recherche de pointe afin d'accélérer le développement et la commercialisation de vaccins, de produits thérapeutiques et de services de diagnostic canadiens de calibre mondial.
• C'est pourquoi le gouvernement a lancé la Stratégie en matière de biofabrication et de sciences de la vie afin de s'assurer que le Canada possède le talent, l'expérience et l'expertise nécessaires pour mettre au point des vaccins et des produits thérapeutiques en sa qualité de chef de file mondial dans le domaine des sciences de la vie.
• Depuis 2020, le gouvernement du Canada a investi 1,8 milliard de dollars dans tout le pays pour accélérer le développement et la commercialisation de vaccins et de produits thérapeutiques commerciaux.
• Dans le cadre de mon mandat, on m'a également demandé de diriger la création d'un nouveau fonds destiné à la poursuite de la recherche sur les maladies à forte incidence pour lesquelles un vaccin pourrait être développé.

Background

Moonshot programs can be defined as initiatives where ambitious goals are set to apply innovation to tackle "massive" environmental, economic, and social challenges. Through moonshot programs governments and/or their executive agencies often play a leading role: partnering with businesses and researchers to generate ideas and technologies in response to major challenges, and supporting the translation of these ideas and technologies into commercial solutions. It is by focusing on these challenges that the economic benefits of innovation can ultimately be realized.

A significant number of moonshot agencies and programs are inspired by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). They fund and coordinate exploratory and ground-breaking projects (moonshots), which deploy radical solutions by developing breakthrough technologies to meet complex and ambitious goals. They focus on specific and ambitious problems to be solved and are implemented in dedicated agencies or programs with strong leadership. Other examples can be found in Norway (Pilot-E), Sweden (Challenge Driven Innovation Initiative), the U.K. (Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the new Advanced Research and Invention Agency), and the U.S. (ARPA-E).

While Canada does not have a moonshot initiative equivalent to DARPA, it does have a number of initiatives tackling ambitious societal problems: Canada's National Quantum Strategy, the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, the Pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy, the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, and the National Research Council Challenge programs.

4. NRC Challenge Programs: Overview and Key Messages

Background Briefing Material
Prepared by: Policy, Strategy and Performance (NRC)
Prepared on: November 22, 2022

Key Messages (General):

• When we support new ideas and help scientists in government, businesses and universities work together, we create conditions for breakthrough technologies that benefit all Canadians.
• Through Challenge programs, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is partnering with a range of private, public, academic, and other research organizations in Canada and internationally to advance research in priority areas that matter to Canadians. They support a healthier future, a more sustainable economy, and Canadian wealth through innovation.
• The outcome-focused, multidisciplinary programs aim to deliver solutions and breakthroughs within seven years, to tackle major economic, social and environmental challenges facing Canada.
• The NRC plays a central role as an expert, convener and enabler in Canada's innovation ecosystem.
• The NRC brings together the best innovative minds from across the country and the world, to address challenges we face today and tomorrow: developing clean and sustainable sources of energy, expanding broadband Internet service, developing a sustainable model for long-term care, addressing issues in the Arctic and the North, and using AI and digital technology to support these priorities.

Background

Challenge Programs - Overview

• Starting with Budget 2018, the Government of Canada has provided $356 million dollars to fund collaborative research through the NRC Challenge programs. These programs advance transformative, high-risk, high-reward research that creates conditions for breakthrough technologies.
• Challenge programs enable the NRC to fund partnerships with the private sector and academic and other research organizations, domestically and internationally, to advance transformative, high-risk, high-reward research that address Canadian priorities.
• Projects can involve a range of R&D, including foundational research, knowledge mobilization and pre-commercialization activities.
• The programs encourage partnerships to amplify expertise, resources, reach and success. Through Challenge programs the NRC has enhanced partnerships with the private and public sector, academic and other research organizations in Canada and internationally.
• The core funding is $30M/year, including $24M in Gs&Cs to collaborators offering complementary expertise and working with NRC researchers on Challenge and Cluster programs. However, Challenge programs have successfully established themselves as a tool for government to address problems, evidenced by subsequent Budgets providing funding for new needs as they arise.
• The first round of challenges launched in 2019, since then NRC has rolled out 6 additional challenges to tackle current and emerging government priorities, including the Pandemic Response Challenge program. Two additional programs focused on the built-environment will be launched in 2023.
• Challenge programs encourage a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to research and discovery. Running up to seven years, Challenge programs recognize that not all discovery happens quickly.

NRC Challenge programs – In Brief

• The Pandemic Response Challenge program brought together the best Canadian and international researchers to accelerate COVID-19-related R&D. It allowed the development of diagnostic tools and other medical countermeasures to protect and treat Canadians affected by the pandemic. (Launched July 2020; closed March 2022)
• The Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge program (Energy, Mining and Environment Research Centre), is creating a cleaner, more sustainable Canadian energy and chemical industry by developing new hydrogen and carbon conversion materials for zero-emission transportation fuels and chemical feedstocks. (Launched July 2019; midterm review underway)
• The High-throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program (Advanced Electronics and Photonics Research Centre), is focused on technologies that will allow network operators and service providers to offer secure, affordable high-speed internet in rural and remote communities, with the program's vision being "one gigabit per second everywhere." (Launched July 2019; midterm review underway)
• The Artificial Intelligence for Design Challenge program is advancing algorithms, methods and datasets to assist engineers, researchers and scientists with design and scientific discovery. These technologies will be applied in a wide range of fields, from health to clean fuels to communications networking. (Launched July 2019; midterm review underway)
• The Disruptive Technology Solutions for Cell and Gene Therapy Challenge program (Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre) is delivering innovative, made-in-Canada solutions to enable precision-engineered cell and gene therapies that are accessible and affordable — to treat and potentially cure chronic diseases and rare genetic disorders affecting Canadians. (Launched July 2019; midterm review underway)
• The Aging in Place Challenge program will contribute to a sustainable model for long-term care by supporting choices for preventive home and community-based care — so that older adults and their personal caregivers can enjoy safe, healthy and socially connected lives. This will allow nursing homes to concentrate on older adults with the highest needs while reducing costs to the Canadian healthcare system. (Launched July 2021; ramp up phase)
• The Arctic and Northern Challenge program will address pressing issues affecting the quality of life of Northern peoples in 4 areas: housing, health, food and water. The program is committed to prioritizing Northern-led research projects that have a strong focus on capacity-building in the North. (Launched December 2021; ramp up phase)
• The Internet of Things: Quantum Sensors Challenge program (Security and Disruptive Technologies Research Centre), is concentrated on developing the next generation of quantum sensors. This program is aligned with and helps deliver on Canada's quantum strategy. (Launched May 2021; ramp up phase)
• The NRC just launched a Challenge program for Applied Quantum Computing that will build on Canada's position as a global leader in this field, harnessing the power of these machines for real-world applications through new software and algorithms. The program will also support government-wide quantum initiatives in alignment with the National Quantum Strategy. (Launched September 2022)
• Two new Challenge programs, the Low-Carbon Construction Challenge program, and the Construction Productivity Challenge program (Construction Research Centre), were recently approved. Once launched these will focus on the development of innovative construction materials and to revitalize national housing and building standards to encourage low-carbon construction solutions. (Launching in 2023; under development)

Q&As:

• Are these programs "moonshot programs"?
  • The mission-oriented NRC Challenge programs are intended to tackle economic, social and environmental challenges facing Canada and the world. At times targeting high-risk, high-reward projects the program brings together expertise from government, academia and the private sector to address specific questions. For example, the Cell and Gene Therapy Challenge program is funding a $4.4 million collaboration between the University of British Columbia, the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and Ecogene-21 to develop an improved, affordable and accessible version of the first approved gene therapy for familial lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency. Currently, approved gene therapy products in other jurisdictions such as the US and EU cost millions of dollars per patient.   This is simply not sustainable for patients or healthcare systems.  
• Is the NRC equipped to support large scale/societal altering technologies?
  • The NRC's 14 research centres employ over 2,200 scientists, engineers and technicians at 24 sites across the country. As a cross-disciplinary organization, the NRC is well positioned to deliver new innovations and also plays a central role as an expert, convener and enabler in Canada's innovation ecosystem. This is a key aspect of the Challenge programs, bringing together government, academia and the private sector to harness expertise to tackle these challenges.
• How does the NRC work with the private sector or other partners to advance these technologies?
  • The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program, known as NRC IRAP, is also a critical partner in NRC funding programs. NRC IRAP provides support to businesses throughout Canada and is driven by clients and open to all sectors. NRC IRAP Industrial Technology Advisors work with businesses to help advance their agendas, with 270 advisors in 110 locations in Canada. As such, they are essential in linking collaborators with Challenge programs and have the expertise to help companies collaborate with government and a network that spans the country.
• If pressed on international collaborations to advance technology.
  • Additionally, the NRC represents Canada in many international research partnerships, including through the Challenge programs. This has opened collaboration for Canadian SMEs and universities with partners in countries like Germany and Japan where we have had successful research calls in the areas of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, low-carbon hydrogen and healthy aging.
• How does the NRC do this?
  • Many high potential solutions are also high-risk due to their length. This is where government support whether it be through the NRC's expertise, facilities or funding is critical. The NRC is able to close the gap between earlier stage research mainly driven by academics and near-market ready solutions.
  • Through our Challenge programs, the NRC approach has been to bring researchers from multiple disciplines to work on problems that matter to Canadians. We are helping with the costs of collaboration to refine solutions and set up the foundation needed for future collaborations and commercialization.
• What makes the program a useful/impactful initiative for Canada?
  • Challenge programs are designed to develop innovative world-changing research technologies and breakthroughs that address many of the challenges we are all facing as a global community, from cybersecurity to climate change to pandemics.
  • They have the potential to create new jobs in emerging fields and sectors in not only the private sector, but also in the public arena.
  • Challenge programs take a holistic approach and enable the leveraging of NRC assets, networks, and expertise to collaborate with the brightest to deliver impact.
  • Programs are developed in collaboration with stakeholders and then are delivered together with industry and government advisory committees involved every step of the way.

Success Stories

• In the Cell and Gene Therapy Challenge program the 'Glybera re-invented master project' is a collaborative project between the University of British Columbia, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ecogene-21. It aims to develop an improved, affordable and accessible version of the first approved gene therapy for familial lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency. Currently, approved gene therapy products in other jurisdictions such as the US and EU are priced at millions of dollars per patient. This is simply not sustainable for patients or the Canadian healthcare system.  The Lead gene product and backup have been identified and are in the final stages of preclinical studies. Transfer of the gene therapy manufacturing method to the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute is nearing completion. Pending results meetings with Health Canada are planned for the 2023-24 fiscal year. Total funding for the project is valued at $4.4M.
• The Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge program is working with Ekona Power on the design, build-out and testing of a pulse methane pyrolysis (PMP) reactor to further the production of carbon-free hydrogen. Recently, Ekona launched a Series B financing for up to $70M to enable the scale up of their technology based on results shown to date.
• The High-throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program established the Optical Satellite Consortium, bringing together 20 Canadian organizations, looking at the entire optical satellite communications ecosystem, finding gaps and great opportunities for Canadian companies to build the infrastructure that will bridge the digital divide between urban and remote areas.
• The Artificial Intelligence for Design Challenge program advanced innovative AI and machine learning methods to speed up the process for discovering new molecules for the development of life-saving drug therapies and vaccines.
• The Pandemic Response Challenge program partnered with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and JN Nova Pharma Inc., to study and prioritize biotherapeutic candidates for potential treatment of SARS-CoV-2 patients. A lead ACE2-Fc variant and backup have been selected as a result of this work. JN Nova has received $4.6M from IRAP to continue the development of a drug to block coronavirus infection, while reducing the impacts of the disease in patients exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

5. National Model Building Codes (NRC)

Question: When it comes to building codes, what is the Government of Canada doing to protect Canadians from the impacts of climate and change?

Key messages (97 words)

• The Government of Canada is committed to addressing the impacts of climate change in the built environment on Canadians.
• We are working closely with partners through the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) to address climate change, mitigation and adaptation. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions in construction, improving energy efficiency when altering existing buildings, and new measures to increase resiliency through the National Model Codes.
• Budget 2022 provided the National Research Council of Canada with additional resources for research and development to support low-carbon construction solutions and inform National Model Code development, including referenced standards.

Supplementary messages

• If asked about government efforts to address climate resilience in the National Model Codes.
  • The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is contributing to the Government of Canada's climate resiliency efforts by providing research that supports guidance, tools and standards to ensure a long-lasting built environment from coast to coast to coast.
  • This work is informing technical committees within the National Model Codes development system when they consider revising existing provisions or developing new ones to make Canadian housing and buildings more resilient.
• If asked about enforcement of the National Model Codes.
  • Provincial and territorial governments have legislative authority over building design and construction within their jurisdictions and they adopt, or adapt, the National Model Codes into their regulation for them to come into effect.
  • The federal government works through a collaborative structure with the provinces and territories to develop the National Model Codes for their use. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC), on behalf of the Government of Canada, co-chairs the federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes Policy as well as the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC), alongside provincial and territorial representatives.

Background

National Model Codes

Canada has a centralized system for model code development that began in the 1930s.

The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) is a federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) committee responsible for developing and updating the National Model Codes through a consensus-based process with provincial and territorial partners, construction industry experts, stakeholders, and members of the public. The CBHCC is responsible for the development, approval and maintenance of the National Model Codes, with guidance from technical committees to develop proposed code changes.The National Model Codes are made up of the following five individual codes:

• The National Building Code;
• The National Fire Code;
• The National Plumbing Code;
• The National Energy Code; and
• The National Farm Code (last published in 1995 and under consideration for integration into the above codes – large farm building provisions were updated in the above 2020 codes).

The National Research Council's Codes Canada group supports the new FPT Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes Policy and serves the CBHCC as the secretariat, by providing technical, policy, and administrative support. The NRC publishes the Codes when they are updated, typically every five years, with the latest edition having been published in March 2022. These model codes have no force of law until they are adopted by the provinces and territories.

Greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments

The 2021 mandate letter commits the Minister to work on the "development of model building codes, including publishing a net-zero emissions building code and a model retrofit code by the end of 2024 that align with national climate objectives and provide a standard for climate-resilient buildings."

• Consistent with the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the 2020 editions of the National Energy Code for Buildings and the National Building Code included new energy efficiency tiers, with the highest performance tiers approximating net-zero energy ready levels of new construction (where the addition of on-site renewable energy sources has the potential to achieve net-zero energy use by buildings and houses).
• The CBHCC is developing code provisions for alterations to existing buildings with a focus on energy efficiency for the 2025 Codes, which can be considered to correspond with the model retrofit code commitment of the mandate letter. The CBHCC will produce code language as early as 2024 that provinces and territories could adopt, with code manuals expected to be published in late 2025 and adopted by provinces and territories within 18 months of publication. The NRC will publish a low-carbon guideline for federally-funded construction in 2024.
• The CBHCC is also working to expand the scope of the Codes to regulate GHG emissions reduction. The NRC is working with Code Development System partners to consider zero or near zero operational emissions provisions for the 2025 Codes.
• The NRC, in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada, is undertaking research work in parallel to inform the development of code changes with a target of 2025. Research outputs inform both retrofit and zero or near-zero operational emissions code provisions.

Addressing Climate Resilience in the National Model Codes

In response to the Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, between 2016 and 2021, the NRC led the Climate Resilient Buildings and Core Public Infrastructure Initiative (CRBCPI) with funding from Infrastructure Canada, and most recently the follow-on initiative on Climate Resilient Built Environment (2021-2026). The goal of these initiatives is to provide the knowledge needed to integrate climate resilience into building and infrastructure design, guides, standards, and codes.

Through this funding, guides and standards integrating climate resilience into the design and rehabilitation of public buildings and infrastructure are now available and ready for consideration in updated codes including, the National Model Codes. These initiatives to integrate climate resilience into codes, standards, and guides pertaining to public infrastructure are in agreement with the recommendation of the performance audit from the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development on Federal Support to Mitigate the Effects of Severe Weather.

Preparation and approvals

Sector contact (Director): John Burnett, Director (NRC), [Redacted]
Sector approval (ADM/DG-level): Dr. Shannon Quinn, Secretary General (NRC), 343-540-8081
SCMS contact (Director):
SCMS approval (Exec/ADM-level):

6. Square Kilometer Array Organization (SKAO) Agreement

Key messages

• Canada has announced its intention to become a full member of the international SKAO radio astronomy observatory, which will ensure Canadian astronomers will have access to one of the world's leading facilities, further strengthening our reputation in astronomical discovery.
• The SKAO will be a next-generation radio astronomy observatory―the largest in the world―that will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe from the origins of life to the laws of fundamental physics.
• Canada's expertise in radio astronomy and technical contributions to SKAO's core technology will have spin-off applications to help advance other, far-reaching industries―from data centres to satellite communications, robotics and more.
• In addition to being an important project for astronomy and fundamental science, SKAO is also considered by many to be the ultimate big data project. Canadian contributions to SKAO will result in contracts for Canadian industry and opportunities for Canadian academic institutions.
• SKAO-related technologies, including digital signal processing (DSP) and low-noise amplifiers, are expected to have applications in many sectors such as: telecommunications; industrial (robotics, Internet of Things); consumer electronics; aerospace and defence.

Supplementary messages

• If Pressed on… losing Canadian Intellectual Property
  • An SKAO Intellectual Property Policy is in place, and the agreement ensures that any intellectual property the NRC and its Canadian partners develop, as a result of participation in the SKAO, has protection under that policy. This policy follows best practices for large international scientific projects.
  • In general, the SKAO foresees negotiations between any IP holder and potential sub-licensees. Failing a negotiated solution, the SKAO Council intervenes; Canada will have a strong voice on that council.
• If Pressed on… joining an organization where China is a member
  • A ground-breaking, international facility of this calibre requires collaboration from partners around the world. It provides us with an opportunity to strengthen scientific diplomatic relationships with international partners by working together on a common interest: better understanding the Universe we live in.
  • Canada and China do not work together on any of their workshares. The SKAO only generates astronomical data that will ultimately be available to the worldwide astronomical community.

Background

On January 24, 2023, the Honourable François‑Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced Canada's intention to proceed to full membership in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). The SKAO facility will enable discoveries that will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe, the fundamental laws of physics and the prospects for life on other planets.

Full membership is expected to provide Canadian astronomers a 6 per cent use-share of the observatory, access to a next-generation radio astronomy facility, and support the establishment of a domestic regional centre. This centre will provide direct connections to data collected with the telescope as well as science support to enable ground-breaking discoveries.

The Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) will represent Canada in the governance of the SKAO and will work with domestic and international partners to deliver key observatory systems. The Centre is a highly regarded research centre with the longstanding role of providing radio telescopes and components to international observatories.

Preparation and approvals

Sector contact: John Burnett, Director (NRC) Stakeholder and Parliamentary Affairs, [Redacted]
Sector approval: Iain Stewart, President, NRC, 613-993-2024

7. Research Security

Question: What is the National Research Council doing to address security threats to Canadian research?

Key messages

• Across the federal government, including at the NRC, there is a rigorous security screening process in place to protect federal assets, information and people. Anyone performing work at the NRC requires a reliability status or a security clearance.
• Scientific organizations such as the NRC are world leaders in various economic, technological and research sectors that are of interest to foreign states. The NRC takes significant measures to manage and mitigate these risks.
• As part of its risk mitigation measures, the NRC has security training and an awareness program in place that educates employees and creates a security-conscious work environment to safeguard assets and proprietary information.
• Supporting the NRC's work to assess and mitigate threats to research and sensitive information are the Security Management Committee, and the Coordinating Committee on Research Security.

Supplementary messages

• As President of the NRC, I was co-chair of the DM Task Force on Science and National Security, which reviewed security events targeting the Government of Canada research community and provided 17 recommendations to PCO. In response to these recommendations, the Task Force on Science and National Security was created and is led by Public Safety, with the participation of the NRC.

Background

Report on Science and National Security

In response to a number of high profile security events across Government of Canada science-based departments and agencies (SBDAs), and the research community generally, the Clerk of the Privy Council commissioned a DM Task Force on Science and National Security to identify "quick wins" to reduce security vulnerabilities. This Task Force was co-chaired by the President NRC and DM DND.

Report was delivered in December 2019 and included 17 recommendations.

Delays in implementation were immediately felt due to COVID outbreak.

NRC continued to implement many of the recommendations within its authority without formal GC direction. For example, the 2021 – 2024 Departmental Security Plan adopted many of the recommendations as action items.

NRC Security Management Committee

The Treasury Board Policy on Government Security stipulates that a governance structure is required to ensure effective and efficient management of security, which in turn contributes to effective government-wide security management.

The Security Management Committee (SMC) is the NRC's senior level committee for security management. It acts as an advisory capacity to the President and makes recommendations to the Senior Executive Committee (SEC) in matters regarding the National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) security management.

Its mandate is to support the Chief Security Officer (CSO) in managing and delivering NRC's enterprise security program, including leadership and strategic direction during security incidents. The committee reviews and recommends for approval various activities which support and enable NRC's overall security context.

The SMC is chaired by the NRC Vice President Corporate Services. The other members are:

• 1 Director General from the Business and Professional Services Division
• 1 Executive Director from the Industrial Research Assistance Program
• 3 Directors General from the 4 Research Divisions
• Chief Security Officer, Security Branch (SB)
• Chief Information Officer, Knowledge, Information and Technology Services
• Director General, Administrative Services and Procurement Management
• Executive Director of Health, Safety and Environment

And the non-voting members are:

• Director General, Audit and Evaluation
• Manager, Security Programs and Policy, SB
• Policy and Planning Officer (secretary), SB

NRC Coordinating Committee on Research Security

The mandate of the NRC Coordinating Committee on Research Security is to coordinate NRC activities related to: safeguarding its own research, supporting SMEs in their efforts to protect their research, and contributing to the broader Government of Canada dialogue on research security. The Committee meets quarterly.

Membership in the Committee is based on a combination of formal roles/responsibilities and individual knowledge/expertise on research security issues. Current members include:

• Vice-President, NRC IRAP (Co-Chair)
• Secretary General (Co-Chair)
• Vice-President, Emerging Technologies
• Vice-President, Life Sciences
• Vice-President, Transportation and Manufacturing
• Chief Security Officer
• Chief Information Officer
• Director General, National Programs and Business Services
• Director General, Metrology Research Centre
• Director General, Secretary General's Office
• Director General, IRAP Client Enablement

Preparation and approvals

Sector contact: John Burnett, Director (NRC) Stakeholder and Parliamentary Affairs, [Redacted]
Sector approval: Iain Stewart, President, NRC, 613-993-2024

F. Biographies
House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research

44^th Parliament
Study on International Moonshot Programs & French Scientific Publication

Prepared by: Policy, Strategy and Performance
Originally prepared on: February 16, 2022 (Reviewed, December 8, 2022)

Biographical statements are drawn from public sources including MP websites

The Hon. Kirsty Duncan, P.C., M.P
Chair, Standing Committee on Sciecne and Research

Riding: Etobicoke North

Province: Ontario

Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada

Elected: 2008

Education: PhD Geography (University of Edinburgh)

Professional Background: Scientist/Member of Parliament

Preferred Language: English/French

Biography

Dr. Kirsty Duncan is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Etobicoke North and has been serving the community since 2008. She is the former Minister of Science and is currently serving as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Research. Kirsty was the sponsor of M-38 in the 43rd Parliament which instructed the House of Commons to establish the new Standing Committee on Science and Research.

Prior to entering politics, Kirsty was an associate professor of health studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and an associate professor of geography at the University of Windsor. She holds a doctorate in geography from the University of Edinburgh.

Kirsty is internationally recognized as a leading expert in pandemic influenza, climate change and its impact on human health. She served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an organization that was jointly awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Chair – Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NRC-IRAP Toronto

Stéphane Lauzon, M.P.
Parliamentary Secretary to Rural Economic Development

Riding: Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation

Province: Quebec

Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada

Elected: 2015

Education: Bachelor of Business (in progress)

Professional Background: Project Manager; Municipal Councillor

Preferred Language: French

Biography

After working at Canadian International Paper in the 1980s, Stéphane Lauzon decided to return to school in 1992 to complete a teaching certificate and then worked in the field of vocational training for over 20 years. He became a City of Gatineau municipal councillor in November 2009. Recently, he managed construction projects at a company that he started himself, in addition to his duties as municipal councillor.

These duties included sitting on the Capital Property and Budget Committee, the Standing Committee on Housing, and the Committee on Seniors. In 2012 he became Chair of the Sports, Recreation and Community Life Committee and was Vice-Chair of the 2015 Jeux de la francophonie.

On December 7, 2015, the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau named Stéphane as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Sports and Persons with Disabilities. On August 31st 2018, the Rt.Hon. Justin Trudeau named Stéphane as Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.

On December 12th 2019, the Rt.Hon. Justin Trudeau named Stéphane as Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Seniors.

He is currently working towards a Bachelor of Business Administration at Université du Québec en Outaouais.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member - Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Valerie Bradford, M.P.

Riding: Kitchener South--Hespeler

Province: Ontario

Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada

Elected: 2021

Education:

Professional Background:

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Valerie Bradford has spent the last 15 years supporting small businesses and bringing jobs and investments to Waterloo Region as an economic development professional for the City of Kitchener. She is the former Chair of the Workforce Planning Board, serving in that role for eight years.

With extensive knowledge of the local economy and experience with workforce development, Valerie is well-equipped to help the region recover from the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Valerie has been a volunteer with multiple local organizations. She is dedicated to public service and is committed to being a strong voice for residents of Kitchener South-Hespeler as their Member of Parliament.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research
• Member – Standing Committee on Public Accounts

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Chad Collins, M.P.

Riding: Hamilton East—Stoney Creek

Province: Ontario

Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada

Elected: 2021

Education:

Professional Background: Municipal Councillor; Not-for-Profit

Preferred Language: English

Biography

A lifelong resident of Hamilton East - Stoney Creek, Chad resides in the Davis Creek area with his wife Mary and two children, Chase and Reese. He attended Glendale Secondary School, the University of Western Ontario, and McMaster University. Chad was first elected to City Council in 1995, at the age of 24, making him one of the youngest elected representatives in the City's history.

Chad is passionate about engaging local residents and community stakeholders, focusing on revitalization of infrastructure, development of social housing and stream-lining municipal programs.

As President of City Housing Hamilton, Chad has been committed to addressing the City's aging affordable housing stock by pressuring all levels of government to invest in the much needed repair of over 7,000 publicly owned units. He continues to work on nearly a dozen new projects across the City and in the riding that will provide new affordable housing units to those in need.

From the creation and development of new community parks and trails to the opening of a new food bank, Chad knows community consultation is an integral part of improving quality of life for everyone in Hamilton East - Stoney Creek!

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research
• Member – Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Lena Metledge Diab, M.P.

Riding: Halifax--West

Province: Nova Scotia

Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada

Elected: 2021

Education: Masters of Public Administration; LLB

Professional Background: Lawyer; Business Leader; N.S. Attorney General and Minister of Justice

Preferred Language: English/French

Biography

Born in Halifax, Lena lived in Diman, a small tight-knit Lebanese village, from the age of two, fleeing war at the age of 11 and returning back to her family home in Halifax. Though she did not speak English at the time, Lena applied herself in school and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Public Administration, and a law degree. She also had three children while attending law school and articling.

Lena has served as an MLA and as a member of the provincial cabinet, holding the title of Nova Scotia's first female Attorney General and Minister of Justice. She also served as Minister of Immigration, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, et Ministre des Affaires acadiennes et de la Francophonie.

Her personal values are rooted in respect for diversity, inclusion, and fairness. Lena has a profound respect for history, tradition, and protection of minorities, as she does the ethos of personal and collective responsibility and recognition of the hard work and sacrifices of others. She has also trained in collaborative law and mediation.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research
• Member – Standing Committee on Justice and Human RIghts

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Charles Sousa, M.P.

Riding: Mississauga—Lakeshore

Province: Ontario

Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada

Elected: 2022

Education: Bachelor of Business Administration (Wilfred Laurier), MBA (Richard Ivey School, University of Western Ontario)

Professional Background: former M.P.P. and Ontario Minister of Finance, Commercial Banking Sector, Corporate Director

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Before returning to elected office, Charles Sousa was previously a director on the boards of Wealth One Bank of Canada and IC Savings credit union. He also sat on Canadian University Dubai's board of trustees and chaired Magellan Community Charities (a new LTC & affordable housing complex); spearheaded multiple real-estate development projects and provided support to an M&A firm in the UK. As well, he led a variety of consulting contracts in the financial services industry including as a senior advisor to Loyalist Public Affairs.

MP Charles Sousa is also a former Minister of Finance for Ontario, having been first elected as an MPP to the Ontario Legislature in 2007. He served three terms, spanning over a decade, as Member Provincial Parliament for Mississauga South. As Finance Minister he delivered six budgets, and oversaw several large commercial transactions including the monetization of Hydro One, restructuring of US Steel/Stelco and the reorganization of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. He was also President of Treasury Board, Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, Minister responsible for the Pan/ParaPan Am Games, and Minister of Labour.

Prior to elected office, MP Sousa spent 20 years in commercial banking with RBC Royal Bank and in capital markets at RBC Dominion Securities.

He has been a champion of financial literacy in schools and continues to serve on community boards, chambers and business associations. He was also ambassador for the Credit Valley Hospital Foundation and the Rainbow Ball Foundation.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research
• Member – Standing Committee on National Defense

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NRC Advanced Materials Research Facility, Mississauga Ontario

Corey Tochor, M.P.

Riding: Saskatoon--University

Province: Saskatchewan

Affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada

Elected: 2019

Education: University of British Columbia

Professional Background: Lawyer; Municipal Politics

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Prior to entering politics, Corey was a local Saskatoon entrepreneur who owned and operated Health Conveyance, a communications company that provides electronic messaging in health facilities across the province. Corey graduated with a commerce degree from the U of S with a major in Finance. He had a successful career in sales, e-learning consulting and pharmaceuticals before starting his own business. These experiences have helped Corey become a strong voice for the local Saskatoon business community.

As an active volunteer in his local community, Corey has served for many years on the executive of the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon including on the corporate board for Telemiracle 33, chair of fundraising projects and treasurer of the Kinsmen Activity Place House, a community center supporting Saskatoon's core.

Corey has a wealth of legislative experience and was been a proven team player in Saskatchewan's Brad Wall government. First elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in the 2011 provincial election and re-elected in 2016, Corey's legislative responsibilities began early in his first term when he served as Deputy Chair of Committees. He then served as Deputy Whip and was later appointed Deputy House Leader by Premier Wall. Corey has also served on many legislative committees including Human Services, Public Accounts, and Private Bills. Shortly after being re-elected, Corey gained support and trust of his colleagues and was elected Speaker of the Legislature. He is one of only 25 people to hold this role in Saskatchewan and the second youngest to be elected.

In 2019, Corey was elected to represent the Saskatoon-University riding as the Member of Parliament and served as Shadow Minister for Families, Children and Social Development since February 2021. During his time as a Member of Parliament, Corey focused on 4 key areas: government accountability, advancing Canada's energy independence, pushing for increased funding for the Saskatoon-University riding, and fighting against Internet censorship. 

Corey was born and raised in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. He currently resides in Saskatoon with his wife Danielle and their two young sons, Jacob and James.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Vice Chair – Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NRC Saskatoon
• NRC Plant Biotechnology Institute
• NRC IRAP Saskatoon

Gerald Soroka

Riding: Yellowhead

Province: Alberta

Affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada

Elected: 2019

Education:

Professional Background:  Municipal Office Holder, Farmer, Sector Associations

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Gerald Soroka was elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Yellowhead on October 21, 2019. He resides on a farm north of Evansburg on the original homestead that his grandparents moved to in May of 1930.

Having been raised on the farm it was an easy progression for him to continue farming after graduating from Grand Trunk High School. He farmed and had two off the farm jobs over the next ten years until he went full time farming. During this time he was Vice President and President of West Central Forage Association as well as Vice President of the Alberta Forage Council.

Since living his entire life in the County and having a strong interest in improving his community, he decided in 2004 to run for Division One Councillor in Yellowhead County. When you get elected you learn that you may have gotten elected by your division but you are there to represent the best interests of the entire county. After one term as councillor, he decided to seek the position of Mayor in 2007, a position he held until being elected to Parliament. During his time as Mayor, he was also elected as Vice President of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties from 2008 to 2010.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Dan Mazier, M.P.
Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development & Connectivity

Riding: Dauphin—Swan River--Neepawa

Province: Sasketchewan

Affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada

Elected: 2019

Education: University of Manitoba (Agriculture Diploma)

Professional Background:  Farmer (grains, oilseeds)

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Previously served as the President of Keystone Agriculture Producers (KAP) since 2015 after a four-year commitment as Vice-President. MP Mazier was one of the founding members of the KAP Young Farmers Committee and was the Western representative on the Canadian Young Farmers Forum. At the national level, he represented KAP on the Canadian Federation of Agriculture board and participated in several advocacy days on Parliament Hill.

Additionally, he has served his community as a school trustee for Rolling River School Division, and as a board member for the Manitoba Sustainable Energy Association, the Mid-Assiniboine Conservation District, and the Assiniboine River Basin Initiative (ARBI). Dan was also a founding member of Elton Energy Co-operative, a provincial renewable energy initiative.

Dan is a graduate of the University of Manitoba's Agriculture Diploma program (1984), and was honoured by the faculty in 2013 with a certificate of merit for his contributions in the agriculture industry.

Dan holds a power engineer certification and has worked in the fertilizer industry for 17 years. Other past work experience includes working for MNP as well as the Manitoba Farm Mediation Board.

On October 21, 2019, Dan Mazier was elected to represent Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa as Member of Parliament and was re-elected on September 20, 2021.

In October 2022, Pierre Poilievre appointed Dan Mazier to his Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development & Connectivity.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Ben Lobb, M.P.

Riding: Huron-Bruce

Province: Ontario

Affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada

Elected: 2008

Education: Bachelor, Business Administration

Professional Background:

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Ben Lobb was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008. He was re-elected again in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2021

In the 43^rd Parliament, he served as a member of the International Trade Committee. The Committee's work focused on the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Agreement, Canada's response to Covid-19, and Canadian exports of green technologies.

In previous Parliaments, MP Lobb has served on the as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health, Veterans Affairs Committee, the Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee, the Standing Committees Human Resources, on Transport and Infrastructure, Public Safety, and National Security.

While serving in the CPC Government MP Lobb served as Chair of the Government Auto Caucus.

Before entering politics MP Lobb worked in the private sector for Desire2Lean (D2L) and Wescast Industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, M.P.
BQ Critic for Science and Innovation

Riding: Rimouski-Neigette-Témiscouata-Les Basques

Province: Quebec

Affiliation: Bloc Québécois

Elected: 2019

Education: M.A. Political Communication

Professional Background: Political Aide, Strategic Communications

Preferred Language: French

Biography

Maxime Blanchette-Joncas was born and raised in Rimouski, in the Bas-Saint Laurent region of Quebec. After a challenging academic career, he graduated from high school in an adult education centre and entered the labour market. Taking 6 years, he worked at the Telus call centre, where he developed a taste for trade union action and political involvement.

He then decided to quit his job and enroll in university, without going through CEGEP. During his studies, he became involved in student associations, in the youth wing of the Parti Québécois and in various organizations such as the Librairie l'Alphabet, the Jeune chambre de Rimouski and the Société nationale de l'Est du Québec. He also represented UQAR at the 2017 Jeux du commerce.

In 2019, after completing an internship at Paris City Hall, Maxime obtained his bachelor's degree in business administration from the Université du Québec à Rimouski. He briefly held a job at the Business Development Bank of Canada, then was hired as Deputy Director General of the Municipality of L'Isle-Verte.

On August 22, 2019, Maxime Blanchette-Joncas announced his intention to be a Bloc Québécois candidate in the federal election. In the election on 21st October he was elected with 38% of the vote, 4,264 more than outgoing MP Guy Caron.

In November 2019, in the House of Commons, he was appointed to the St. Lawrence Seaway and Tourism Commissions, as well as to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which will make him Vice-Chair.

Maxime Blanchette-Joncas' first term as Member of Parliament will be marked by COVID-19. As soon as he took office, he launched an operation to repatriate about sixty Lower Laurentians, and successfully advocated for financial aid to traders, particularly those of Tourism, one of the files of which he was the spokesman.

Despite the pandemic, MP Blanchette-Joncas is fighting on all fronts, introducing two bills, launching a petition to improve the living conditions of seniors, obtaining funding for culture and bringing many files to a successful conclusion thanks to a minority government.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Vice Chair - Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NIL

Richard Cannings, M.P.
Critic for Small Business
Deputy Critic for Innovation, Science and Industry & Natural Resources

Riding: South Okanagan – West Kootenay

Province: British Columbia

Affiliation: New Democratic Party

Elected: 2015

Education:

Professional Background: Academic, Biologist

Preferred Language: English

Biography

Richard J. "Dick" Cannings MP (born March 31, 1954) is a Canadian biologist, author and politician. He was elected into parliament during the 2015 Canadian federal election as a member of the New Democratic Party. During that parliament he sponsored three private member bills: one to promote the use of wood in federal public works projects, one to add various lakes and rivers to Navigable Waters Protection Act, and another to a Minister of Environment to respond to a Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada report. Cannings was appointed the NDP critic for post-secondary education as well as the Deputy Critic for Natural Resources in the 42^nd Canadian Parliament.

Prior to being elected as a member of parliament Cannings unsuccessfully sought election as a member of the legislative assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 BC election. Prior to his involvement in politics, Cannings worked as a biologist specializing in birds, taught at the University of British Columbia for 17 years, authored numerous books about birds and natural history, and was a member of the committee on the status of endangered wildlife in Canada for 8 years. He is an alumnus of Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of British Columbia.

House of Commons Standing Committee Roles:

• Member – Standing Committee on Science and Research

NRC Presence in Riding:

• NRC Penticton (DRAO)

G. Annex XX – Reference Materials

1. International Collaboration on Major Challenges

Compiled by PSP on December 8, 2022, using materials provided by NPBS and NRC IRAP

Key messages

• The NRC cannot go it alone - we rely on partners and we are better when we work with them. We want impact, and data shows that our publications with international partners have a higher impact, measured by citations.
• International collaboration in academia, industry, and government is therefore vital to stay at the forefront of knowledge and innovation.
• The NRC has an international platform to support Canada accelerating progress on its R&D programs, national priorities (e.g., challenge programs), and supporting SME growth and scale-up – through leveraging partner investments, capabilities, infrastructures and networks.
• We work: 1) at the individual researcher level; 2) with targeted organizations in strategic areas of focus (e.g., Taiwan, U.S., Australia); 3) through a whole of ecosystem approach (Germany/Japan/U.K.); and 4) via multilateral platforms (e.g., Eureka/IFAR)

Background

• One type of collaboration that the NRC is involved in is the so-called 3+2 program. These projects require a representative from academia, industry and government on the Canadian side and target commercialization within two years of completion. They encourage a transatlantic/transpacific entrepreneurial culture of taking risks through strategies and technology transfer within two economies.
  • These 3+2 programs tend to have higher impact and result in faster commercialization and faster growth of companies.
  • The NRC launched several successful consortia calls with Germany, the UK, and Japan resulting in projects on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and recently, calls focused on low-carbon hydrogen and healthy aging.
• Eureka brings together SMEs, large companies, research centres, universities, and other innovators from Eureka countries to work together on market-driven industrial research and development (R&D), with the goal of increasing competitiveness in world markets,
• NRC IRAP manages Canada's Eureka National Office and provides Canadian innovators with a first contact point and access to the expansive global network.
• Canada has participated in Eureka since 2012, and supported more than 300 participants in projects with over 600 partners from 34 countries with a total project value of 400M Euros.

Examples of successful Eureka ITEA Cluster projects:

• PARTNER project - partnerships with 5 MNEs to develop architecture for health data management that resulted in commercialization of 2 new systems, 7 new services, 5 new products and 9 enhancements related to cardiac care.
  • Project involved 20 participants from Belgium, Canada, South Korea and the Netherlands. The total project value was $19.3M CAD and ended Dec. 2020.
• STARLIT project developed technology to increase radiation accuracy and decrease unintended dose to healthy tissue.with companies like Philips and Elekta Instrument AB.
  • Project involved 14 participants from Austria, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden. The total project value was $24.9M CAD and ended Sept. 2020.
• Canada is also exploring the possibility of associate membership in Horizon Europe which is the world's largest collaborative research and innovation program.
• Through NRC IRAP's international programs we support co-innovation projects and R&D partnership opportunities for Canadian firms in over 45 countries worldwide.
• Furthermore, working together with our partners at Global Affairs Canada, NRC IRAP organizes and delivers over 20 partnership development activities each year, which have been proven to effectively establish strong international partnerships leading to successful co-innovation projects.

2. Workforce and Workplace EDI Strategy 2022

Key facts - NRC – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The labour market availability (LMA) comes from the 2016 Census and the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability

[Redacted]

The NRC Workforce and Workplace EDI Strategy 2021-2024 includes five pillars:

• Hire diverse talents
  • Focused on 4 designated groups: Women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and racialized persons.
  • SEC approved representation and hiring goals to 2024 for each of these four groups.
  • Effective April 1, 2022, a performance commitment was assigned to all executives which included a goal for 2022-23 that 50% of hires will be qualified candidates who have self-declared as members of the following groups: Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and racialized persons. At the end of Q2 2022-2023, the NRC's progress toward this goal was 33%, with 5 out of 22 CBIs meeting/exceeding the 50% mark.
• Support the career development and advancement of diverse talent
• Foster an inclusive, accessible and anti-racist culture
• Address barriers in policies and systems
  • Addressing an NRC accessibility strategy to be published by December 31, 2022.
  • Continued implementation of GBA+ analysis on new policies/programs including employment practices such as onboarding
• Enable sustained, measurable progress through governance and accountability

The labour market availability (LMA) comes from the 2016 Census and the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability

H. Annex YY – nBoss Report, Canadian Space Agency Interactions, 01-25-2023

I. Annex ZZ – Press Release: Canada announced intention to become full member of SKAO

Canada announces intention to become full member of international SKAO radio astronomy project

Canada announces intention to become full member of international SKAO radio astronomy project - Canada.ca

News release

Canadian astronomers will have access to one of the world's leading facilities, further strengthening Canada's international reputation in astronomical discovery

January 24, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Research Council of Canada

The study of astronomy is critical to advance our understanding of our Universe, and Canada is a leader in this field of discovery and innovation. Through strong collaboration with industry, academia, government and international partners, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting its world-class astronomy and astrophysics community and laying the foundation for the next great discovery.

Today, the Honourable François‑Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced Canada's intention to proceed to full membership in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). The SKAO facility will enable discoveries that will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe, the fundamental laws of physics and the prospects for life on other planets.

Full membership is expected to provide Canadian astronomers a 6 per cent use-share of the observatory, access to a next-generation radio astronomy facility, and support the establishment of a domestic regional centre. This centre will provide direct connections to data collected with the telescope as well as science support to enable ground-breaking discoveries.

The Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) will represent Canada in the governance of the SKAO and will work with domestic and international partners to deliver key observatory systems. The Centre is a highly regarded research centre with the longstanding role of providing radio telescopes and components to international observatories.

The official signing ceremony and other steps necessary to complete the membership process are anticipated to take place in the coming months.

Quotes

"By working with our international partners, we can solidify our scientific expertise and ensure Canada stays at the leading edge of astronomy and astrophysics. Canadian contributions to the SKAO could lead to new opportunities for Canadian businesses and, more so, for our scientists. By combining our resources, knowledge and experience, we are one step closer to understanding the mysteries of the Universe."

"The SKAO will enable transformational science about the Universe, the fundamental laws of physics and the prospects for life beyond our Solar System. Our full membership will maximize Canada's recognized capabilities in astronomy and scientific computing platforms. It will also increase our engagement and impact in research and innovation, digital technologies and next-generation communication systems."

Quick facts

• The SKAO is a next-generation radio astronomy observatory, bringing together nations from around the world to build and operate cutting-edge radio telescopes.
• In November 2021, the NRC signed a 2-year cooperation agreement with the SKAO, to allow Canada's scientific and engineering communities to continue participation in the project, while membership was given full consideration by the federal government.
• SKAO will operate 2 telescopes on 2 continents (Australia and South Africa), with headquarters in the United Kingdom. The initial phase of the SKAO consists of 197 radio dishes located in South Africa and 131,072 antennas located in Australia. Construction on Phase 1 began in June 2021 and is expected to be completed by 2029.
• SKAO and its host country partner institutions have led extensive consultations with the local and Indigenous populations where both telescopes are located.
• Respecting Indigenous cultures and the local populations, and engaging positively with these communities, has been a key consideration since the inception of the SKAO. These core principles are fully aligned with the priorities of the Canadian astronomical community as expressed in the Canadian Astronomy Long Range Plan 2020-2030.