$60M funding extends federal genomics initiative

Ottawa, ON – A multi-year funding extension for the federal Genomics Research and Development Initiative (GRDI) has been announced by Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science and technology). The $59.7-million funding is being allocated over three years.

Established in 1999, GRDI coordinates the efforts of federal science departments and agencies involved in genomics research.

While making the funding announcement, Mr Goodyear outlined the initiative’s achievements to date. “The GRDI has produced a spin-off company; delivered insights into pests and diseases for Canada’s important wheat and canola crops; contributed to water, forestry and fisheries management; and developed a new method to assess the influenza virus, for the targeted release of vaccines,” he said. “And these are just a few examples of the program’s achievements.”

The next phase, he added, will support targeted research in three areas: health care; food and water safety; and environmental sustainability and natural resource protection.

The announcement was made at the Canadian Science Policy Conference on November 17. An annual event since 2008, the conference aims to guide the future of science policy in Canada. This year’s event drew a number of distinguished delegates from Canada’s leading research universities, public sector science agencies and private industry.