Canada Research Chairs receive $120M in federal funding announcement

Montreal, QC – The federal government announced today funding of $120.4 million to support 134 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs in 37 Canadian universities. This includes $6.6 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for research infrastructure to facilitate the work of 42 chairholders.

“Since its inception in 2000, the Canada Research Chairs Program has helped to make Canadian universities world-class research centres,” said Chad Gaffield, president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and chair of the program’s steering committee. “By recruiting renowned experts and retaining them in Canada, our universities are able to create conducive environments for groundbreaking research, as well as highly stimulating settings for training the next generation of researchers and leaders from all sectors of society.”

“By investing in leading-edge research throughout the country, we are ensuring that Canada remains competitive in the knowledge economy,” said Dr Eliot Phillipson, president and CEO of the CFI. “The partnership between the chairs program and the CFI has allowed our universities to attract and retain the best and brightest minds amid intense sustained international competition.”

The full list of recipients is available at http://www.chairs.gc.ca/web/media/lists/2009/List_of_recipients_Feb2009.pdf.