Students and researchers at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières to share historic Budget 2018 funding for science

Canada's research community to benefit from largest investment in discovery science in Canadian history  

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, QC, Oct. 9, 2018 /CNW/ - Science is about discovery. When researchers are given the tools to push the boundaries of knowledge, great things happen. These discoveries lead to the innovations that will grow the economy and help ensure Canada has a workforce capable of taking on the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced an investment of more than $1.5 million to support fundamental research at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. The funding is part of the more than $558 million announced today by Minister Duncan for institutions across Canada as part of the Government of Canada's plan to attract global talent, promote diversity and provide nearly 4,300 researchers and students with the means to pursue world-leading discovery work.

This $558-million investment in research?the largest one this year from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)?includes $70 million in new funding announced in Budget 2018. With this investment, the Government of Canada is delivering on Budget 2018's historic commitment to science by giving more support to researchers and students.

At the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, close to 10 researchers will receive Discovery Grants for projects that will benefit Canadians in a variety of areas, including health and computer engineering. Recipient Dr. Mathieu Piché is researching the integration of signals between the human spinal cord and brain to better understand pain mechanisms and improve spinal health. Dr. Loïc Boulon, another recipient, is working on ways to adapt fuel cell systems in hybrid electric vehicles to perform better under winter conditions in Canada.

Quotes

"Canada supports science and our talented researchers. Today, we are delivering on our historic investment in research and in the next generation of scientists. These remarkable researchers and students we are celebrating are working to make the world a better place and to secure a brighter future for all Canadians."
? The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport

"Today's announcement is a clear illustration of why we made science a priority in Budget 2018. The investments we are making today in the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières will give researchers and students the foundation they need to explore the new avenues of discovery that will benefit all of us and cement Canada as a world leader in fundamental science and engineering."
? The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"The funding commitment outlined in Budget 2018 will provide a very significant increase to the Discovery Program to support science and engineering researchers. Additionally, this investment will contribute critical supplementary funding to launch early career researchers and to support equity, diversity and inclusion."
? Dr. Pierre Charest, Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships Directorate, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

"The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières welcomes this historic investment in research to support the new generation of researchers and graduate students whose work will help define a better world. UQTR is proud to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in different fields of science."
? Daniel McMahon, Rector, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Quick facts

• The $558-million research investment announced by Minister Duncan today includes $70 million in new funding from Budget 2018. The grants go toward NSERC discovery programs, graduate and postgraduate scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships, and research tools and instruments.
• Among this year's Discovery Grants recipients is the University of Waterloo's Dr. Donna Strickland, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, who is receiving support for her work on using lasers to better understand matter at the molecular level.
• The $558-million investment also includes $5.4 million in funding to help more than 400 early career researchers in the first year of their Discovery Grants launch their careers.
• Investments in science are essential to innovation and to the economic strength of a country.

Associated links
About the Discovery Grants program
Overview of NSERC investments across Canada

About NSERC

NSERC invests over $1.2 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Our investments deliver discoveries?valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 11,000 professors. Our investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect industry with discoveries and the people behind them. Researcher-industry partnerships supported by NSERC help inform research and development and solve scale-up challenges.

NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada