In response to the Government of Canada’s call for input on a proposed new “capstone” research funding organization announced in Budget 2024, CAUT requested more engagement with the research community.

The new funding organization would incorporate the three federal granting councils — the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). While the government says the new structure is needed to ensure greater coordination and planning, CAUT expressed skepticism about some aspects of the proposed changes.

Concerns have been raised that the new structure could compromise the independence of the granting councils and weaken support for investigator-led research.

In its submission, CAUT recommended that the federal government:

• Continue increasing the value and number of grants awarded for investigator-led research
• Grow and rebalance funding across disciplines, ensuring transparency and representation in decision-making
• Protect the integrity and independence of federally supported science and research and ensure federal research granting decisions are free from political and commercial interference