As the federal government proceeds with plans to develop a new research funding organization that will incorporate the three granting councils, CAUT is lobbying to ensure the new structure does not jeopardize the independence and integrity of academic research.

In a brief to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Research, CAUT stressed the importance of ensuring any new agency supports:

• Investigator-led research, including basic curiosity-driven science
• Inclusive programs encompassing the full breadth of all disciplines and researchers
• Integrity and independence of research and funding decisions by peer review, free of government interference

The federal government proposed the “capstone” research agency in Budget 2024 to address what it claims is a need for better strategic coordination of the granting councils.