Canada has enlisted 64 professors to spearhead scientific research at universities nationwide, with substantial financial backing provided. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, speaking at the University of British Columbia (UBC), revealed that the government is allocating $541 million in research funding to an initial group of research leaders recruited by Canadian institutions.
These academics have been brought in under the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada and the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders programs, integral components of Ottawa’s $1.7-billion Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative launched in December. The research chairs program was renamed in honor of the late Eddie Goldenburg, former chief of staff to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who passed away in July.
Of the total funding, $504 million is designated for the initial 64 professors, while the remaining $37 million will support universities in recruiting an additional 63 “emerging leaders” in the upcoming year. Sylvie Lamoureux, a vice-president of the federal government’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, noted that these academics have demonstrated a strong track record in leading large-scale research endeavors.
According to Joly, the majority of the recruited professors, three-quarters of them, are coming from the United States. Joly emphasized the need to enhance the program’s attractiveness due to competition from other countries with similar initiatives, such as France and the EU.
Each professor is set to receive annual funding ranging from $500,000 to $1 million over eight years for their research endeavors. The aim is to enable these star academics to build a team comprising professors, students, lab coordinators, and other collaborators.
Peter Caravan, a Canadian professor returning from the U.S., shared his experience of completing his education and research in the U.S. before being attracted back to Canada by the funding initiative. As one of the program’s distinguished research chairs, Caravan is receiving $1.5 million annually for his research in translational molecular imaging and therapy.
Joly addressed questions about whether the initiative is viewed as poaching talent from U.S. institutions, stating that the U.S. administration makes its decisions, and Canada pursues its own goals. Despite challenges in the U.S. research landscape, Canada welcomes the influx of talented professors and anticipates further recruitment under the Eddie Goldenberg chairs program.
