CIHR 2022-23 Departmental Plan: Details on transfer payment programs

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program is a Tri-Agency initiative that supports Canadian universities in their efforts to build on Canada's growing reputation as a global leader in research and innovation. The program awards world-renowned researchers and their teams to establish ambitious research programs at Canadian universities. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Strengthen Canada’s ability to attract the world’s top researchers;
• Build a critical mass of expertise in priority areas identified by the government at Canadian institutions;
• Create a competitive environment to help Canadian institutions attract a cadre of world-leading researchers, collaborators, partners, and research users from diverse sectors, nationally and internationally; and
• Contribute to the branding of Canada as a location of choice for world-leading research, science and technology development

• Academia and public institutions
• Individual or sole proprietorships

A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

The Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) supports Canada’s postsecondary institutions in their efforts to become global research leaders. CFREF helps competitively selected Canadian postsecondary institutions turn their key strengths into world-leading capabilities. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of the CIHR, the NSERC, and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Institutions develop ambitious and focused strategies
• Canadian postsecondary institutions excel globally in research areas of strategic relevance to Canada
• Institutions contribute to creating long-term economic advantages for Canada

Academia and public institutions

A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

CIHR's portion of the Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program provides financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in master's or doctoral programs in health. This is a Tri-Agency program and is administered by each respective agency (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC).

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Increased enrolment in graduate studies in Canada.
• Improved time to completion of degrees for CGS scholarship holders, relative to national statistics for time to completion in their discipline.
• Enhanced capacity of Canadian universities to attract the best and brightest young people who will become the next generation of researchers.

Academia and public institutions

Applicants and recipients are engaged through communication with academic institutions and Tri-Agency or agency specific electronic communication.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

• Investigator-Initiated Research
• Training and Career Support
• Research in Priority Areas

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) provides a wide array of funding programs under this transfer payment program. This includes grants that provide support for the direct costs of research projects, for the training of researchers, or for activities that support the translation of research findings. Other funding includes direct salary and stipend support to individual researchers/scientists and research trainees.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Health research advances knowledge;
• A strong and talented health research community with the capacity to undertake health research;
• Commercial activity-products patents and intellectual property, companies and employment generated; and
• Translation and use of health research takes place as a result of effective funding programs, which can lead to benefits to Canadians.

Academia and public institutions

CIHR engages applicants and recipients on an ongoing basis through various forms of social media, electronic newsletters, presentations, discussion forums and consultation processes.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

Research in Priority Areas

The Institute Support Grant program provides funding to select Canadian academic institutions, including universities and teaching hospitals, to assist them in hosting the 13 Institutes of CIHR. The Institutes help CIHR maintain strong ties to Canada's research communities and to understand their needs. Each CIHR-appointed Scientific Director is among the top scientists in his/her field. Institutes help CIHR define its strategic health research priorities and develop research partnerships with other interested parties in health research. Institutes also organize conferences, seminars and workshops, all with the goal of developing and disseminating health-related knowledge and best practices.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

Effective domestic and international health research agendas as well as alliances and partnerships in areas related to the mandate of each Institute.

Academia and public institutions

CIHR engages applicants and recipients on an ongoing basis through various forms of social media, electronic newsletters, presentations, discussion forums and consultation processes. Scientific Directors are among the top scientists in their fields and maintain strong ties to Canada's research communities.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

Research in Priority Areas

The program supports large-scale academically led research networks that harness the creativity and inventiveness of Canadian health, natural and social scientists, and engineers. Partners from industry, government and not-for-profit organizations contribute additional expertise and bring cash and in-kind support. This program is a Tri-Agency program administered by NSERC on behalf of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

Strong linkages and partnerships between university, government and industry, and other users (NGOs) resulting in the exploitation of leading-edge research results with economical and/or societal benefits to Canada.

Not applicable.

Budget 2018 created the New Frontiers in Research Fund; NCE funding will be transferred to NFRF over the next several years.

Program ends in 2023–24.

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities
• Academia and public institutions

No further competitions are planned under this program. Existing recipients are supported by direct contact and engagement through their assigned NCE staff liaison who sits as an observer on the Board of Directors.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

Training and Career Support

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program is a Tri-Agency program designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by offering them a significant financial award. This financial award assists students during their studies at Canadian universities. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related fields. This program is administered by CIHR on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Establishment of a Canadian doctoral scholarship that is internationally competitive and internationally recognized.
• Enhanced capacity of Canadian universities to attract the best and brightest students from Canada and the world with the potential to become leaders in the next generation of researchers in Canada.
• Attract to Canada top students from other countries who will bring with them new knowledge and ideas and enrich the Canadian learning environment.
• Retain Canada’s top doctoral students in the face of intense international competition for the brightest researchers.
• Promote and brand Canada as a home of research excellence and Canadian Universities as world-class institutions of research and higher learning.
• Establish effective research collaborations and networks between Canada and the recipients’ home countries.

Applicants and recipients are engaged through communication with academic institutions and directed Tri-Agency or agency-specific electronic communication, as well as through the Vanier CGS website.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

The Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program bridges the challenging gap between innovation and commercialization. The program matches clusters of research expertise with the business community to share the knowledge and resources that bring innovations to market faster. Centres advance research and facilitate commercialization within four priority areas: the environment; natural resources and energy; health and life sciences; and information and communications technologies. This program is administered by NSERC on behalf of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

Not applicable.

Budget 2018 transferred CECR program funds to the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) at ISED.

Program ends in 2022–23.

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities
• Academia and public institutions

No further competitions are planned under this program. Existing recipients are supported by direct contact and engagement through their assigned NCE staff liaison who sits as an observer on the Board of Directors.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

The Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program (BL-NCE) funds large-scale collaborative research networks that bring a wide range of research expertise to bear on specific challenges identified by an industrial sector. This Tri-Agency program is administered by NSERC on behalf of SSHRC, CIHR and NSERC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

Not applicable.

Budget 2018 transferred BL-NCE program funds to the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) at ISED.

Program ends in 2023–24.

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities
• Academia and public institutions

No further competitions are planned under this program. Existing recipients are supported by direct contact and engagement through their assigned NCE staff liaison who sits as an observer on the Board of Directors.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

The Canada 150 Research Chairs (C150) program provides Canadian universities with a one-time investment to attract top-tier, internationally based scholars and researchers (including Canadian expatriates) to Canada. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Strengthen Canada’s research capacity through the recruitment and retention of top-tier, internationally based scholars and researchers;
• Enhance Canada’s reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence;
• Improve universities’ capacity to generate and apply new knowledge; and
• Improve the training and development of highly qualified research personnel.

A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

• Canada’s health research is internationally competitive
• Canada’s health research capacity is strengthened
• Canada’s health research is used

The College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program is managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The CCI Program increases innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local companies, particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), in areas of the natural and social sciences, engineering, humanities and/or health. It supports applied research and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, as well as technology transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies, in areas of strategic importance to Canada.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Increased awareness by local businesses of the capacity of the postsecondary institutions to assist with applied research projects.
• Increased involvement of faculty in applied research.
• Increased applied research capacity at colleges.
• College students acquiring applied research knowledge and experience, and exposure to business work environments.
• New technologies and processes adopted by local businesses and other organizations.
• Increased applied research collaborations between colleges, universities, local businesses and other organizations.
• Increased R&D investment by local businesses and other organizations.
• Increased productivity and competitiveness of local businesses and other organizations.
• Enhanced reputation of colleges as applied research partners for local businesses and other organizations.

A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.