Government of Canada invests in research through Discovery Grants Program

April 17, 2009

Ottawa, April 17, 2009 – The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) announced new grants for Canada’s top
researchers through the Discovery Grants Program (DGP), administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

“The Discovery Grants Program supports researchers judged by their peers to be among the very best,” said Minister Goodyear. “Our Government is proud to invest in research and development because it improves the quality of life for all Canadians and builds a stronger, more resilient economy. That’s why Canada’s Economic Action Plan is investing $5.1 billion in science and technology.”

“The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council is committed to supporting excellent research and the Discovery Grants Program is our main tool for achieving this,” said Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC. “The program gives researchers the freedom and flexibility to pursue the most promising avenues as they arise, encouraging creative and cutting edge approaches, and international collaborations.”

Two recent independent reviews concluded that the Discovery Grants Program is the envy of research communities in many other nations. As NSERC’s flagship program, Discovery Grants support ongoing, long-term university based research. These grants recognize the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of all research advances.

The budget for the Discovery Grants Program is $349.3 million. The amount of funding available per applicant in the 2009 competition was slightly higher than in 2008.