Organization: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Federal research funders endorse plan to improve research assessment

Five major Canadian research funders have signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), a set of recommendations for improving the way the output of scientific research is evaluated. The signing comes at a time when the values of academia and society are increasingly at odds with academia’s traditional system of incentives and rewards.

The Short Report, December 11, 2019: Wexit spooks Wattpad; Montreal’s swelling video-game sector; North promises better next time

The Toronto-based e-publisher Wattpad has chosen to open its second headquarters in Halifax rather than Calgary, due to concerns about Western separatism and the elimination of Alberta tax credits supporting companies in the innovation economy. Five business tax credit programs were cut, including the Investor Tax Credit introduced by the previous NDP government, which provided a 30%…

The Short Report, August 7, 2019: Intelligent communities, advanced wood, cyber security

Montreal came in first for innovation on a ranking of intelligent communities by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). ICF ranks communities by their ability “to generate innovation in business and government for economic but also social and cultural growth.” Their metrics cover innovation programs available in the community; online services provided by local government or…

The Short Report, July 24, 2019: 5G, Indigenous health, John Knubley

Rogers Communications has partnered with Waterloo accelerator Communitech to open a 5G innovation lab, opening in September and focusing on smart city, IoT and enterprise applications. – Yahoo Finance Saskatoon-based software company Vendasta Technologies Inc. has raised $40-million in venture capital, the largest ever for a Saskatchewan tech company. – The Globe and Mail Ottawa calls it the largest…

Canada takes note as Europe moves swiftly on open-access publishing

An international consortium of research funders is moving rapidly to transform academic publishing. Known as Coalition S, the group has approved a plan that requires full and immediate open access to research funded by national and European research councils and funding bodies, beginning January 1, 2020. Canada is not part of the consortium, but it could feel the impact.

Canadian college-industry research partnerships receive $45 million federal investment

Kirsty Duncan, the Minister of Science and Sport, has announced $45 million in investment for college-industry research partnerships through the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program and the College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF). This investment reflects Budget 2018’s inclusion of $140 in additional funding for CCI over five years and $30 million a…

New research network at Queen’s University addresses growing prevalence of Lyme disease in Canada

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Government of Canada are investing $4 million in a new research network focused on the prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. Operated by Queen’s University, the Pan-Canadian Research Network on Lyme Disease aims to influence health outcomes, practice, programs and policy related to Lyme…

Tammy Clifford

Dr. Tammy J Clifford has been appointed to the position of Vice-President of Research Programs at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), starting October 29, 2018. In this role, she will oversee the design, development and administration of CIHR’s funding programs and science policies, and will collaborate with other members of CIHR’s executive team…