CRC funding a testament to the breadth and quality of Ontario university research

TORONTO, March 16, 2012 /CNW/ - Eighteen Ontario universities are home to over 680 prestigious Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) who conduct leading-edge research that advances all areas of knowledge. The most recent investment by the federal government provides funding for 12 new and 39 renewed chairholders in Ontario, with a total of 132 announced across the country.

The federal funding for Chairs in Ontario supports research that underpins advancements in telecommunications, health, environmental sustainability, materials management and many other areas.

The announcement also includes an additional investment from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for research infrastructure, which is critical to ensuring that institutions have state-of-the-art and globally competitive facilities required to support chairholders in their research.

"These awards are much appreciated and demonstrate the breadth and depth of research talent and effort across Ontario's university sector," says Alastair Summerlee, Chair of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) and President of the University of Guelph. "This program plays a critical role in supporting groundbreaking research developments, in meeting Canada's innovation agenda, and in attracting and retaining talented researchers from around the world."

Ontario's Canada Research Chairs celebrated the 10th anniversary of the CRC program at a two-day event in November 2010, which showcased the impact of the Chairs' research on social, cultural, health and technological issues, and the impact of the program on developing graduate student talent for the future.

"There are niches of research excellence at universities all around our province, no matter what the size and scale of the university," says Bonnie Patterson, COU President and CEO. "With federal government funding for this program, along with support for industrial and endowed chairs, university researchers in Ontario are making a difference in people's lives."

Recently, the breadth of research at Ontario universities was also demonstrated at the "Turning Research into Action" Symposium, hosted by York University on behalf of COU, at which the eight Ontario Research Chairs in Public Policy presented their findings on public policy issues in the areas of health, education, the economy and the environment. These Ontario Research Chairs, funded through an endowment from the Government of Ontario, add to the high-level expertise in the province.

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Jennifer Grass
Senior Director, Communications and Public Affairs
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