Government of Canada renews support for TRIUMF

Budget 2015 commits an additional $45 million over five years

VANCOUVER, April 21, 2015 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada today announced its renewed support for TRIUMF, committing to provide an additional $45 million in operating funds over the next five years. The laboratory applauds the Government's continued investment in science, technology and innovation – core drivers of the Canadian economy.

Combined with funding announced in Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government of Canada has committed a total of $267 million to support the goals and objectives outlined in TRIUMF's Five-Year Plan 2015-­2020. TRIUMF appreciates the clear vote of confidence signaled by the government's decision, and with this funding the laboratory will be in a position to optimize the scientific, economic, and societal benefits delivered to Canada.

The Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan 2015 "proposes to provide $45 million over five years, beginning in 2015–16, to enable the continuation of world-leading research taking place at TRIUMF."

The 2015-2020 Five-Year Plan was crafted to accommodate different levels of federal investment.  These scenarios evaluated explicit tradeoffs and proposed an optimized portfolio of activities for each budget level. In November 2013, an International Peer Review Committee visited the lab and reviewed the operations and research initiatives of the lab. The review committee endorsed our program with full support. We look forward to implementing our Five-Year Plan and our bright future ahead.

Dr. Steven N. Liss, Professor & Vice-Principal (Research) at Queen's University, and Chair of the TRIUMF Board of Management said, "TRIUMF has a remarkable track record of leadership and excellence in science, as well as a safe and responsible approach to management of the laboratory's operations. Today's announcement comes with great joy not only to the TRIUMF community, but to all of our academic and industrial partners, students and young researchers, and to all Canadians who are touched by the innovations driven by the TRIUMF research program."

Dr. Jonathan A. Bagger, Director of TRIUMF, said "With this investment from the Government of Canada, TRIUMF will unlock capabilities to accelerate science and innovation for Canada.  TRIUMF's staff and facilities are positioned to secure Canadian research excellence, leverage scientific discoveries, and lead the world in isotopes for science, medicine, and business." 

About TRIUMF

TRIUMF is Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. Together with its partner AAPS, Inc., TRIUMF also seeks to commercialize its technologies for the benefit of all Canadians. Located on the south campus of UBC, TRIUMF receives operating support from the Government of Canada through a contribution agreement via the National Research Council. TRIUMF is owned and operated as joint venture by a consortium of the following Canadian universities: University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, Carleton University, University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, McGill University, McMaster University, Université de Montréal, University of Northern British Columbia, Queen's University, University of Regina, Saint Mary's University, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, Western University, University of Winnipeg, and York University.

Visit us at www.triumf.ca and tweet us @TRIUMFLab.

SOURCE TRIUMF (Canada's National Laboratory of Particle and Nuclear Physics)

Media Contact: Dr. Marcello Pavan, TRIUMF Outreach Coordinator, Tel: [phone], Cell: 604.868.7466, E-mail: [email protected]