Government of Canada strengthens research excellence by investing $159.1 million to fund 181 Canada Research Chairs across the country

GUELPH, Ontario, September 23, 2009 | The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced $159.1 million in funding for 181 Canada Research Chairs newly awarded or renewed in 45 Canadian universities. The funding includes $7.4 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for research infrastructure, directly benefiting 46 chairholders named in this announcement.

“Canada’s government is investing in science and technology to strengthen the economy, improve Canadians’ quality of life and create the jobs of tomorrow—today,” said Minister Goodyear. “The Canada Research Chairs program helps attract and retain the best researchers from the country and around the world to Canadian universities, which has direct benefits for our communities.”

From left to right: Christian Blodau, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Geology and Biogeochemistry; Christopher Hall, Canada Research Chair in Recombinant Antibody Technology; The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology); Steven Liss, Associate Vice-President (Research Services) of the University of Guelph; Michèle Boutin, Executive Director, Canada Research Chairs Program

Today’s event featured Dr. Christian Blodau, a University of Guelph researcher who focuses on the subject of environmental sustainability. As Canada Research Chair in Environmental Geology and Bio-Geochemistry, Dr. Blodau studies Canada’s aquatic ecosystems—wetlands, lakes and freshwater bodies—and the impact of climate change on their health. Among other things, he will examine how these environments intervene in the carbon cycle, particularly when it comes to its sequestration and liberation. His work is crucial for the conservation of Canada’s ecosystems and the preservation of their inhabitants.

“The Canada Research Chairs program fosters a research environment of international calibre in our country,” said Dr. Chad Gaffield, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and head of the Chairs program’s steering committee. “The program enables our universities to attract and retain the world’s most accomplished and promising scholars, to achieve research excellence across the natural sciences and engineering, the health sciences, and the social sciences and humanities, and to offer first-class learning and training experiences to the researchers and leaders of tomorrow.”

“Since its creation, the CFI has provided thousands of world-class researchers, such as the Canada Research Chairs, with the tools they need to do their work,” said Dr. Eliot Phillipson, president and CEO of the CFI. “Access to modern, cutting-edge equipment and facilities is imperative to research.”

The 181 chairholders targeted by today’s announcement will conduct research in many different fields, with potential benefits for policy-makers, business, health and education, as well as Canadians in general.

List of recipients, September 2009 (135 KB)
CFI Leaders Opportunity Fund, September 2009

Media contacts:

Trevor Lynn, Manager, Media and External Relations
Canada Research Chairs Program
Telephone: 613-992-7302
Cell.: 613-302-9879
Email: trevor.lynn@chairs-chaires.gc.ca

Yves Melanson, Coordinator, Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Telephone: 613-996-3160
Cell.: 613-447-1723
Email: yves.melanson@innovation.ca

Gary Toft, Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
Tel.: 613-943-7599
Email: gary.toft@ic.gc.ca

Lori Bona-Hunt, Associate Director
Communications and Public Affairs
University of Guelph
Tel.: 519-824-4120, x. 53338
Email: l.hunt@exec.uoguelph.ca