Statement from the president on the federal budget

On April 21, the federal government provided some welcome news for universities by reconfirming its commitment to research.

The finance minister announced funding of $1.33 billion over the next six years to the Canada Foundation for Innovation, as well as additional investments to the research granting agencies for 2016-17. These funds will provide crucial support for our researchers and our more than 7,500 graduate students.

The budget also provides opportunities for the next generation of researchers by providing significant funding of $56.4 million for the MITACS Accelerate Program, which builds partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada and provides funding for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. As a university that embraces the spirit of innovation, we are pleased to see this approach reflected as a priority for the government.

Concordia has made great strides to enhance its reputation for excellence and innovation in research. This includes being recognized as a national leader in smart-building engineering, an international leader in the arts and research creation, and a leader in the fast-emerging field of synthetic biology, to name just a few.

In the last 10 years, growth in research funding at Concordia has more than doubled. This has led to a major cultural shift that has resulted in cultivating leaders and nurturing a cohort of faculty members, who as principal investigators, dare to think big and aspire to lead and engage in groundbreaking research that has an impact on our society.

Alan Shepard
President and Vice-Chancellor