Our scientists need action now, not more study

For members of Canada’s science community, the Liberal election in 2015 seemed the end of the Dark Ages. The headlines proclaimed, “Canada is finally ending its war on science,” exclaimed Vox or, “How science helped to swing the Canadian election; after nine years of government attacks on Canadian research, the science community is looking forward to a fresh start under Justin Trudeau,” said the United Kingdom’s The Guardian. Eight years later, scientists here may well wonder if it was all just for show as this government is providing less support for science than the Harper government did. “Because we know that today’s science is tomorrow’s economy, our government is committed to ensuring that our talented, world-class researchers have the right support for the crucial work they are doing,” said Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne on March 20 when he released the report by the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System. Unfortunately for Champagne, the report showed that the government is not providing the right support, which could be why, when asked about implementing the report’s recommendations, the minister’s only response was that he’s studying it. The Bouchard Report—after the panel’s chair Dr. Frédéric Bouchard—found that Canada was falling further behind in support for science. For example, the budget for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council—the federal science funding agency—is currently about 3.7 per cent lower than it was in 2007 (in 2007 constant dollars). Not only has Canada stagnated science funding, but it has done so at a time when other nations are dramatically increasing their support for scientific research. Japan is creating a US$87-billion fund for science and technology. Since 2007, the Australian Research Council’s budget has increased by 1.1 per cent. The United Kingdom has committed to increasing annual government investment to $20-billion by 2024-25. Germany is increasing its research investment to 3.5 per cent of its GDP by 2025, while Finland has set a science funding target of four per cent of its GDP by 2030. The United States has dramatically increased federal funding support for science. Between 2007 and 2022 the U.S. National Science Foundation’s budget grew by 5.2 per cent, the American CHIPS and Science Act commits some US$81-billion over 10 years, and the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law last August by U.S. President Joe Biden, invests nearly US$400-billion in green technology. Canadian science investment is about 1.6 per cent of our GDP. Not mincing words, the Bouchard Report states: “Given the staggering investments we see in other countries and the stagnating investment levels we see in Canada, a top priority must be increasing funding for research and talent. For the panel’s recommendations to be successful, it is critically important that core funding of the granting councils be significantly increased to address: the pressures resulting from the growth in the system (e.g., increasing number of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows); the effects of inflation; and the importance of nurturing a globally competitive research and talent base.” In addition to stepping up our funding of research, there is an even more urgent need to increase financial support for the people doing the research. Laboratories are staffed by graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Actual dollar amounts for Canadian graduate scholarships has not changed in 20 years while the federally funded post-doctoral fellowship stipend has been constant since 2015. The impact of years of inflation means these supports, in terms of buying power, are worth only half today. Little surprise, another key finding of the Bouchard Report was: “It is also clear to the panel that current support for graduate students, the researchers of tomorrow, is at a breaking point. The values of the government’s awards for university research trainees have remained virtually stagnant for the past 20 years. As a result, they have not kept pace with increases to the cost of living nor with research trainee compensation trends around the world. This situation has significantly eroded Canada’s position as a global hub for the attraction and retention of research-enabled talent and this erosion will be accelerated by the increase in investments by our global peers. As a result, the panel also urges the government to significantly increase funding for students and postdoctoral fellows to an internationally competitive level.” A post-industrial economy like Canada’s requires a constant stream of innovation in order to remain competitive. By underfunding our best and brightest at the start of their scientific career, we force many to either drop out of their studies or leave this country. Both choices are a loss to Canada. What will be the result if Canada continues to underfund science? “The risk of brain drain is only increasing,” Dr. Bouchard told Research Money in July 2023. “At the graduate student level and post-doc level, it’s becoming very difficult to explain why they should accept a Canadian offer instead of a generous U.S. or European offer.” Canadian Dr. Thomas Bell, a professor at Imperial College London, U.K., told the Science and Research Committee, “In Britain and Europe, the funding opportunities are much greater and more varied than in Canada, and the concentration of universities is also much greater and more varied. The system over here is far from perfect, but from that perspective Canada starts at a disadvantage.” At only 62 pages, it shouldn’t have taken the minister more than six months to study the Bouchard Report. Canadian scientists need action now, not more study. NDP Richard Cannings, who represents South Okanagan-West Kootenay, B.C., is his party's innovation, industry and science crisis. The Hill Times

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Our scientists need action now, not more study

A post-industrial economy like our needs a constant stream of innovation to remain competitive. By underfunding our brightest scientists early in their careers, we’re forcing them to either drop out, or leave the country.

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