Message from the President

Budget 2010

Budget 2010 contains several positive items for Canada's research community and the continued growth of health research.

At a time when the Government of Canada is facing a deficit and searching for ways to provide economic stimulus, CIHR is very pleased to see that Budget 2010 recognized the key role of research, science and technology in facilitating economic recovery and growth. It also provides a balanced approach to research investments in offering additional support for research infrastructure, research operations and the training of highly qualified personnel.

With the list of new investments contained in Budget 2010, CIHR's total budget will exceed $1 billion in 2010/11. These new investments include: a $16M on-going increase in CIHR's base funding; $10M over two years for a clinical trials network on medical isotopes; a doubling of the tri-council Community College Innovation Program bringing it to $30M annually; and, $45M over five years to the three granting councils to establish a new and prestigious post-doctoral fellowships program. Taken together, these investments amount to circa $25M per year in new funding for CIHR, an estimated 2.5% budget increase over 2009/2010.

CIHR is especially pleased with the announcement of the new postdoctoral fellowships program, which will allow Canada to attract the best and brightest from around the world. With this high profile fellowships program, Canada completes the spectrum of training opportunities for highly qualified personnel - from undergraduate to graduate to postgraduate levels.

Worthy of note, the spending priorities outlined in Budget 2010 are directly aligned with CIHR's current priorities and investments. For example, CIHR has already increased funding of postdoctoral students and, in June 2009, launched a joint competition with NSERC to fund research into medical isotope alternatives.

In conclusion, CIHR welcomes Budget 2010 and will continue to work closely with the other research councils, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Genome Canada in fostering the continued expansion of health research and its translation into economic growth and better health and healthcare for Canadians.

Sincerely,

Alain Beaudet, M.D., Ph.D.
President
Canadian Institutes of Health Research