ARCHIVED - Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - Report

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Minister's Message

As Canada's economy shows continued signs of growth following the global recession, the Harper government has a clear vision for Canada. We remain focused on creating jobs and economic growth in all regions of Canada. We remain committed to fighting protectionism, the number one impediment to global economic recovery. And we will continue to support science and technology as it drives innovation to improve quality of life for Canadians.

In the coming year, Industry Canada and its portfolio partners will seize the opportunities of the evolving global economy. We will set the conditions for industrial success by improving the policy we put in place, making strategic investments and supporting business-focused programs and services. We are working to remove impediments to competition and to create the best climate for international investment. Industry Canada will lead efforts in developing major policy initiatives to support Canada's digital economy and shape a whole-of-government strategy for federal tourism activities. The Department will also improve the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of its own operations and work with recovering industries and sectors to help assure a solid and prosperous future.

In 2011–12, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will maximize return on its research and innovation investments in areas of strategic importance, including information and communication technologies to power our digital economy, clean energy to power our future, and value-added products from natural resources. NSERC will provide the best Canadian scientists and engineers with funds to foster their development as global research leaders. Through its Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation, NSERC will build a competitive advantage for Canada by creating more strategic partnerships with the private sector and training more graduates with the skills needed for today's economy.

And, as always, I will work with the Industry portfolio partners, the private sector and other governments to create the fundamentals for a strong and competitive economy.

It is my pleasure to present this year's Report on Plans and Priorities for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

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Minister of State's Message

As Minister of State for Science and Technology, it is my pleasure to present this year's Report on Plans and Priorities for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

The economy remains our government's top priority. As Canada recovers from the global recession, we are focused on creating jobs and economic growth.

This is why we are supporting promising new research as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan: to create jobs, strengthen our economy and improve Canadians' quality of life.

Science is key to Canada's future economic growth. To remain at the forefront of the global economy, we must invest in the people and ideas that will produce tomorrow's breakthroughs.

Our investments through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada are helping Canada develop, attract and retain the world's best and brightest researchers. As a result, our country is strengthening its position as a leading destination for the world's top research talent.

In the four years since Prime Minister Harper launched the Government of Canada's science and technology strategy, we have achieved a great deal, for which we as Canadians can be proud.

From Iqaluit in the Far North to rural Saskatchewan, from Victoria to St. John's and from Quebec's Eastern Townships to Northern Ontario, there are thousands of researchers pursuing some of the most important questions of our time – all with the support and encouragement of the Government of Canada. Indeed, it is through grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada that these Canadian researchers remain on the leading edge of science and innovation.

I am most appreciative of the work that the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada has done, and I am looking forward to 2011–12. This year, the Council will continue to implement its Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation, which will help realize more value from the government's investment in post-secondary research and development capabilities. New program elements within the College and Community Innovation Program will boost research and development capacity at Canadian colleges, enabling them to play an even greater role in Canada's innovation system. In addition, the new Frontiers initiatives will capitalize on emerging opportunities through which Canada can benefit from its world-class capacity to take a leadership role in key areas of research and innovation.

This important work requires the ongoing engagement and support of our many stakeholders in order for us to realize its full potential. As we move into 2011–12, I will continue to work with our university partners, the private sector and all Canadians to achieve the priorities laid out in this report.

Section I - Overview of the Agency

Raison d'être

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is a leader in making Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. NSERC aims to maximize the value of public investments in research and development (R&D) and to advance prosperity and quality of life in Canada. In today’s highly competitive knowledge economies, NSERC’s plays a key role in Canada’s innovation system. NSERC offers programs that support postsecondary research in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) on the basis of national, peer-reviewed competitions. NSERC supports partnerships and innovation to make it easier for industry to collaborate with academia and access the wealth of resources Canada’s first-rate academic system has to offer. NSERC develops the next generation of talented scientists and engineers through its scholarships and research stipends, and increases the visibility of Canadian research.

Responsibilities

NSERC is a departmental corporation of the Government of Canada created in 1978. It is funded directly by Parliament and reports to it through the Minister of Industry. NSERC’s Council is composed of the President and up to 18 other distinguished members selected from the private and public sectors. The elected Vice-President is the Chair of Council and of its Executive Committee. The Council is advised on policy matters by various standing committees. The President of NSERC is the Chief Executive Officer. Funding decisions are approved by the President on the basis of recommendations made by peer review committees.

In fiscal year 2011-12, NSERC will invest over $1 billion in postsecondary research and training in the NSE. NSERC’s budget represents 10 percent of the federal government’s expenditures for science and technology (S&T), and 20 percent of all university R&D funding in the NSE.

Mandate

The functions of NSERC, based on the authority and responsibility assigned to it under the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act (1976-1977, c.24), are to:

• promote and assist research in the natural sciences and engineering, other than the health sciences; and
• advise the Minister in respect of such matters relating to such research as the Minister may refer to the Council for its consideration.

NSERC’s Governance Structure

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Strategic Outcomes

In order to achieve its mandate, NSERC works toward the following strategic outcomes:

NSERC’s focus on people, discovery and innovation maps directly onto the federal science and technology (S&T) strategy which emphasizes building a People Advantage, a Knowledge Advantage and an Entrepreneurial Advantage for Canada. All of NSERC’s funding relates to these advantages. In addition, the majority of NSERC’s expenditures are in areas that fall under the S&T priorities (natural resources and energy, environment, information and communications technologies, manufacturing and health) established by the government. The following figure highlights NSERC’s priority area expenditures in 2009-10.

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Program Activity Architecture

Strategic Outcomes

1.0 People

Highly skilled science and engineering professionals in Canada

Program Activities

1.1 Promote Science and Engineering

Sub-Activities

• PromoScience
• Prizes

1.2 Support Students and Fellows

Sub-Activities

• Undergraduate Student Research Awards
• NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships
• Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships¹
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships¹
• Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships¹
• Collaborative Research and Training Experience

1.3 Attract and Retain Faculty

Sub-Activities

• Canada Excellence Research Chairs¹
• Canada Research Chairs¹
• University Faculty Awards

2.0 Discovery

High quality Canadian-based competitive research in the natural sciences and engineering

Program Activities

2.1 Fund Basic Research

Sub-Activities

• Discovery Grants
• Special Research Opportunity Grants

2.2 Support for Research Equipment and Major Resources

Sub-Activities

• Research Tools and Instruments
• Major Resources Support Grants

3.0 Innovation

Knowledge and skills in the natural sciences and engineering are transferred to and used productively by the user sector in Canada

Program Activities

3.1 Fund Research in Strategic Areas

Sub-Activities

• Strategic Partnerships
• Collaborative Health Research Projects¹

3.2 Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships

Sub-Activities

• Industrial Research and Development Internships¹
• Industrial Research and Development Fellowships
• Industrial Research Chairs
• Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• Networks of Centres of Excellence¹
• Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence¹

3.3 Support Commercialization

Sub-Activities

• Idea to Innovation Program
• College and Community Innovation Program¹
• Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research¹

The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within NSERC

4.1 Internal Services
Sub-Activities Governance and Management Support Resource Management Services Asset Management Services

Program Activity Architecture Crosswalk

Modifications to NSERC’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) were approved by the Treasury Board Secretariat in August 2010. Changes reflect recent program evolution and better classify programs according to their primary objective. The updated PAA is consistent with the way NSERC manages its programs and allocates resources to achieve expected results.

Summary of changes:

1. The Industrial Research and Development Fellowships (IRDF) and the Industrial Research and Development Internships (IRDI) programs were moved from Program Activity (PA) 1.2 (Support Students and Fellows) to PA 3.2 (Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships). This amendment better represents the expected results of the IRDI and IRDF programs which emphasize knowledge transfer and technology transfer through the opportunities created for skilled graduates to gain experience in industry.
2. The Industrial Research Chairs (IRC) Program was moved from PA 1.3 (Attract and Retain Faculty) to PA 3.2 (Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships). The program’s objectives best align with the expected results of PA 3.2:  “Mutually beneficial collaborations between the private sector and researchers in universities, resulting in industrial or economic benefits to Canada.”
3. Chairs in Targeted Areas of Research were removed from PA 1.3 (Attract and Retain Faculty) and sub-elements were moved to SO 3 to better reflect their expected results. Chairs in Design Engineering are part of the IRC program in PA 3.2 (Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships). The expected result of the IRC program is “Enhanced research capacity resulting from the development of a critical mass, necessary for a major research endeavour in science and engineering, primarily of interest to industry.” Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering and the Northern Research Chairs are now part of Strategic Partnerships within PA 3.1 (Fund Research in Strategic Areas). The expected result of Strategic Partnerships is “Research and training in targeted and emerging areas of national importance is accelerated.”

Redistribution of financial resources following modification of PAA

Old PA ($ millions)	New Program Activity (PA) 2011-12
	Fund Research in Strategic Areas	Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships	Total
Support Students and Fellows		11.4	11.4
Attract and Retain Faculty	1.2	27.0	28.2

Amounts represent the forecast spending for 2010-11 and the planned investment for the three-year reporting period from 2011-12 to 2013-14.

Planning Summary

Financial Resources ($ millions)²

2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
1,066.6	1,024.3	1,010.3

Human Resources (Full-time Equivalents - FTEs)

2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
376	376	376

 

Strategic Outcome 1.0: People ─ Highly skilled science and engineering professionals in Canada

Performance Indicator	Targets
Percentage of population with higher education in the NSE vs. G8 countries	Maintain or exceed current ranking (Canada was six in 20063)

Program Activity4 ($millions)	Forecast Spending 2010-11	Planned Spending			Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes5
		2011-12	2012-13	2014-15
1.1 Promote Science and Engineering	5.7	5.5	5.5	5.5	Innovative and Knowledge-based Economy
1.2 Support Students and Fellows	156.5	149.6	143.6	143.6
1.3 Attract and Retain Faculty	145.1	152.9	152.6	152.5
Total Planned Spending for SO 1.0		308.0	301.7	301.6

Note: Please refer to the Expenditure Profile section for explanations on spending trends

Strategic Outcome 2.0: Discovery - High quality Canadian-based competitive research in the natural sciences and engineering

Performance Indicator					Targets
Average number of times that Canadian papers in the NSE are cited by other researchers (Average Relative Citation factor of Canadian publications in the NSE ― comparison with other countries)					Maintain top 20 world ranking (Canada was 16th in 20086)
Program Activity ($millions)	Forecast Spending 2010-11	Planned Spending			Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
		2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
2.1 Fund Basic Research	357.6	358.4	359.3	359.3	Innovative and Knowledge-based Economy
2.2  Support for Research Equipment and Major Resources7	44.9	37.9	36.5	22.6
Total Planned Spending for SO 2.0		396.4	395.8	381.9

Note: Please refer to the Expenditure Profile section for explanations on spending trends

Strategic Outcome 3.0: Innovation ─ Knowledge and skills in the natural sciences and engineering are transferred to and used productively by the user sector in Canada

Performance Indicator	Targets
Percentage growth in the number of partner companies annually	Greater than five percent per year

Program Activity ($millions)	Forecast Spending 2010-11	Planned Spending			Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
		2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
3.1 Fund Research in Strategic Areas	134.8	116.5	107.3	97.1	Innovative and Knowledge-based Economy
3.2 Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships	153.4	167.1	160.0	170.2
3.3 Support Commercialization	53.9	54.8	36.9	36.9
Total Planned Spending for SO 3.0		338.4	304.2	304.2

Note: Please refer to the Expenditure Profile section for explanations on spending trends

Strategic Outcome 4.0: Internal Services

Program Activity ($millions)	Forecast Spending 2010-11	Planned Spending
		2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
4.1 Internal Services8	26.4	23.9	22.6	22.6
Total Planned Spending		1,066.6	1,024.3	1,010.3

Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome

Operational Priorities	Type	Links to Strategic Outcome(s)	Description
Priority 1. People Advantage: Inspire new generations of students to pursue careers in science and engineering, and provide them with the means to develop their full potential.	Ongoing	1.0 People	Why this is a priority To build a stronger culture of science and innovation in our country recognizing that an innovative and competitive society relies on the creativity and skills of highly trained people in the NSE, as identified in the federal S&T strategy;   To ensure Canada has a supply of highly qualified people (HQP) by supporting university students and fellows during their training in research and by providing them with opportunities to develop professional, job-ready skills and to experience enriched and varied research environments; To encourage young people to study science and engineering and become the talented science and technology graduates Canada needs to compete and win as identified in the federal S&T strategy; and To position Canada as a destination of choice for top foreign students and researchers, as many foreign students will elect to stay in Canada at the end of their studies. Plans for meeting the priority Attract the best and the brightest to pursue science and engineering studies in Canada, train advanced researchers for jobs of the future, and prepare the next generation of scientific experts, innovators and entrepreneurs. (Ongoing with new elements) Implement the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program; and Expand Canadian company involvement in providing training experience for students by increasing participation in NSERC’s industrial scholarship programs.
Priority 2. Knowledge Advantage: Lead the advancement of knowledge in science and engineering and ensure that Canadian scientists and engineers are leaders and key players in a global knowledge economy.	Ongoing	1.0 People 2.0 Discovery	Why this is a priority To advance the Knowledge Advantage identified in the federal S&T strategy by maintaining the capacity to conduct world-class research in the broad areas of NSE; To support excellence and seed the creativity that will lead to future innovation; To capitalize on benefits arising from Canadians leading or participating in international collaborations; and To increase productivity, innovation, jobs, and prosperity. Plans for meeting the priority Enhance Canada’s standing in world science, encourage creativity and research at the leading edge of world knowledge, and maximize impact by enabling researchers to pursue opportunities for transformational discoveries. (Ongoing with new elements) Increase the number of Discovery Accelerator Supplements awarded each year; and Implement the Discovery Frontiers Initiative.
Priority 3. Entrepreneurial Advantage: Connect and apply the strength of the academic research system to addressing the opportunities and challenges of building prosperity for Canada.	Ongoing	3.0 Innovation	Why this is a priority To connect Canada's research strength to industry to promote innovation and prosperity in Canada. Canada ranks first in the G8 for R&D performed in the higher-education sector as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)9. Innovation and prosperity in Canada can be enhanced by more effectively connecting this research strength to industry, particularly in areas of strategic importance; To stimulate business investment in R&D in Canada. Business investment in R&D in Canada is low relative to other OECD countries with the majority of private sector R&D investment in Canada being concentrated in a small number of very large companies; and To enable innovation to enhance the productivity of Canadian industry. Canadian industry has a productivity gap with other leading nations, one that can partly be addressed through innovation10. Plans for meeting the priority Continue to implement NSERC’s Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation (SPI). The Strategy, which was recognized in Budget 2010, puts forth a four-point plan to enhance the quality and quantity of industry-academic research partnerships and accelerate innovation so that Canada realizes more value from the government’s investment in postsecondary R&D capabilities; (Previously committed to, with new elements) Build sustainable relationships by facilitating interactions between industry and post-secondary researchers, for example through the new Innovation Frontiers, the Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants, Engage Grants, Interaction Grants and the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program; Streamline and facilitate access to NSERC’s existing innovation-oriented policies and programs; Connect people and skills by advancing “innovation skills” in students and facilitate their hiring; and Focus on national priorities, for example through strategic partnership programs.

Management Priorities	Type	Links to Strategic Outcome(s)	Description
Priority 4. Demonstrate NSERC’s accountability and how the results of its investments in Canadian research and training benefit Canadians.	Ongoing	1.0 People 2.0 Discovery 3.0 Innovation	Why this is a priority To demonstrate accountability and stewardship in the management of Canada's investments in S&T; To increase effectiveness and client service; and To measure the results and impacts of the government's investments. Plans for meeting the priority Improve governance and management practices by building stronger links between strategic, operational, financial and human resources planning; (Previously committed to, with new elements) Continue to develop a comprehensive risk management framework which will provide valuable input to our decision making and integrated planning exercises; (Previously committed to) Continue to lever information management and technology systems to further improve efficiency and client service; (Previously committed to) Continue to collaborate with SSHRC, CIHR and CFI to develop program and policy-related content for the agencies’ new joint Web site, Research Funding Collaboration, hosted by science.gc.ca; (New) and Develop new performance measurement and program evaluation approaches and methods for measuring and reporting the impact and outcome of investments in research and advanced training. (Previously committed to)
Priority 5. Increase visibility of Canadian research	Ongoing	1.0 People 2.0 Discovery 3.0 Innovation	Why this is a priority To demonstrate value of federal government investment in science and technology to Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and to demonstrate to industry that there is value in partnering with federally supported researchers to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. Plans for meeting the priority To demonstrate relevance and acknowledge the new economic environment, NSERC will focus on communicating concrete results and quantifiable economic benefits, including job creation; (Previously committed to, with new elements) and NSERC will place a greater emphasis on monitoring the effectiveness of new messaging and tools. (Previously committed to, with new elements)

Risk Analysis

In alignment with Treasury Board Secretariat guidelines and management frameworks, NSERC has developed its 2010-11 Corporate Risk Profile (CRP) to formally identify, assess and mitigate corporate risks.

Operating Environment
While NSERC administers a significant budget, the agency’s overall risk level compared to other government entities is considered low, in terms of continuity of government operations and the maintenance of services to, and protection of interests of, the Canadian public. This assessment is supported in a 2007 Blue Ribbon Panel Report on Grants and Contributions¹¹ which noted the rigorous system of oversight used by the federal granting agencies and deemed their record of performance to be high by international standards.

Operational Risks
Some risks were identified which relate to program strategies, planning and delivery and these were considered medium or low. These were linked, for example, to NSERC’s ability to align new opportunities to strategic priorities and to deliver on its objectives to increase non-academic partnerships. In the first case, the risk was considered low because NSERC’s strategic outcomes of  People, Discovery and Innovation, which frame all its activities, are completely aligned with the People, Knowledge and Entrepreneurial advantages and objectives of the Federal S&T Strategy. With respect to partnership objectives, NSERC has an established and well-communicated partnership strategy, and a process to set expectations with partners at the program delivery level. In addition, NSERC has some flexibility to adjust program funding allocations to respond quickly to new partnership opportunities.

Issues related to peer review capacity (i.e., being able to recruit the required number of qualified peer reviewers on an ongoing basis) and process (i.e., ensuring that peer review is perceived as credible, transparent and equitable in the awarding of grants and scholarships) were assessed as medium risks. NSERC has practices to mitigate these risks such as publishing the membership of its independent peer review committees; transparent processes based on documented program descriptions, selection criteria and evaluation procedures; and an established appeal process. Peer review capacity is ensured through a historically successful and well-established peer reviewer recruitment and retention process, and initiatives to limit the number of requests made to reviewers and to avoid reviewer fatigue. 

Management Risks
In the recently developed corporate risk profile, risks that were considered high were:

• Human Resource Capacity — The risk that the organization does not have or cannot recruit/retain the required human resources capacity (i.e., number and/or skill sets) to deliver its mandate effectively;
• Information Technology Innovation — The risk that the organization does not adequately leverage technology to support the needs of the organization, to promote efficiency, or to innovate (e.g., services and processes);
• Operating Budget Management  — The risk that the organization is ineffective in monitoring operating budgets and making informed and/or accurate decisions;
• Project Management Capability — The risk that the organization does not have the required capabilities, tools or dedicated expertise to effectively manage key projects; and
• Sufficiency of Operating Funding — The risk that allocated operating funding is not sufficient to support program/project delivery requirements.

A number of mitigation measures are already in place. For example, there are established budgeting processes for mid-year and year-end reviews, budget and expenditure reports are accessible for each directorate, and a salary management system is in place. Over the next 12 months, NSERC will further develop risk mitigation and management strategies for these risks.

Expenditure Profile

For the 2011-12 fiscal year, NSERC plans to spend $1,066.6 million to meet the expected results of its program activities and contribute to its strategic outcomes. The figure below illustrates NSERC’s spending trend from 2008-09 to 2013-14.

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The spending trend figures do not account for any potential new future Budget investments in NSERC.

Spending increase:
From 2008-09 to 2010-11, the following new investments were made:

• $34 million increase to core funding for collaborative research that directly contributes to the knowledge and innovation needs of Canada’s automotive, manufacturing, forestry and fishing industries (Budget 2008);
• $19.1 million in 2008-09 and 2009-10, respectively, for the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program (Budget 2007);
• $7.0 million in 2008-09 and $7.4 million in 2009-10 for the Business Led Networks of Centres of Excellence (BL-NCE) program (Budget 2007);
• $4.2 million in 2008-09 and $6.9 million in 2009-10, for the Industrial R&D Internships (IRDI) program as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan (Budget 2007 and Budget 2009);
• $14 million in 2009-10, $14 million in 2010-11, and $7 million in 2011-12 for a temporary expansion of the Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan (Budget 2009);
• $2.1 million in 2008-09, $14.6 million in 2009-10, and $15 million in 2010-11 for the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program (Budget 2007 and Budget 2010);
• $11 million in 2009-10 for the Canadian Light Source (Budget 2008);
• $13 million in 2010-11 for advanced research and for the Strategy on Partnerships and Innovation (Budget 2010);
• $1.6 million in 2010-11 for the new Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program (Budget 2010); and
• $10.8 million in 2010-11 for the Canada Excellence Research Chairs (Budget 2008).

Spending decrease:
Over the period covered by this report, decreases resulted from the following:

• In 2008, NSERC conducted a comprehensive review of the funding, relevance and performance of all its programs. The conclusions of this Strategic Review were accepted by the Treasury Board and reflected in Budget 2009. As a result, NSERC’s core funding declined by $11.2 million in 2009-10 and $23.3 million in 2010-11 and will decline by $34.7 million in subsequent years (relative to 2008-09).
• The BL-NCE program is scheduled to sunset in 2012-13. This program supported four industry-led networks over five years with a total budget of $34.8 million earmarked in Budget 2007 and administered by NSERC.
• The last portion of the $38.5 million received by NSERC as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan for additional Canada Graduate Scholarships and Industrial Research and Development Internship awards will be spent in 2011-12.

NSERC’s Grants and Scholarships Transfer Payment Program encompasses a broad suite of mechanisms that deliver on NSERC’s People, Discovery and Innovation strategic outcomes. Over time, funds may be reallocated among the various grants and scholarships mechanisms to respond to changing circumstances. For example, NSERC plans to partially respond to the expected increased participation of industry in the Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation (SPI) by reallocating some of the funds from the Strategic Partnerships Programs (networks and projects) to program elements such as Engage grants, Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) grants and Industrial Research Chairs (IRC). In addition, starting in 2011, Strategic Partnerships will focus only on four target areas, compared to the current seven. These changes contribute to the decrease in planned spending for Program Activity 3.1 and the increased planned spending for Program Activity 3.2 over the planning period. For Program Activity 3.3, it is important to note that $18M in anticipated funding for the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) Program is not currently included in the planned spending for 2012-13 and subsequent years. The CECR Program, which became permanent in 2009, has an annual budget of $18M per year but formal inclusion of these funds in NSERC’s reference levels takes place after formal approval of spending authorities has been obtained from the Treasury Board following each competition for CECR awards.

Estimates by Vote

For information on our organizational votes and/or statutory expenditures, please see the 2011–12 Main Estimates publication. An electronic version of the Main Estimates is available on-line.

NSERC’s administration costs are less than five percent of its total budget. This is low compared to similar agencies in Canada and around the world. NSERC is able to maintain this low level of overhead expenses by extensively using volunteer committee members and peer reviewers, obtaining agreement from Canadian universities that receive NSERC funds to participate in their administration, and sharing the costs of common administrative services through a successful partnership with SSHRC.

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