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Table 1:  Details on Transfer Payment Programs (TPP)


Program Activity:
($ millions)
($ millions) 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
1. Contributions to International Telescope Programs 13.2 5.5 5.5
2. Contribution to the University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, Carleton University, L’Université de Montréal, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto, and University of Victoria operating a Joint Venture known as TRIUMF 44.1 19.3 19.3
3. Industrial Research Assistance Program 82.2 87.0 87.0
Total for all transfer payments above $5M 139.5 111.8 111.8

Strategic outcome:  An innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through research and development, technology commercialization and industry support

Program activity: Research and Development

Name of transfer payment program:  Contributions to International Telescope Programs

Start date:  1978 (CFHT)

End date:  December 2012 (US National Science Foundation in support of Gemini)

Description:  NRC, in partnership with other international bodies, provides financial contributions that support the management and operations of four international, offshore observatories and their related facilities (2 telescopes for Gemini Observatory, 66 for ALMA), and participates in the oversight and direction of the facilities and research. Astrophysics research and development requires large, costly and very precise telescopes and related instruments situated in areas that will provide ideal viewing conditions. It is beyond the capacity of individual organizations or even countries to support the costs of developing and maintaining the facilities required to conduct forefront astrophysics research, thus it is necessary for public sector organizations, through international partnerships, to support this research and development.

Expected results:

Immediate Outcomes:

  • Access to forefront facilities and technology for Canadian astronomers;
  • Enhanced training to qualified students as a result of access to facilities;
  • New technologies developed as part of developing new concepts for new telescopes and instruments;
  • More timely publication of results;
  • Telescope data is effectively used.

Intermediate Outcomes:

  • A prominent role for Canada in international scientific endeavours, as a member of G8 and OECD;
  • Maximized scientific benefit of telescopes to the Canadian and worldwide community;
  • Increased opportunities for Canadian industry to participate in advanced scientific projects, and resulting opportunities to benefit;
  • New technology transferred to industry

Program Activity:
($ millions)
($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-091
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
Total contribution 5.5 13.2 5.5 5.5
1 Reflects best forecast of total planned spending to the end of the fiscal year.

Strategic outcome:  An innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through research and development, technology commercialization and industry support

Program activity: Research and Development

Name of transfer payment program:  Contribution to the University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, Carleton University, L’Université de Montréal, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto, and University of Victoria operating a Joint Venture known as TRIUMF

Start date:  April 1, 1977

End date:  March 30, 2010

Description:  NRC provides financial assistance to support the operations and management of TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. A consortium of seven Canadian universities own and manage the operations of TRIUMF. TRIUMF receives its federal funding in five-year allocations via a Contribution Agreement from NRC. The next Five-Year Plan for TRIUMF will start on April 1, 2010 following a Cabinet decision. TRIUMF constitutes one of Canada’s key investments in “Big Science” infrastructure. As TRIUMF hosts a substantial user community, Canadian and international, as well as scientists working in nuclear medicine and materials science. TRIUMF partners with MDS Nordion in the production of medical isotopes for clinical treatments and diagnostic procedures. TRIUMF constitutes the base laboratory out of which large scale international particle physics initiatives such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (Geneva) are mounted.

Expected results:
Immediate outcomes: 

  • Access to the forefront facilities of TRIUMF and at CERN, permitting the Canadian research community to perform at world-class level;
  • A high level of training and unique expertise for qualified research students;
  • New technologies developed in partnership with industry and other partners;
  • More timely publication and dissemination of results of research;
  • Availability of experimental data from TRIUMF and CERN for the benefit of the world scientific community.

Intermediate outcomes: 

  • A continued prominent role for Canada at the forefront of international science, as a member of G8, OECD, and NATO;
  • Increase opportunities for Canadian industry to participate in advanced scientific projects with concomitant bottom-line benefits.

Program Activity:
($ millions)
($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-091
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
Total contribution 43.6 44.1 19.3 19.3
1 Reflects best forecast of total planned spending to the end of the fiscal year.

Planned Evaluation: Peer Review / Evaluation of TRIUMF: Spring 2009

Strategic outcome:  An innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through research and development, technology commercialization and industry support

Program activity: Technology and Industry Support

Name of transfer payment program:  Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)

Start date:  April 1, 2002

End date:  March 31, 2013

Description: The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) supports the Government of Canada priorities by providing innovation support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Canada. NRC-IRAP also supports the development and maintenance of a national system of innovation through providing contributions to organizations.

Expected results: To stimulate wealth creation for Canada through SME technological innovation. Immediate and intermediate outcomes include SME achievement of technical objectives; increased SME technical and business competencies; introduction of new or improved products/services or processes; SME cost savings; client growth; increased SME services/support by innovation support organizations; and SME access to national and international markets. These outcomes will be achieved as a result of the following Program outputs: contribution agreements; SME R&D; technical and business advice; literature/patent searches; SME-specific competitive technical intelligence reports; technical, market and commercial assessments; training and networking events; local, national and international linkages; referrals; and organizational, network and country agreements.


Program Activity:
($ millions)
($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-091
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
Total contribution 87.9 82.2 87.0 87.0
1 Reflects best forecast of total planned spending to the end of the fiscal year.

Planned Evaluation: Evaluation of the Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP): Winter 2008 (completed)

Planned Audit: Follow-up to the 2006-07 Audit of IRAP: Fall 2010