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2009-10
Report on Plans and Priorities



Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada






Supplementary Information (Tables)






Table of Contents




Details on NSERC's Transfer Payment Programs

Strategic Outcome:
  • 1.0 People − Highly skilled science and engineering professionals in Canada
  • 2.0 Discovery − High quality Canadian-based competitive research in the natural sciences and engineering
  • 3.0 Innovation − Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants and Scholarships

Start date: April 1, 1978

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire on October 31, 2011)

Description: NSERC’s class grant Grants and Scholarships program supports university-based basic and project research, college-based project research, provides scholarships and fellowships to young researchers, and facilitates links between universities, colleges, the private sector, and governments.

Expected results:

  • Enhanced research capacity resulting from a supply of highly qualified people with leading-edge scientific and research skills for Canadian industry, government, and universities;
  • Enhanced discovery, innovation, and training capabilities of university and college researchers in the natural sciences and engineering; and
  • Strong linkages created between universities, colleges, industry, and government, supporting the transfer of knowledge and technology with economic and/or social benefits to Canadians.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
PEOPLE
Program Activity 1.1: Promote Science and Engineering
Total grants 5.96 6.53 5.59 5.48
Program Activity 1.2: Support Students and Fellows
Total grants 149.86 149.79 152.73 156.61
Program Activity 1.3: Attract and Retain Faculty
Total grants 165.59 166.21 164.99 164.99
Total for PEOPLE 321.41 322.53 323.31 327.08
DISCOVERY
Program Activity 2.1: Fund Basic Research
Total Grants 364.18 361.18 358.76 354.76
Program Activity 2.2: Support for Research Equipment and Major Resources
Total Grants 51.36 45.35 43.37 45.40
Total for DISCOVERY 415.54 406.53 402.13 400.16
INNOVATION
Program Activity 3.1: Fund Research in Strategic Areas
Total Grants 111.27 121.51 131.17 132.79
Program Activity 3.2: Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships
Total Grants 120.25 103.60 99.98 98.39
Program Activity 3.3: Support Commercialization
Total Grants 13.40 44.47 24.93 24.93
Total for INNOVATION 244.92 269.58 256.08 256.11
Total for Program 981.87 998.64 981.52 983.35
Planned Evaluations (year of completion)
  • Evaluation of NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships in Industry and in Academia (2008-09)
  • Evaluation of Collaborative Research and Development Grants (2009-10)
  • Evaluation of PromoScience (2009-10)
  • Evaluation of Undergraduate Student Research Awards in University and in Industry (2009-10)
  • Evaluation of the Strategic Projects and Strategic Networks Grants (2009-10)
  • Evaluation of NSERC Prizes (2010-11)
  • Evaluation of the Postdoctoral and Industrial Research and Development Fellowships (2010-11)
  • Evaluation of the Collaborative Health Research Projects (2010-11)
  • Evaluation of the Idea to Innovation Program (2011-12)
  • Special Study of the Chairs in Targeted Areas of Research (2011-12)
  • Evaluation of the Special Research Opportunities Grants (2011-12)


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

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Start date: April 1, 2003

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire on (May 31, 2009)

Description: NSERC’s portion of the tri-agency class grant Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program which is called the Alexander Graham Bell CGS, provides financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in master's or doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering.

Expected results:

  • Increased capacity to meet demand for highly qualified personnel in the academic, public and private sectors.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
Program Activity 1.2: Support Students and Fellows
Total grants 40.08 42.58 42.58 42.58
Total for PEOPLE 40.08 42.58 42.58 42.58
Total for Program 40.08 42.58 42.58 42.58
Planned Evaluations (year of completion) Tri-Agency (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) Evaluation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships (2008-09)


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

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Start date: August 1, 2008

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire on July 31, 2013)

Description: NSERC’s portion of the tri-agency class grant Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program provides financial support to Canadian and International students who have achieved outstanding success in their studies and will pursue a doctoral program in a Canadian university, in areas of natural sciences and engineering.

Expected results:

  • Establishment of a Canadian doctoral scholarship that is internationally competitive and internationally recognized, similar to other international scholarships such as the Fulbright and Rhodes;
  • Enhanced capacity of Canadian universities to attract the best and brightest students from Canada and the world with the potential to become leaders in the next generation of researchers in Canada;
  • Attract to Canada top students from other countries who will bring with them new knowledge and ideas and enrich the Canadian learning environment;
  • Retain Canada’s top doctoral students in the face of intense international competition for the brightest researchers;
  • Promote and brand Canada as a home of research excellence and Canadian Universities as world-class institutions of research and higher learning e.g. by improving their standing on the list of the 100 top Universities internationally;
  • Establish effective research collaborations and networks between Canada and the recipients’ home countries; and
  • Create an alumni of “ambassadors” for Canada worldwide who will promote Canada as a destination for research excellence and higher learning.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
PEOPLE
Program Activity 1.2: Support Students and Fellows
Total grants - 2.8 5.55 8.35
Total for PEOPLE - 2.8 5.55 8.35
Total for Program - 2.8 5.55 8.35


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

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Industrial R&D Internship

Start date: November 30, 2007

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire November 29, 2012)

Description: NSERC’s portion of the tri-agency class grant Industrial R&D Internship (IRDI) program provides financial support to eligible, non-for-profit organizations to match graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with private sector organizations for private sector research internships involving expertise in natural sciences and engineering. The interns work on research projects jointly developed by their private sector partner and academic supervisor.

Expected results:

  • Job opportunities with businesses are created for skilled graduates.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
Program Activity 1.2: Support Students and Fellows
Total grants 4.26 4.38 5.88 6.88
Total for PEOPLE 4.26 4.38 5.88 6.88
Total for Program 4.26 4.38 5.88 6.88


Strategic Outcome:
  • 3.0 Innovation − Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Networks of Centres of Excellence

Start date: February 18, 1997

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire on September 19, 2013)

Description: NSERC’s portion of the tri-agency class grant Networks of Centres of Excellence program to mobilize Canada’s research talent in the academic, private, public and not-for-profit sectors and apply it to the task of developing the economy and improving the quality of life of Canadians.

Expected results:

  • Acceleration of the exchange of research results within the network and the use of this knowledge within Canada by organizations that can harness it for Canadian economic and social development;
  • Attraction and retention of world-class researchers and highly qualified personnel (HQP) in areas essential to Canadian economic and social development;
  • Creation of functional multi-regional interdisciplinary research teams;
  • Development of a pool of HQP in areas essential to Canadian economic and social development; and
  • Increase in Canada’s international visibility and reputation.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
INNOVATION
Program Activity 3.2: Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships
Total grants 32.69 40.2 40.2 40.2
Total for INNOVATION 32.69 40.2 40.2 40.2
Total for Program 32.69 40.2 40.2 40.2


Strategic Outcome:
  • 3.0 Innovation − Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence

Start date: September 28, 2007

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire on June 13, 2012)

Description: NSERC’s portion of the tri-agency class grant Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence program establishes networks conducting research in priority areas resulting in a long-term competitive advantage to consortia of Canadian firms, supported by networks of academics and government researchers in areas of natural sciences and engineering. This program is included within the class grants Networks of Centres of Excellence program.

Expected results:

  • To fund business-led world-class national research networks that yield research-related and commercialization-related benefits for Canada.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
INNOVATION
Program Activity 3.2: Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships
Total grants 7.02 7.41 8.41 8.41
Total for INNOVATION 7.02 7.41 8.41 8.41
Total for Program 7.02 7.41 8.41 8.41
Planned Evaluations (year of completion) Formative Evaluation of Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence (2010-11)


Strategic Outcome:
  • 3.0 Innovation − Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: College and Community Innovation

Start date: December 6, 2007

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire November 29, 2012)

Description: NSERC's portion of the tri-agency class grant College and Community Innovation program increases innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local companies, particularly SMEs, in areas of natural sciences and engineering. It supports applied research and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, as well as technology transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies, in areas of strategic importance to Canada.

Expected results:

  • Increased capacity of Canadian colleges to support innovation at the community and/or regional level.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
Program Activity 3.3: Support Commercialization
Total grants 2.05 14.55 14.55 14.55
Total for INNOVATION 2.05 14.55 14.55 14.55
Total for Program 2.05 14.55 14.55 14.55


Strategic Outcome:
  • 3.0 Innovation − Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering

Program Activity: N/A

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research

Start date: June 29, 2007

End date: No end date (Current Terms and Conditions will expire on June 29, 2012)

Description: NSERC’s portion of the tri-agency class grant Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research program supports the operation of commercialization and/or research Centres that bring together people, services, and infrastructure to maximize the benefits of the government’s investments in skills and research and to encourage greater private sector investment in science and technology, in areas of natural sciences and engineering.

Expected results:

  • To maximize the benefits of government investment in R&D and encourage the private sector to increase its investment in Science & Technology.

($ millions) Forecast Spending
2008-09
Planned Spending
2009-10
Planned Spending
2010-11
Planned Spending
2011-12
INNOVATION
Program Activity 3.3: Support Commercialization
Total grants 26.66 19.12 - -
Total for INNOVATION 26.66 19.12 - -
Total for Program 26.66 19.12 - -
Planned Evaluations (year of completion)
  • Formative Evaluation of the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (2009-10)
  • Evaluation of the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (2011-12)

Note: Funds are earmarked in the fiscal framework for the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) for 2010-11 and 2011-12 in the amounts of $28.485M and $28.835M respectively. The amounts allocated to each Council cannot be determined at this time.



Internal Audits


Upcoming Internal Audits (Next three fiscal years)
In 2008-09, NSERC and SSHRC completed a merger of their internal audit units. Currently, the Internal Audit Team is developing detailed profiles of program components and evaluating risk exposures for the purpose of recommending internal audit projects for 2009-10. In addition, resources have been earmarked to assist in the conduct of horizontal audits, as may be directed by the Office of the Comptroller General. Specific projects have not yet been identified and, therefore, a list of upcoming audits is not available at the time of tabling of this report.
Electronic link to audit reports:
NSERC Internal Audits



Evaluations (Next three fiscal years)



Name of Evaluation Program Type Status Expected Completion Date
Tri-Agency (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) Evaluation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships Transfer Payment Program Completed 2008-09
Evaluation of NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships in Industry and in Academia Transfer Payment Program In progress 2008-09
Tri-Agency Evaluation of the Canada Research Chairs Transfer Payment Program In progress 2009-10
Evaluation of Collaborative Research and Development Grants Transfer Payment Program In progress 2009-10
Formative Evaluation of the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research Transfer Payment Program In progress 2009-10
Evaluation of PromoScience Transfer Payment Program Planned 2009-10
Evaluation of Undergraduate Student Research Awards in University and in Industry Transfer Payment Program Planned 2009-10
Evaluation of the Strategic Projects and Strategic Networks Grants Transfer Payment Program Planned 2009-10
Evaluation of NSERC Prizes Transfer Payment Program Planned 2010-11
Evaluation of the Postdoctoral and Industrial Research and Development Fellowships Transfer Payment Program Planned 2010-11
Evaluation of the Collaborative Health Research Projects Transfer Payment Program Planned 2010-11
Formative Evaluation of Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence Transfer Payment Program Planned 2010-11
Evaluation of the Idea to Innovation Program Transfer Payment Program Planned 2011-12
Special Study of the Chairs in Targeted Areas of Research Transfer Payment Program Planned 2011-12
Evaluation of the Special Research Opportunities Grants Transfer Payment Program Planned 2011-12
Evaluation of the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research Transfer Payment Program Planned 2011-12



Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue



Respendable Revenue
($ millions)
Program Activity Respendable revenue Forecast Revenue
2008-09
Planned Revenue
2009-10
Planned Revenue
2010-11
Planned Revenue
2011-12
           
         
Subtotal        
           
         
Total Respendable Revenue        



Non-Respendable Revenue
($ millions)
Program Activity Non-respendable revenue Forecast Revenue
2008-09
Planned Revenue
2009-10
Planned Revenue
2010-11
Planned Revenue
2011-12
           
  1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3
Subtotal 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3
           
         
Total Non-respendable Revenue        
Total Respendable and Non-respendable Revenue 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3