Well, I'm speaking of big-science projects in the long term, of the synchrotron after 50 years; what can be discovered in 50 years? When we talk about big science, we're talking about long-range science projects, such as mapping the terrain of Canada to figure out where the next ores are, or looking at fish stocks over the long term. A synchrotron is another area for sure, but we're talking about scientific projects with a 50-year lifespan, for example.
To answer your question, there have to be resources committed--long-term, full-time resources--to make sure the project has the committed staff--