Science and Research Committee on May 12th, 2022

[Kevin Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, University Health Network, As an Individual]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the members of this distinguished committee.

First I'd like to commend the committee for focusing on how best to support research and innovation in Canada and to attract and retain top talent. This is an issue we are charged with daily at the University Health Network.

My name is Kevin Smith. I have the privilege of serving as president and CEO of UHN, Canada's largest and most prolific research and training hospital. UHN has recently been recognized as one of the top five hospitals in the world by Newsweek. I should note, with some pride, that we're the only hospital among the top 10 hospitals identified by that organization with a universally funded system, whereby all have equal access to outstanding care, care that is informed by and improved through research.

As you know, one of the greatest challenges facing hospitals is a shortage of providers. University Health Network is also Canada's only hospital that has embedded within it a health professional training school, known as the Michener Institute of Education.

Research should include pedagogical or educational research, an incredibly important part of the future of Canada's training programs. Such a model, in our opinion, offers a national opportunity for the development of new professions, including extender professions that might help meet the needs and incredible demands placed upon clinicians for the rapid delivery of clinical care in order to catch up from COVID, coupled with a growing and aging population.

Fully 80% of Canada's health research is undertaken by research hospitals in Canada. That's 80%. This is often missed by many, and is a very important fact for the committee. Of course, our university partners are essential to research and scholarship, but it is the clinical environment research hospitals, and especially those with major research programs and ecosystems, that are very much the engine of this machine.

At UHN, we're very proud and fortunate to have completed almost $500 million of research in the last year. That is mostly money that was spent on salaries of research staff, technicians, technologists, support staff, and of course the scientists themselves. This investment creates thousands of high-quality jobs and a high quality of work life.

Each day we work at retaining and attracting the very finest minds to research in clinical care. Because we are a leading organization, each and every day we see attempts made by other world-leading organizations to recruit away our very brightest and best. Thanks to the Government of Canada, we've been able to stand our ground for some time. We've been able to keep those who are in the greatest demand in Canada. We've been able to attract stars and we've been able to see the world's leading organizations come to Canada, looking to attract those stars as well.

However, COVID and significant investments by other nations have changed everything. We are increasingly struggling to do so, especially at a time when investigators are thinking about quality of work life and access to needed resources.

Presently, Canada spends approximately 1.5% of its total health care budget on health research. This is a very small amount when compared to leading economies of the world. If we wish to maintain our standing in a vibrant research ecosystem, we must consider additional investment. Remember that the limited investment truly pays off. The research sector employs 482,000 Canadians and contributes over $7.8 billion to Canada's GDP.

The current research landscape, using the tri-councils and the CFI, has served Canada well for many years. That said, numerous reports and suggestions have been put forward about how we might better structure the system.

I won't spend my limited time today talking to you about structure, as I believe the structure alone will not significantly advance Canada's competitiveness. Investment is truly what's needed. This investment, whether in infrastructure—both physical or cyber—direct operating grants for researchers, or targeted initiatives, stimulates researchers to ask the most important questions. Researchers are struggling since inflationary pressures in laboratories are increasing at approximately 10% per year, while the CIHR budget for training and investigator-initiated awards has not increased at all.

Canada has been a player on the global stage and must remain strong. This means ballparking our estimates in research investments against other leading research jurisdictions. Unfortunately, Canada has fallen behind. The CIHR budget is approximately 45 times lower than that of the National Institutes of Health in the United States.

That's a fourfold to fivefold per capita difference in investment in health research. That means keeping top talent is more at risk than ever.

Canada's science is world class. It’s affordable. It’s competitive. It directly benefits the lives of Canadians. It attracts industrial investment and highly qualified jobs.

Investing in Canadian research talent—

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Dr. Smith, I am sorry to do this, but I have to be fair. I know our members are going to ask a lot of questions, and we thank you.

[Kevin Smith]

Yes, I'm sure we'll get to others. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

We thank you so much.

We will now go to the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

Mr. Fotang, the floor is yours for five minutes.

[Christian Fotang, Chair of the Board of Directors, Canadian Alliance of Student Associations]

Thank you.

Good evening, honourable Chair, esteemed committee members and fellow witnesses. I'd like to begin my statement by acknowledging that I speak to you today from Amiskwaciwâskahikan, or Beaver Hills House, now called Edmonton, on Treaty 6 territory.

My name is Christian Fotang. I'm the chair of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and I'm also the vice-president of external affairs for the University of Alberta Students' Union.

CASA is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that represents over 275,000 students at colleges, polytechnics and universities from coast to coast to coast. Through a formal partnership with the Union étudiante du Québec, we are a trusted national student voice, and together we represent 365,000 students at all levels across Canada.

First I'd like to thank the committee for the recognition of the importance of student perspectives in federal research funding and innovation.

Innovation, according to the Science, Technology and Innovation Council, is more than research and development; it is transforming knowledge into products and services that Canadians and others in today's global marketplace need, want and will pay for.

As I pursue my biology degree at the University of Alberta, I'm no stranger to the importance of research and innovation. The state-of-the-art research facilities at the U of A have allowed me to use the theories and skills that I learned in the classroom and apply them in real-world practical research. This is thanks to the bursaries and grants available to students that made world-class research at a U15 institution accessible to a kid like me from single-parent household.

Many other researchers like me rely on grants to attend post-secondary education. Specifically, the Canada graduate scholarships provide government-funded research grants to graduate students who help keep Canada at the forefront of industry. Though I myself am not a graduate student, I have heard from graduate students how important this funding is. The tri-council agencies that distribute the Canada graduate scholarships provide over 3,000 graduates and post-doctoral students with $17,500 in grants each year to conduct research at dozens of institutions across Canada.

This funding is esteemed, but the reality is that with the cost of rent rising, groceries getting more expensive and the rising cost of post-secondary education in many provinces, $17,500 over 12 months is just not enough. Students continue to be concerned about how to afford their studies. This financial insecurity can make research opportunities inaccessible for many students. Instead of focusing on academic research and innovation, they are concerned primarily with trying to afford to stay in school. In fact, grants for these student researchers have represented a shrinking portion of the tri-council budget over the past several years.

Since 2015, the government has made significant reinvestments in tri-council budgets, allowing their overall funding to catch and even exceed previous cuts made to the program since 2010. However, funding for the graduate scholarships investments has not kept pace with other investments being provided to research granting agencies. At its peak, student scholarships represented 16.9% of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funding. Before the 2019-20 award year, student scholarships had fallen to 13% of the SSHRC budget. This downward trend has also appeared in the other two agencies of the tri-council. NSERC's student scholarship funding has gone from its peak of 13.3% to 8.3%, and CIHR student scholarships have fallen from 6.3% to 5.5% of the council's budget over the same period.

CASA estimates that the accumulated gap in funding for student grants since 2011 is $120 million. This is to the detriment of student researchers, who rely on these grants to pay rent, buy groceries and get to and from school while conducting the research mentioned above. The targeted scholarships and fellowships for promising Black student researchers in budget 2022 are important steps in the right direction; however, these proposed investments still do not address the gaps in the Canada graduate scholarships program.

This research funding for students is a fundamental solution to this committee's study today on top talent in research and innovation. This is why CASA has called on the Government of Canada to increase funding for student scholarship programs by $120 million on a recurring basis, plus re-establishing the importance of student scholarships within the overall envelope of the tri-council.

In closing, as Canada continues to invest in innovation, it is important that Canada also invest in the student researchers tasked with solving science's greatest challenges and creating the technology that will advance Canada as a leader in research and innovation.

I look forward to answering your questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Thank you, Mr. Fotang. We wish you continued success as you pursue your degree. Thank you for your testimony.

We will now go to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. The floor is yours for five minutes.

[Dr. Alejandro Adem, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council]

Good evening, Madam Chair and members of the committee. My name is Alejandro Adem. I am the president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, commonly referred to as NSERC.

Thank you for this opportunity to appear before you for a second time. I am pleased to be joined today by Dr. Danika Goosney, NSERC’s vice-president for research grants and scholarships, with whom I will be sharing my time.

I wish to acknowledge that I am living and working on the traditional ancestral land of the Musqueam people.

Talent, from the perspective of a research funder, is the foundation that underpins the health, well-being and economic success of our country.

Researchers trained in the natural sciences and engineering power discovery, drive innovation and found companies that create well-paying jobs.

In order to address major challenges like climate change and to keep pace with technological advances in areas like AI and quantum, Canada must focus its efforts on training, attracting and retaining the best and the brightest.

As someone who studied in the United States and then built a career in Canada, I can attest to the fact that Canada’s strong research ecosystem is a real asset when it comes to attracting talent. However, as other countries double down on their investments in science and research, Canada must keep pace.

We must also remain true to our values, breaking down barriers to ensure that the next generation of talent is inclusive and reflective of the diversity of this country.

We must recognize the role of the research ecosystem when it comes to reconciliation and to creating meaningful, accessible opportunities for indigenous students.

As the current chair of the Canada research coordinating committee, I am pleased to share that we have been working hard to harmonize and streamline our approach to talent development among research funders.

I will now turn the floor over to my colleague Dr. Goosney to share more on the CRCC talent strategy, in addition to providing some reflections on how NSERC supports trainees and how we are tackling challenges within the research ecosystem.

[Danika Goosney, Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships Directorate, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council]

Thank you, Alejandro.

Good evening, Madam Chair and members of the committee.

As a former research scientist and someone who benefited from the support offered to trainees by the Government of Canada, it’s an honour to contribute to this important study.

I wish to acknowledge that I am living and working on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.

The pool of talent supported by NSERC and the other granting councils plays a critically important role in powering research in Canada. Simply put, students and postdocs are the engine of the research enterprise.

Participation in research stimulates key growth mindsets essential for success in the labour market—critical thinking, curiosity, experimentation and teamwork, just to name a few.

NSERC supports these trainees and fellows in two ways: directly through scholarships and fellowships, and indirectly via grants to researchers who hire trainees.

NSERC discovery grant award-holders contribute 70% of their grant money to compensate students working on their research projects. This federal funding plays a critical role in supporting students and in the overall talent ecosystem. I would like to emphasize the importance of the award values of granting council scholarships and fellowships. The fact is that the award values offered by the three granting councils set the bar for student compensation provided by post-secondary institutions through research stipends and other funding sources. In a way, the value of awards offered by the granting councils dictates compensation for trainees and fellows across the country.

It is also a fact that the value of these awards has not changed substantially in a generation. For example, NSERC’s doctoral award has remained almost constant at $21,000 per year since 2004. Considering a mean inflation rate during this period of 1.85%, this means the effective award value has dropped by 42%. This poses a real challenge to students when it comes to covering their basic costs of living.

Furthermore, we know that disadvantaged students are more likely to accumulate debt during their undergraduate degree. These same students may find it challenging to continue on to the master's and Ph.D.-level programs if financial supports are not considered viable. The same situation holds true when it comes to attracting talented international students. However, at the present time, eligibility restrictions also play a role.

We are conscious of these issues.

We are working with our fellow granting agencies to find appropriate solutions.

In the immediate term, we are very pleased with new funding announced in budget 2022 to provide increased support for Black student researchers.

We are also carrying out an important evaluation of talent-support programs to add to the evidence base that exists.

As Prof. Adem mentioned, under the direction of the Canadian Research Coordinating Committee, we are developing a tri-agency talent strategy—

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Dr. Goosney, I'm sorry.

[Danika Goosney]

It's all good, Dr. Duncan.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

The worst part of this job is doing this to all of you.

Thank you for all the wonderful testimony. Our members are really eager to hear from you, so we're going to start our six-minute round of questions.

With that, we begin with Ms. Gladu.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to all of the witnesses for appearing today.

I'm going to start with Dr. Smith.

You talked about the things that the Government of Canada is doing to help. What additional things should they do to help? Maybe you could finish some of the comments that you ran out of time for.

[Kevin Smith]

Thank you. I apologize for my poor time planning.

At the end of the day, as my colleagues have talked about, it really is additional investment, whether that's direct investment, investment through taxation credits or investment through creating donation opportunities for securities, as a number of our philanthropic donors have been lobbying for.

As all my colleagues have stated tonight, it really is about getting more of those resources to more researchers to answer good questions and keep them in Canada, particularly as we see more attempts to recruit our very best students and recruit away our very best faculty members.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

I took your point very well that the inflation rate is huge. We're not keeping up. We're not increasing, and then we're not even compensating for inflation. I think that was a really good point.

Mr. Fotang, we've heard from multiple witnesses that at the end of the day, it's the salary that we're paying for our doctoral students: It hasn't changed. It's not enough. It's not competitive with other places. Would you agree with that? Are there other barriers that you think the Government of Canada should be helping to remove?

[Christian Fotang]

Thank you for the question.

CASA does not represent doctoral students, so I can't comment on that. I'm sure there are witnesses who would be best for that.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but in terms of barriers, it comes down to the fact that investing in and providing these scholarships is the way to increase access. Right now students are putting their focus and time into just trying to stay in school rather than focusing on their research. Providing that opportunity through these grants, bursaries and scholarships is how we best eliminate those barriers.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Excellent.

I have the same question for Dr. Goosney.

[Danika Goosney]

Thank you so much for the question.

I do have to agree with my fellow witness on raising the value and the duration of the stipends for both the post-doctoral and doctoral levels. At NSERC, we also had an undergraduate student research award and one at the master's level, of course. Raising all of these would go a long way in terms of attracting and retaining talent and removing barriers to accessing graduate studies.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Excellent.

Dr. Smith, which countries are trying to steal away our brightest and best? What are they offering, so we know what the benchmark is?

[Kevin Smith]

I would say it is most countries.

When I look to those in the United States, the United Kingdom and all parts of the European Union, I see that all advanced economies recognize that Canada provides outstanding research training and has outstanding students. As a result, we're seeing very high-quality publications, citations and outputs in areas such as patents.

The area where we most suffer is the United States. In addition to compensation issues, there are start-up issues. As our chair knows, with organizations like the CFI, an essential ingredient for us to retain young, mid-career and even later-career investigators is having the infrastructure to ensure that they have the resources required. It's not only for the students, but also for the laboratory to be truly cutting edge.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

What type of infrastructure are we talking about? Is it lab test equipment? Could you elaborate?

[Kevin Smith]

I would say that in terms of actual research space, we're dramatically short on laboratory space in downtown Toronto, as an example. Daily we have to turn away private sector colleagues who would be interested in renting laboratory space just to be juxtaposed to UHN and U of T.

In addition to that, we can't ignore cyber-infrastructure for too long. I think we've focused on physical infrastructure as an important component, and it is. Cyber-infrastructure—and my colleagues from NSERC I'm sure will comment on this—including big datasets, data lakes and cyber-protection, is very expensive. However, this is absolutely essential research infrastructure for us to truly play on the competitive landscape and attract industry to establish businesses and jobs here and to remain here, as opposed to taking Canadian science and exploiting it elsewhere for jobs and opportunities.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Very good.

Mr. Fotang, in terms of students being left with a lot of debt, are there recommendations you would make to the government on things we could do to help with that?

[Christian Fotang]

Of course. One of CASA's asks this year was maintaining the doubling of the Canada financial student grants, which was doubled from $3,000 to $6,000. That has been immense for a lot of students, in being able to make it through their semester's tuition and cover rent and groceries—you name it.

There are also other things. For example, mental health has been a real crisis for students. We've also advocated a national strategy across the country. University can be a very competitive area, and that mounts pressure on students. It's making sure there are supports for them so that they're taking that energy and time into their classes and not flunking because they have anxiety or depression or any other sorts of concerns.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Thank you for being so prompt, Ms. Gladu.

Thank you to you both.

We will now go to Monsieur Lauzon for six minutes, please.