Through you, Mr. Chair, thank you for the question.
On the request to increase the funding to 6%, I really appreciate the fact that you consider this modest. Most of my colleagues in applied research across different community colleges in Canada are suggesting a 5% increase. We decided to be bolder and suggest an additional 1% increase to account for additional funding for a challenge fund to address urgent needs in society, including affordable housing, mental health issues and other community health problems.
In terms of how this can support the distribution of funding, one way we would suggest is to increase funding for individual competitions under the college and community innovation program that is funded by NSERC.
I mentioned in my speaking notes the grants to technology access centre grants, the TACs. Currently, these grants are becoming increasingly competitive. Additional funding will provide colleges with the opportunity to secure more TACs. Colleges can hold up to three TAC grants. This will allow them to venture into new areas of applied research and innovation and then build centres of excellence and support local communities in a better way. In a way, it will allow colleges to enhance their research portfolios.
The increase from 3% to 6% allocated by the tri-councils would allow them to provide more grants in different funding competitions—