Science and Research committee  Thank you very much. It's an excellent question. Through the chair, I think you've hit the nail on the head in terms of the way colleges and CEGEPs engage with industry to provide a rapid response to the challenges we're facing. We currently have some new programming through NSERC that is addressing that.

Science and Research committee  Thank you very much for the question. I agree with what's been shared by my colleagues and I look forward to the creation of this capstone foundation with the hope that it may simplify as well the research funding enterprise and create more efficiency in terms of how funds are distributed.

Science and Research committee  I don't really think that my portfolio is separate from student experience. I think it's something that I personally care very deeply about. I do think that, certainly within the research enterprise, our goal really is to provide amazing student experiences. I go back to the statistics that I shared with you earlier about graduation rates, student employment rates and employer satisfaction rates.

Science and Research committee  I think there are issues with student experience probably everywhere, unfortunately. I can also share that I am also a part-time instructor in the evenings at the college, so I'm grateful to have had the experience of also acting as an educator for students and engaging directly with our students, both domestic and international.

Science and Research committee  I apologize, but I spent most of my time this morning preparing to talk about research and innovation, and I didn't see the CBC article. I think the way applied research drives economic growth is through partnerships directly with community and with industry, and by engaging, as my colleague from Okanagan so eloquently put it, teams of students and researchers to come together to solve problems.

Science and Research committee  Of course that's a terrible situation, and it's one we see across our country right now. I again go back to our student data, which suggests that the vast majority—I think over 85% or 90% of students—are actually satisfied—

Science and Research committee  I think, as a human being, that it's reasonable to find it upsetting when students have challenges. I've been a student, and I think that our current housing affordability crisis in Canada, especially in our major urban centres, is unfortunate. I know that certainly some of the research that we're engaged in is looking at housing affordability and looking at engaging our students, all of them, in identifying innovative solutions to addressing those challenges.

Science and Research committee  It's separate from student recruitment, yes.

Science and Research committee  Thank you for the question. Through you, Mr. Chair, the selection of 6% or 5%, as has been advocated by some of our associations, like Colleges and Institutes Canada, was a reflection of a balanced approach. I agree it is modest, because I think with more we could definitely do more, but I think we need to scale reasonably and thoughtfully as we grow.

Science and Research committee  Yes, absolutely. I think we do try, when making an application to the tri-agencies, to speak to the track record of impact that our students and researchers have had in their communities. I think that's important. I would also say, though, that when applying to programs, it is sometimes difficult to communicate that value to a review committee or an individual reviewer who doesn't have the experience of the value that the college sector brings to the research enterprise and specifically to communities.

Science and Research committee  I think the data would indicate that students graduating from Conestoga College are actually meeting the requirements of our regional workforce. I think the statistic is that 90% of our graduates are employed in their field of choice within six months of graduation, which is actually above the Ontario provincial average.

Science and Research committee  One of our research partners is actually the Cambridge Food Bank, so it's also an institution that benefits from the minds of our students and our faculty in terms of addressing these challenges. The point I would make is that federal research investment in colleges, CEGEPs and polytechnics doesn't stay with the college or the CEGEP, but is rather a flow-through model that allows our students and our faculty to engage in the type of research that my colleagues and I have described, which has an impact economically and socially.

Science and Research committee  I've been in my current role as vice president of research and innovation since about February, so I have not had the opportunity to present to our board. I'm fairly new in this role. In my role, which is research and innovation, my portfolio doesn't include student recruitment—

Science and Research committee  Just to be sure that I understand the question, did you say that a member of the committee had suggested that federal research funding—

Science and Research committee  Witnesses have suggested federal research funding be associated with housing affordability in the post-secondary institution's region. Is that correct?