Canada’s Federal Budget on Academic Research

What are the implications of the 2010 federal budget for Canadian research libraries?

• $32 million per year increase in funding for Canada’s research granting agencies
• $8 million increase for the Indirect Costs of research
• Knowledge Infrastructure Program for improvements to university facilities to support research
• Other Budget 2010 items that demonstrate commitment to fostering research in Canada?
• $135 million to National Research Council’s Innovation Clusters Program
• $45 million over five years for a post-doctoral fellowship program
• $48 million over two years for research, development and application of medical Isotopes
• $497 and $222 million respectively for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission and to promote research at TRIUMF, a multi-university laboratory for nuclear and particle physics research
• $75 million to support genomics research at Genome Canada
• $500 million to Canada Health Infoway in charge of building pan-Canadian infrastructure for electronic health records
• $285 million to renew Aboriginal health programs: Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative, Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy, maternal and child health, Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative and Aboriginal Health Transition Fund

Let’s hope that there will be significant investments in academic and research libraries and not simply the ‘indirect’ costs line-item.