Research Branch MR-51E. Mini-~Review CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE: CANADA S NATIONAL NETWORKS. Ruth Fawcett Science and Technology Division

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1 Mini-~Review MR-51E CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE: CANADA S NATIONAL NETWORKS Ruth Fawcett Science and Technology Division 16 December 1989 Library of Parliament Bibliothèque du Parlement Research Branch

2 The Research Branch of the Library of Parliament works exclusively for Parliament, conducting research and providing information for Committees and Members of the Senate and the House of Commons. This service is extended without partisan bias in such forms as Reports, Background Papers and Issue Reviews. Research Officers in the Branch are also available for personal consultation in their respective fields of expertise. CE DOCUMENT EST AUSSI PUBLIE EN FRAN~AIS

3 ~i CANADA LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT BIBLIOTHEQUE DU PARLEMENT CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE: CANADA S NATIONAL NETWORKS In January 1988, Prime Minister Brian Muironey announced that $1.3 billion had been set aside for science and technology initiatives. At the same time it was made clear that a certain portion of this money, later set at $240 million, would finance a national Networks of Centres of Excellence program. The government s three granting councils coordinated the program and arranged for an International Peer Review Committee to examine the 158 proposals submitted from across Canada. In judging the proposals, the committee placed most weight upon the excellence of the research and the participants but also considered whether effective linkages were in place, the relevance of the proposed research to industrial competitiveness, and the administrative and management capabilities of the participants. The peer committee s recommendations were in turn examined by the Minister of State s Advisory Committee, which consisted of 13 eminent Canadians. They confirmed that the proposals selected by the peer committee were the most worthy. In October 1989, the government announced that 14 of the 16 proposals recommended would be funded as Networks of Centres of Excellence. The new Networks are listed below in alphabetical order, together with a description of their work, the participants, and the amount of funding they will receive. Note that the specific dollar amounts to be granted to the individual networks are still under negotiation. The figures listed here might change slightly.

4 LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT BIBLIOTHEQUE DU PARLEMENT 2 Bacterial Diseases: Molecular Strategies for the Study and Control of Bacterial Pathoqens of Humans, Animals, Fish and Plants Centred at the University of British Columbia, this network will undertake an extensive study of bacterial attack and host response in different biological systems. Of the $21.7 million requested, $18.5 million was approved. There will be industrial involvement from Chembiomed, Connaught Labs, International Broodstock Technologies, Microtek R&D Ltd. and VIDO. At a government level, the National Research Council will participate. Universities involved will be Laval, Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Guelph and Victoria. Biotechnology for Insect Pest Management This network involves 25 people and will be centred at Queen s University in Kingston, Ontario. Its focus will be on the development of new, environmentally acceptable methods of pest control. In the proposal $9.1 million was requested and the full amount was granted. Government participants in this network will include Agriculture Canada, Forestry Canada and the National Research Council. Participating universities will be Queen s, Laval, British Columbia, Calgary, New Brunswick, Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, Western Ontario and York. Canadian Network for Space Research Centred at the University of Calgary and involving 36 participants, this centre will study processes and phenomena occurring in the middle atmosphere and above. The centre requested $27.3 million and was granted $17 million. Government participants will be the Atmospheric Environment Service, and the National Research Council. Industries involved will be Canadian Astronautics Ltd., Com Dev Ltd., Itres Research, Myrias Corporation, SED Systems Inc., SCI TEC, Scientific Instruments Ltd., and the Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science. Participating universities will be Alberta, Calgary, Saskatchewan, Western Ontario and York.

5 LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT BIBLIOTHEQUE DU PARLEMENT 3 Centre of Excellence for Molecular and Interfacial Dynamics This centre was developed at the University of Waterloo and will involve 43 university participants. The administrative centre for the network is now at the University of Victoria. Its research will focus on chemical physics an area in which Canadians have already won two Nobel prizes. The centre requested $21.5 million and was granted $18.5 million. At the government level, the National Research Council will be involved. Participating universities will be Carleton, Dalhousie, McMaster, Queen s, Laval, Montreal, Ottawa, Sherbrooke, British Columbia, Guelph, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Toronto, Waterloo and Western Ontario. Genetic Basis of Human Disease: Innovation for Health Care Centred at the University of British Columbia, this network will bring together 22 participants and 17 major collaborators from 11 institutions. Its research will focus on identifying and analyzing the structure and function of genes that cause human disease. The centre requested $18.2 million and received $17.3 million. Industrial participation will come from the Biomedical Research Centre and the Institut de recherche clinique de Montréal. Universities involved will be McGill, Queen s, Laval, Montréal, Québec Calgary, Manitoba, Ottawa and Toronto. a Chicoutimi, British Columbia, High Performance Concrete With its administrative centre at the University of Sherbrooke, this network will integrate the research of 11 materials experts, designers and practitioners. Its aim will be the development of a new generation of construction materials, the construction and performance of structures, and the development of new products and techniques. After requesting $6.7 million the centre received $6.4 million. Industries involved will include Bickley and Associates, and Hardy B.B.T. There will be university participation from McGill, Laval, Ottawa, Sherbrooke, Alberta, British Columbia and Toronto.

6 UBRARY OF PANUAMENT BISUOTNEQUE DU PARLEMENT 4 Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systs. $ This centr&s research program will have projects in three related areas ~ conputational perception, knowledged-based systens, and I ntel1 1 gent robotic devi ces The program wi 1 1 work towards the development of TMintelligent systens that will be essential for keeping Canadian industry competitive The centre asked for $31 7 million and received $23 8 million PRECARN Associates Inc, who submitted the proposal, will be the only industry involved Participating universities will be Concordia, École Polytechnique de Montréal, INRS-Tëlëcomunications (Institut national de la recherche scientifique, IJniversitê du Quebec), McGi 1 1, McMaster, Queen 5, Simon Fraser, Technical University of Nova Scotia, Laval, Montreal, Al berta, Briti sh Col unthia, Guel ph, Saskatchewan, Toronto, Victoria, Waterloo, Western Ontario and York Institute for Teleceaunicatlons Research Centred at NcGil 1, thi s network wil 1 focus on broadband and wireless comunication, two growing areas which will represent the most important emerging markets for teleconmiunications over the next decade Research will include work on microcellular networks, mobile coninunications and conmiunication software engineering million and received $14 7 million The network requested $15 4 Industry involvement will be from the Alberta Telecommunications Research Centre and universities participating will be Carleton, Concordia, INRselllecomunications, NcGill, McNaster, Queen 5, Laval, Nontreal, British Col umbia, Ottawa, Toronto, Victori a and Waterloo Nicroe~ectronicI~vices,Circuits and Systems for Ultra Large Scale Integration With its centre in Toronto, this network will focus on semi conductor technologi es at the leading edge of microelectronics research Ultra Large Scale Integration will be vital to the next generation of tel ecomunicati ons and canputer systems After requesting $14 million the centre received $1O 8 million Participating universities

7 USRANY OP PARUAMENT SISUOTHEQUE DU PARLEMENT. 5 will be Carleton, INRS-inergle, McGill, Calgary, Victoria, Waterloo and Windsor. Neural ~. Manitoba, Toronto, and Functional Recovery Centred at both McGi 1 1 and the Uni versitê de Montreal this network, compromi sing more than 100 researchers, wi 1 1 study nervous system regeneration and recovery of functions lost as a result of trauma or disease. It requested $34 million and received $25.5 million. Industrial involvement wil1 be with the Ludwig Institute of Montreal The government will be participating through the Mational Research Council. Universities taking part will be Carleton, Concordia, Dalhousie, McGill, McMaster, Queens, Laval, Montréal, Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Lethbridge, Manitoba, Ottawa, Saskatchewan and Toronto. Ocean Production Enhancement Network Within this network, centred at Dalhousie University, fisheries biologists and oceanographers will work to investigate the processes that control the survival, growth and reproduction of fish and shellfish. The network requested $27.3 million and received $23 million. At the government level, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will participate and universities involved will include Dalhousie, McGill, Memorial, Laval and British Columbia. Protein Engineering: 3D Structure Function and Nesign This network, which originated at the University of British Columbia, will examine protein engineering, an important new field in bi otechnol ogy. Researchers wi 1 1 work to understand cell growth factors for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases and new enzymes for use in the chemical industry, forestry and agriculture. The centre requested $22.3 million and received $20 million. The Mational Research Council will be involved, along with the Biomedical Research Centre and the universities of Alberta, British Columbia and Toronto.

8 LIBRARY OF PARUAMENT BIBUOTHEQUE DU PARLEMENT. 6 Respiratory Health Network Centred at McGill University, this network will study airway obstruction and inhalational lung disease. It requested $20.5 million and received $12.3 million. The government will be involvedthrough Employment and Immigration Canada. Participating industries will be Engineering Interface, Graham and Bierman, Merck Frosst and Trudeau Medical. Universities involved will be McGill, McMaster, Laval, Montréal, British Col umbi a, Cal gary, Mani toba and Saskatchewan. Science ad Engineering for High-value Papers from Nechaicd Wood-Puips Led by the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (PAPRICAM), which is a consortium of Canadian pulp and paper companies, this network will look at the fundamental problems in the production of high brightness, high yield and high strength chemically treated mechanical pulps. It requested $15.4 million and received $14.6 million. The Mational Research Council will be involved, while participating universities will be Lakehead, McGill, McMaster, Mount Allison, Queenss, Québec I Trois-Rivières, British Columbia, Ottawa, Toronto and Western Ontario.