CFI Innovation Fund supports 117 infrastructure projects

More than $554 million in federal funding has been allocated to 117 new infrastructure projects at several universities, colleges and research hospitals across Canada. The money comes from the Innovation Fund of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to provide researchers and students with tools to help them facilitate their research. About $423 million of the funds will go directly to projects where Canada is either considered to be leading or where Canada has the potential to be globally competitive. Examples include projects in artificial intelligence, quantum science, brain health and renewable energy. Another 30% of the original $425 million budget for the awards has been earmarked for operational support while $3.6 million will go to 14 multi-institutional proposals involving more than three CFI eligible institutions to cover administrative costs. Some institutions in this year’s funding awards will get several projects funded. The Univ of British Columbia and Univ of Toronto top the list of institutions that got multiple projects funded -- 15 and 10 projects, respectively. The bulk of the support went to Ontario, which received $154 million for 85 projects. BC got $98.4 million to fund 43 projects while Quebec garnered $96.6 million to fund 73 projects. The list of recipients, can be found on the CFI website. CFI says that with these new awards, it has funded more than 10,000 projects to date in its 20-year history.