CFI invests $118 million to equip the researchers shaping Canada’s future

Research infrastructure funding will spark new discoveries and attract talent

OTTAWA, Ontario, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Government of Canada announced the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is investing more than $118 million to support 357 research infrastructure projects at 68 postsecondary institutions across Canada.

As countries around the world compete for talent, investment and technological leadership, Canada needs to equip its institutions with strategic research infrastructure to enable long-term success.

The investments announced today are made through the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) and College Fund. JELF enables universities to attract and retain world-class research talent by providing the state-of-the-art infrastructure researchers need to succeed. The College Fund supports applied research and technology development with Canadian industries and communities to strengthen Canada’s economy and improve our quality of life.

Projects being funded through the JELF include:

• Controlling infectious disease (Quebec): McGill University will use CFI funding to establish a unique facility with biocontainment and gene analysis capabilities to advance infectious disease monitoring. The Microbiology Integrated Citizen Science Research Laboratory for One Health (MICRO-ONE) will engage Canadians in collecting samples for large-scale disease surveillance projects. By combining citizen science with advanced research infrastructure, the initiative will strengthen public understanding of infectious diseases, support the development of technologies to prevent their spread and generate data to help inform public health decision-making.
  
  
• Sustainable fertilizer from seaweed (Newfoundland and Labrador): With CFI-funded gas analyzers, ovens, a spectrophotometer and related microbiology equipment, Memorial University researchers will investigate how farmed kelp can improve soil health and increase crop yields. By comparing seaweed-based and synthetic fertilizers, the team aims to develop sustainable, cost-effective farming practices that reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizer imports, strengthen coastal economies and emerging industries and support Canada’s climate goals.
  
  
• Long-term Arctic climate monitoring (British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories): Using CFI-funded field vehicles, drones, cameras and computing equipment, a research project led by the University of British Columbia with Yukon University, the Aurora Research Institute and Indigenous community partners will capture permafrost degradation, landscape change and plant responses to climate change in the North. The long-term data generated will improve understanding of how heat waves and a warming climate are reshaping tundra ecosystems, helping to support sustainable food systems, wildlife and the well-being of Northern communities.
  
  
• Molecular reactions imaging (Ontario): With CFI funding, researchers at Trent University will acquire a titanium-sapphire laser to create a globally unique laboratory that can image chemical reactions as they happen at the molecular level. Research at the Spectroscopy and Optics Lab at Trent Lightsource (SPOTLIGHT) will open the door to advances in greenhouse gas storage, manufacturing and drug development.
  
  

Projects being funded through the College Fund include:

• Cleaner oil and critical mineral extraction (Alberta): The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)’s Innovation Centre will use CFI funding to retrofit its Innovation Centre to create the Tailings, Ore, Water (TOW) Laboratory. As global demand for energy and the critical minerals needed for the energy transition continues to grow, researchers will work with industry partners to develop technologies that support more sustainable resource extraction. The laboratory will explore ways to reduce the environmental impact of rock sample analysis, oil and ore extraction and tailings management.
  
  
• Net-zero data centres (Saskatchewan): To address the growing energy demands of AI, Saskatchewan Polytechnic will use CFI funding to build a scalable AI data centre powered by renewable energy. The facility will act as a pilot project to determine how to harness waste heat and use it to heat nearby laboratories. Using AI developed at the Polytechnic, researchers will optimize the integration of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to improve energy efficiency and reduce overall energy consumption.
  
  

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“Canada is investing in researchers and innovators whose ideas will drive our future prosperity. Through more than $118 million in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, we are equipping researchers with the cutting-edge infrastructure they need to advance discovery, attract top talent and build Canada’s economic growth and resilience.” 

– The Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions  

“Investing in science and research today empowers our world-class researchers to find solutions to major challenges and seize new opportunities. By supporting 357 projects at 68 institutions across Canada, this investment strengthens our research capacity, fosters innovation and helps build a more resilient and competitive economy.”

 – Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

“This investment recognizes the important role universities like Trent play in driving innovation and discovery. By providing researchers with access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, we can expand opportunities for collaboration, attract top talent to Peterborough, and generate research that delivers real-world solutions for communities across our riding. Peterborough has always been proud to contribute to Canada's research excellence and future prosperity”

 – Emma Harrison, Member of Parliament for Peterborough

“From developing next-generation AI infrastructure to advancing the energy transition to helping Northern communities thrive, the research infrastructure projects funded today are protecting Canada’s advantage in leading-edge research across a variety of key sectors. They reflect the CFI’s commitment to investing in the tools and facilities that respond to the needs of the country and deliver lasting benefits for Canadians.”

– Sylvain Charbonneau, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Quick facts

• These research infrastructure investments total $118,188,220.
  • 334 projects are being funded through the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) for a total of $97,511,622.
  • 23 projects are being funded through the CFI’s College Fund for a total of $20,676,598.
  • The total investment of $118,188,220 includes $27,274,205 from the CFI’s Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF) to cover the costs of operating the research infrastructure.
• The CFI typically contributes up to 40 percent of a project’s research infrastructure costs. Research institutions secure the remaining 60 percent through partnerships with provincial and territorial governments, industry and other public, private and not-for-profit organizations.
• By attracting co-funding from strategic partners, this unique funding model optimizes the Government of Canada’s investments in research infrastructure.

Associated links

• Learn more about the Canada Foundation for Innovation
• Find details on the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund
• Find details on the CFI’s College Fund
• Discover the CFI’s Research Facilities Navigator, an online directory of publicly funded labs working with partners in industry, academia and government

About the Canada Foundation for Innovation

With a bold, future-looking mandate, the Canada Foundation for Innovation equips researchers to be global leaders in their field and to respond to emerging challenges. Our investments in state-of-the-art tools, instruments and facilities at universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions underpin both curiosity- and mission-driven research that cuts across disciplines and bridges all sectors. The research infrastructure we fund mobilizes knowledge, spurs innovation and commercialization, and empowers the talented minds of a new generation.

Related products

A full list of our funded projects, as well as stories about the facilities we fund, are available at Innovation.ca. For updates, follow us on Bluesky, LinkedIn and X @InnovationCA and subscribe to our YouTube channel to find videos about the CFI and its transformative research projects.

Contacts
Sara Frizzell Media Relations and Social Media Specialist Canada Foundation for Innovation 613 943-2580 sara.frizzell@innovation.ca	Media Relations Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada media@ised-isde.gc.ca