The Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program (BL-NCE) funds large-scale collaborative research networks that bring a wide range of research expertise to bear on specific challenges identified by an industrial sector. This tri-agency program is administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) on behalf of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and NSERC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• The research knowledge and technology produced by the networks and centres are transferred and used.
• Networks will reach the end of the award cycle on March 31, 2024, and will then have 12 months to finalize any outstanding activities and commitments. A final report and SOA will be due to NSERC.

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities
• Academia and public institutions

The Canada 150 Chairs provides Canadian universities with a one-time investment to attract top-tier, internationally based scholars and researchers (including Canadian expatriates) to Canada. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Strengthened research capacity in Canada through the recruitment and retention of top-tier, internationally based scholars and researchers.
• Enhanced reputation of Canada as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence.
• Improved capacity of universities to generate and apply new knowledge.
• Improved training and development of highly qualified research personnel.

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program is a tri-agency initiative that supports Canadian universities in their efforts to build on Canada's growing reputation as a global leader in research and innovation. The program awards world-renowned researchers and their teams to establish ambitious research programs at Canadian universities. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Strengthen Canada’s ability to attract the world’s top researchers.
• Build a critical mass of expertise in priority areas identified by the government at Canadian institutions.
• Create a competitive environment to help Canadian institutions attract a cadre of world-leading researchers, collaborators, partners and research users from diverse sectors, nationally and internationally.
• Contribute to the branding of Canada as a location of choice for world-leading research, science and technology development.

The Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) supports Canada’s postsecondary institutions in their efforts to become global research leaders. CFREF helps competitively selected Canadian postsecondary institutions turn their key strengths into world-leading capabilities. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Institutions develop ambitious and focused strategies.
• Canadian postsecondary institutions excel globally in research areas of strategic relevance to Canada.
• Institutions contribute to creating long-term economic advantages for Canada.

NSERC's portion of the Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program provides financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in Master's or doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering. This program is a tri-agency program and is administered by each respective agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC).

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Rising enrollment in Canadian graduate programs.
• Reduced time required for CGS scholarship recipients to finish their degrees compared to the national average in their respective fields.
• Strengthened Canadian universities' ability to draw in top-tier, promising individuals who are poised to become the future leaders in research.

The Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program bridges the challenging gap between innovation and commercialization. The program matches clusters of research expertise with the business community to share the knowledge and resources that bring innovations to market faster.

Centres advance research and facilitate commercialization within four priority areas: the environment; natural resources and energy; health and life sciences; and information and communications technologies. This program is administered by NSERC on behalf of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Pre-competitive development of promising technology and the promotion of its transfer to new or established Canadian companies are facilitated.
• Centres will reach the end of the award cycle on March 31, 2024, and will then have 12 months to finalize any outstanding activities and commitments.

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities
• Academia and public institutions

The objective of the CCI Program is to increase innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to partner with local or regional organizations, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but including other organizations from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

The suite of CCI Program grants support applied research, training, and knowledge and technology transfer activities. The colleges collaborate with partners in areas where the college has recognized expertise and that meets local or regional needs and have the potential to increase innovation in the community. Supported activities range from applied research and training to knowledge and technology transfer, providing assistance in adaptation and adoption of research outputs by partners, and technology demonstration and development projects for these partners.

• The CCI Program is contributing to outputs and/or outcomes of the agencies’ Departmental Results Framework and Performance Information Profiles as follows:
• NSERC: Supports Departmental Result #3, “Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research knowledge is used”.
• Supports the NSERC Program “Research Partnerships”.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, through grants, fellowships and scholarships, promotes and supports research and research training in natural sciences and engineering to develop talent, generate discoveries, and support innovation in pursuit of economic and social outcomes for Canadians.

The purpose of the Grants and Scholarships transfer payment program is to support:

Research Training and Talent Development: support the development of highly qualified personnel (HQP) through a variety of scholarships and fellowships; through research chairs and faculty support; and through the promotion of science, mathematics, and engineering to young Canadians.

Discovery Research: support the process of discovery and the creation of new knowledge through funding allocated to researchers at postsecondary institutions who conduct basic and applied research in all areas of the NSE.

Research Partnerships: help Canada innovate through support for partnerships between universities, colleges, and organizations in the private, public, and/or not-for-profit sectors in order to ensure that knowledge and skills in the NSE are transferred to and used productively by the user sector in Canada.

• The transfer payment program’s activities and outcomes are most strongly linked to the Government of Canada Outcome Area “Economic Affairs – an innovative and knowledge- based economy” although the outcomes can also affect several other Government of Canada outcomes such as strong economic growth, income security and employment for Canadians, a clean and healthy environment, healthy Canadians with access to quality health care, and safe and secure communities.
• The expected results of the program include:
• Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research is internationally competitive;
• Canada has a pool of diverse and highly skilled people in the natural sciences and; engineering
• Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research knowledge is used.

• Academia and public institutions
• Individual or sole proprietorships

The Lab-to-Market program supports experiential training opportunities for students and researchers, allowing them to explore the commercial potential of their work and encourage their development into scientific entrepreneurs.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Institutions participate in Canada’s Lab-to-Market system and establish inclusive and collaborative training networks.
• Networks establish connections within the innovation ecosystem.
• Students and researchers develop knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship and how to transfer their research to the market. They apply the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills acquired.
• A national training ecosystem is established.

The program supports large-scale academically led research networks that harness the creativity and inventiveness of Canadian health, natural, and social scientists and engineers. Partners from industry, government and not-for-profit organizations contribute additional expertise and bring cash and in kind support.

This program is a tri-agency program administered by NSERC on behalf of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Strong linkages and partnerships between university, government and industry, and other users (NGOs) resulting in the exploitation of leading-edge research results with economical and/or societal benefits to Canada.
• Networks will reach the end of the award cycle on either March 31, 2024, or March 31, 2025, and will then have 12 months to finalize any outstanding activities and commitments.

• Not-for-profit organizations and charities
• Academia and public institutions

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program is tri-agency program designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by offering them a significant financial award. This financial award assists students during their studies at Canadian universities. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related fields.

This program is administered by CIHR on behalf of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.

There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.

• Establishment of a Canadian doctoral scholarship that is internationally competitive and internationally recognized.
• Enhance capacity of Canadian universities to attract the best and brightest students from Canada and the world with the potential to become leaders in the next generation of researchers in Canada.
• Attract top students from other countries who will bring with them new knowledge and ideas and enrich the Canadian learning environment.
• Retain Canada's top doctoral students in the face of intense international competition for the brightest researchers.
• Promote and brand Canada as a home of research excellence and Canadian Universities as world-class institutions of research and higher learning.
• Establish effective research collaborations and networks between Canada and the recipients' home countries.