FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2003

TRENT UNIVERSITY PRAISES GOVERNMENT FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Federal budget provides much needed support for research and innovation

Responding to measures contained in today’s budget announcement, Trent University praised the federal government for its vision and commitment to support the role universities play in advancing Canada’s leadership position in research and development.

Indirect Costs of Research

"The federal government is to be commended for introducing a budget that confirms a permanent investment in the indirect costs of research," says Bonnie Patterson, President and Vice Chancellor. "Universities have patiently sought this missing element of research funding. This commitment, combined with additional investments announced today, will ensure that universities play a strengthened role that contributes to Canada’s competitiveness."

The budget will result in a permanent program that invests $225 million per year beginning in 2003-04 for the costs of indirect research. Indirect costs of research include maintenance of labs and libraries, research administration, and the costs associated with maintaining health, safety, environmental and ethics standards. Patterson emphasized that, "We will need, over time, to ensure that funding for indirect costs continues to increase to more accurately reflect the full costs incurred."

Other Budget Highlights for Universities

Additional measures in the budget that will benefit universities include increased funding for research granting councils, more support for graduate student scholarships, improvements to the student loan program, the creation of a new Learning Institute, investments in the Canada Foundation for Innovation and health genomics, and funding for the National Research Council.

• $125 million annually, beginning in 2003-04, to increase the budgets of Canada’s three research-granting councils
• $105 million annually to create the new Canada Graduate Scholarships program to provide financial support for 2,000 master’s level and 2,000 PhD students at Canadian universities
• $60 million over two years to improve the Canada Student Loans Program
• $100 million for a Canadian Learning Institute
• investments of $500 million in the Canada Foundation for Innovation for state-of-the-art health research facilities and $75 million in Genome Canada for health genomics
• an additional $70 million over two years for the National Research Council of Canada to strengthen the Industrial Research Assistance Program, support astronomy and establish new regional innovation centres

Patterson adds, "The federal government’s continued demonstration of leadership to a long term vision for innovation in Canada is making a difference for Canadian universities."

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For more information contact:

Don Cumming, Senior Director, Public Affairs, (705) 748-1011, ext. 1224