Thursday, October 22, 2026
Canada is missing an opportunity to draw greater value from the national-scale research infrastructure that supports scientific discovery, innovation, economic competitiveness, and responses to complex societal challenges.
A new expert panel report from the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) finds that, while Canada has considerable strengths and has made investments across its research ecosystem, more coordinated planning could help the country better align these assets with national priorities, participate strategically in international collaborations, and respond to a rapidly changing global context.
“National-scale research infrastructure is central to Canada’s ability to address national priorities, participate in international collaborations, and remain globally competitive,” said Janet King, chair of the expert panel. “An optimized system would help ensure these assets are collectively planned, governed, and evaluated in ways that reflect Canada’s strengths, priorities, and responsibilities.”
Commissioned by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the report focuses on how Canada can enhance its national-scale research infrastructure to better support research, innovation, economic competitiveness, and societal well-being. The panel found that responsibilities are spread across loosely connected actors, with no clear coordination mechanism or role to align and advance Canada’s participation in international research collaborations. Many national-scale research infrastructure assets are institutionally owned and governed, despite a mission to advance national research priorities and serve pan-Canadian and international research communities.
“Canada’s world-leading research facilities and infrastructure have long supported excellence in Canadian research,” said Tijs Creutzberg, president and CEO of the CCA. “But the research landscape is changing quickly. This report shows how a coordinated approach can maximize impact, build long-term capacity, and position Canada to succeed in today’s knowledge-driven world.”
Featured image: Public Services and Procurement Canada has awarded a $768.6-million contract to build the Regulatory and Security Science Main (RSS Main) project in Ottawa. (PSPC)
