2026 National Research Facilities Workshop

MARCH 11 & 12, 2026

OTTAWA, ONTARIO
INFINITY CONVENTION CENTRE
2901 GIBFORD DRIVE

This annual workshop brings together representatives from Canada’s national research facilities, their boards, administrative institutions, funding partners, and special guests from the international research community to network and discuss best practices and challenges associated with the governance, operations, and maintenance of research facilities. It is also an opportunity to discuss issues of strategic importance to the community. 

Have questions? Get in touch at msif [at] innovation.ca (msif[at]innovation[dot]ca)

8:30–8:45 a.m. Opening remarks 

8:45–10 a.m. Leveraging Canada's national research facilities to strengthen innovation sovereignty

Panel session organized by the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization

10–10:30 a.m. Coffee break 

10:30–11 a.m. Update on the implementation of the Major Research Facilities framework 

11–11:30 a.m. Facility condition assessment and asset management planning 

Presentation organized by SNOLAB

11:30–1 p.m. Networking lunch 

1–2:30 p.m. Fighting misinformation and mistrust in science: The potential of robust major scientific infrastructure

Panel session organized by Coalition Publica

2:30–3 p.m. Coffee break

3–3:30 p.m. Update from Board Chairs 

3:30–5 p.m. Responding to Canada’s national security priorities 

5–6 p.m. Reception 

6–8 p.m. Dinner 

8:45–10 a.m. Navigating change: Building resilience in government relations

10 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Coffee break 

10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. The promise and pitfalls of public science communication

Working session organized by the André E. Lalonde National Facility in Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

12–1:30 p.m. Lunch 

1:30–2:30 p.m. Going beyond numbers: Enhancing reporting practices to demonstrate results and impacts

1:30–2:30 p.m. Discussion with the CFI Finance team: A forum for participants to share their MSIF finance-related experiences 

2:30–3 p.m. Update from the MSIF Data Working Group

3–4 p.m. Leveraging Canada’s research infrastructure to address global challenges

Panel session organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development –Experimental Lakes Area

4–4:15 p.m. Closing remarks