2026 National Research Facilities Workshop

8:00-8:30 a.m. Registration

8:30–8:45 a.m. Opening remarks 

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

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

This panel will explore how Canada can strengthen innovation sovereignty by maximizing the role of National Research Facilities. It will begin by defining panelists’ views of innovation sovereignty and examining how national research facilities can attain this goal by anchoring domestic innovation. Panelists will discuss how collaboration can deepen Canada’s innovation capacity and highlight the transition from discovery to commercialization and mechanisms that accelerate it, through examples of research enabled by facilities funded through the MSIF . The panel will also examine how governance issues — life‑cycle funding, commercialization barriers within national facilities and policy levers for next‑generation innovation strategy — are important aspects of success. The session will conclude with the panelists’ visions for an innovation ecosystem for 2035 and the steps required today to achieve it.

Moderator:

• Paul Hodgson, Director of Operations, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization 

Panelists:

• Elizabeth Nanak, Chief Executive Officer, GlycoNet
• François Légaré, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Laser Light Source
• Alexandre Forest, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Amundsen Science
• Volker Gerdts, Director and Chief Executive Officer, 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 (Salon A) 

• Claudia Fall, Associate Director of Research Facilities, Canada Foundation for Innovation

11–11:30 a.m. You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Know: SNOLAB’s Approach to Asset Management (Salon A) 

Effective asset management begins with understanding what you have, and at SNOLAB that was no small task. As part of the CFI’s long-term planning requirements, we developed a spreadsheet-based system to inventory our infrastructure and scientific equipment. This system captures a complete picture of our assets, and we are beginning to use it to guide strategic decisions. This talk shares the challenges, lessons and practical tips from our experience — emphasizing approaches that can be scaled to smaller or less complex research facilities. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for starting or improving their own asset management processes.

 Presenter:

• Jodi Cooley, Executive Director, 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(Salon A) 

Since the word “post-truth” was selected as Word of the Year in 2016 by the Oxford Dictionaries, the debate around the quality of publicly available information has come a long way. Pernicious tendencies of the past persist, amplified by the potential of generative AIs, and there is growing uncertainty about what constitutes a trustworthy information source. The social fractures derived from algorithms that profit from emotional engagement rather than facts have been recently identified as some of the greatest challenges to civic, democratic life in Canada and beyond (Horizons de politiques Canada, 2024). Faced with these threats, Canadian National Research Facilities have a crucial role to play in strengthening the country’s digital and technological sovereignty. These infrastructures, serving different fields of study, are in a position to build a solid rapport of trust among international partners, national institutions, and, not least, local communities and society at large.

Moderator:

• Tanja Niemann, Executive Director, Coalition Publica, Érudit Consortium

Panelists:

• Natalie Harrower, Executive Director, Canadian Research Data Centre Network
• Rob Annan, President and CEO, Genome Canada
• Frédéric Bouchard, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Professor at the Department of Philosophy of the Université de Montréal; Chair of Board of Directors, Érudit Consortium

2:30–3 p.m. Coffee break

3–3:30 p.m. Update from Board Chairs (Salon A) 

• Linda Keen, Chair of Board of Directors, André E. Lalonde National Facility in Accelerator for Mass Spectrometry
• Jim Ghadbane, Chair of Board of Directors, Ocean Networks Canada

3:30–4:30 p.m. Going beyond numbers: Enhancing reporting practices to demonstrate results and impacts (Salon A) 

The CFI is increasingly being asked to provide evidence of return on investment for facilities funded through the MSIF by key stakeholders, notably Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada . This session discusses how to advance the current reporting practices to effectively and cohesively demonstrate the results and impacts of the MSIF, while highlighting the distinct contributions of each facility.

Key performance indicator (KPI) data collected through the annual reports of the MSIF-funded facilities is the primary means for assessing those facilities and reporting against expected outcomes and impacts. However, obtaining contextual information that adequately explains the unique characteristics of some facilities is challenging. How can we better convey the context for the data facilities provide in their annual reports?

 Speakers:

• Stephane Mercure, Director of Program Evaluation and Analytics, Canada Foundation for Innovation
• Tomoka Takeuchi, Senior Evaluation Analyst, Canada Foundation for Innovation

3:30–4:30 p.m. Discussion with the CFI Finance team: A forum for participants to share their MSIF finance-related experiences (Meeting Room 2)

This interactive session will be a more focused and smaller group discussion for participants to ask finance-related questions to CFI Finance staff. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, challenges and good practices for financial oversight and administration of research facilities.

Following the moderated talk, participants are invited to remain in the meeting room and network.

Moderators:

• Dominique Brisebois, Director of Finance, Canada Foundation for Innovation
• Gabriela Manoiu, Associate Director of Financial Data and Awards, Canada Foundation for Innovation

4:30–6 p.m. Reception 

6–8 p.m. Dinner (Salon C)

Keynote speaker:

• Roger Eccleston , UKRI – STFC Executive Director, National Laboratories: Large Scale Facilities and Head of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

8:20-9 a.m. Fireside Conversation

• Sylvain Charbonneau, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation 
• Karim Bardeesy, Member of Parliament for Taiaiako’n—Parkdale—High Park and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

9–10 a.m. Navigating change: Building resilience in government relations (Salon A) 

In today’s rapidly shifting policy environment, organizations face both challenges and opportunities as government priorities evolve at every level. How can your organization remain agile and resilient, while staying true to its long-term mission?

Join us for a panel where experienced leaders will share practical strategies for thriving amid uncertainty. Discover what resilience looks like in government relations, hear real-world examples of successfully adapting to shifting priorities and learn how to spot the signals of future change.

Whether you’re seeking actionable advice or fresh perspectives, this session will equip you with insights and tools to navigate the complexities of government relations and ensure your continued impact. Bring your questions and join the conversation on building a stronger, more adaptable research community.

Moderator:

• Christine Aquino, Vice President of External Relations and Communications, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Panelists:

• Iain Stewart, Corporate Director, Genome Canada; Former President, National Research Council of Canada
• Susan Smith, Co-Founder and Principal, Bluesky Strategy Group
• Forrest Parlee, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy, University of Toronto

10–10:30 a.m. Coffee break 

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

Effective and accessible science communication is an essential tool for rebuilding public trust in science, as well as sharing the discoveries and public value of National Research Facilities with Canadians and the world. For decades, museums, parks and science centres have used “interpretive principles” to effectively communicate science to diverse audiences in many contexts, but how do these methods translate to public science outreach on social media? This workshop explores how interpretive techniques can align with science communication best practices to allow National Research Facilities to meaningfully engage the public, both in-person and online. Through interactive instruction and practical skill building exercises, participants will learn the basic principles of interpretation, strengthen their science communication skills and explore how these strategies can be adapted for public science outreach on social media.

Moderator:

• Joanna Northover, Liaison for Communications and Outreach, André E. Lalonde National Facility in Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

12–1:30 p.m. Networking lunch 

1:30–2 p.m. Update from the MSIF Data Working Group (Salon A)

The chair of the MSIF Data Working Group, established after the 2023 MSIF workshop, will present an update on the group’s progress over the past year. The talk will highlight findings from a community-wide survey that identified common data life cycle needs and challenges faced by Canadian research facilities. Attendees will gain insight into the emerging issues and priority areas shaping the group’s ongoing work.

Presenter:

• Naveed Aziz , Chair, MSIF Data Working Group; Vice President of Research and Innovation, Genome Canada

2–3 p.m. Leveraging Canada’s research infrastructure to address global challenges (Salon A)

Canada’s Major Science Initiatives (MSI) facilities, supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, represent a cornerstone of the nation’s capacity to address global challenges. From monitoring Arctic change and ocean health, to advancing clean energy innovation, protecting biodiversity, strengthening health resilience and safeguarding freshwater systems, these facilities collectively generate the knowledge and partnerships that the world needs to navigate a changing planet.

This panel, led by the IISD-ELA, will explore how these facilities can further their international reach and impact. Discussion topics will include developing international research partnerships, accessing and aligning international funding mechanisms, and tracking and attributing global impact.

By sharing insights and strategies from across disciplines and regions, this session will highlight how Canada’s major science facilities are collaborating globally to deliver the science, data and innovation that underpin sustainable solutions for people and the planet.

Moderator:

Pauline Gerrard, Executive Director of IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA)

Panelists:

• Scott Higgins, Senior Research Scientist, International Institute for Sustainable Development – Experimental Lakes Area
• Kate Moran, President and CEO, Ocean Networks Canada
• John Pomeroy, Director, Global Water Futures Observatories
• Girma Bitsuamlak, Director, WindEEE Research Institute
• Kevin Kerr, Research Director, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics

3–3:15 p.m. Closing remarks

• Mark Lagacé, Director of Programs, Canada Foundation for Innovation