Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund
The Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund supports the bioscience infrastructure needs of postsecondary institutions and research hospitals by providing high-performance tools, innovative research spaces and biocontainment facilities.
Support from this fund is expected to advance the Government of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy by strengthening the research capacity of Canada’s biomanufacturing and life sciences ecosystem.
Status: The deadline to submit proposals is April 12, 2022. Consult the list of notices of intent to find opportunities to collaborate on your proposal.
Key document: Call for proposals for biocontainment and large-animal facilities (Revised March 2022)
We are also developing a second, wider-ranging competition of the Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund in collaboration with the tri-agency’s Canada Biomedical Research Fund and will share more information as it becomes available.
What institutions are eligible to apply to this fund?
Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions recognized as CFI-eligible can apply to this fund on behalf of a facility.
Check our list of eligible institutions
Find out how to become eligible
What are the details of the competition for biocontainment and large-animal facilities?
Important dates
| Activity | Deadline |
|---|---|
|
CFI issues draft call for proposals |
August 25, 2021 |
|
Deadline to submit feedback on the draft call for proposals |
September 13, 2021 |
|
CFI issues call for proposals |
September 21, 2021 |
|
Information sessions for potential applicants |
September 27, 2021 (English) September 28, 2021 (French) |
|
Deadline to submit notices of intent |
October 18, 2021 |
|
CFI issues revised call for proposals |
March 2022 |
|
Deadline to submit proposals |
April 12, 2022 |
|
Review of proposals by Expert Committees |
May/June 2022 |
|
Review of proposals by the Strategic Review Committee |
Summer 2022 |
|
Decision by CFI Board of Directors |
September 2022 |
Funding available
The CFI will invest up to $115 million in research infrastructure funding through this competition and will fund up to 60 percent of a project’s eligible infrastructure costs. In addition, the CFI will provide up to $34.5 million for associated operating costs through the Infrastructure Operating Fund.
Objectives
Funding through the competition for biocontainment and large-animal facilities is intended to:
- Address immediate infrastructure needs in postsecondary institutions’ and affiliated research hospitals’ capacity to support pandemic preparedness and respond to emerging health threats, consistent with Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy
- Support the development of strong linkages among researchers working in a variety of settings, including government laboratories, and users of research results in all sectors
- Create an environment to attract and train highly qualified personnel linked to the needs of the biomanufacturing and life sciences sector.
Eligible infrastructure projects
An eligible project is one that involves acquiring or developing research infrastructure to increase research capacity in existing CL3 or CL4 facilities and only those CL2 facilities that are essential to the operations of the CL3 or CL4 facilities.
Projects submitted may include renovations, repairs to existing infrastructure (whether CFI-funded or not), and equipment housed within the CL3 or CL4 facilities or which are necessary to maintain, renew or obtain a new Human Pathogens and Toxins Act licence to work with human pathogens.
In addition to containment facilities, eligible projects may involve associated facilities for large animals, such as nonhuman primates. Small animal (e.g., rodent) facilities are not eligible.
See the call for proposals for more information on eligibility.
How is my proposal assessed?
After you submit your proposal, it is assessed through our merit-review process.
1. Administrative review
We review each proposal to make sure it’s complete and adheres to our guidelines.
2. Expert Committee
Expert Committees assess small groups of similar proposals against the assessment criteria for the competition. They recommend to the Strategic Review Committee the proposals that meet the standard of excellence for the competition.
3. Strategic Review Committee
In the second stage of review, the Strategic Review Committee ensures that research infrastructure investments are well-aligned with and directly support the objectives and priorities of the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.
Informed by the Expert Committee reports and a summary of each project, the SRC:
- Recommends projects that are in strategic alignment with the objectives of the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, as well as with other related investments
- Assesses other benefits to Canada
- Recommends to the CFI Board of Directors the amount that should be awarded for each proposal.
Who makes the final funding decisions?
Funding decisions are made by the CFI Board of Directors.
What are the assessment criteria?
The assessment criteria for the competition for biocontainment and large-animal facilities are:
- Research excellence
- Research teams
- Enhancement of the capacity to respond to emerging human health threats
- Collaborations and partnerships
- Sustainability
- Anticipated benefits
See the call for proposals for details of each of these assessment criteria.
Want to grow your network, build your reputation and contribute to research?
$150 M
In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the CFI and the Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada surveyed institutions about their capacity to respond to COVID-19 and possible future pandemics.
The institutions pointed to critical issues with their ability to respond to the coronavirus and its variants, as well as their readiness to respond to future infectious disease outbreaks.
Notably, 94 percent of institutions with CL3 facilities reported needing investments to maintain their readiness to respond to a future pandemic, and 70 percent indicated they were at risk of losing their Human Pathogens and Toxins Act licence without additional specialized equipment and critical upgrades.
The World Health Organization recognizes that animal models are key to advancing COVID-19 treatments. Canada’s federal COVID-19 Therapeutics Task Force further noted that access to animal models and laboratories with the appropriate expertise is a challenge faced by researchers and smaller Canadian firms in developing therapeutics. This challenge is equally valid for numerous infectious diseases beyond COVID-19.
To advance the Government of Canada’s biomanufacturing and life sciences priorities, Budget 2021 announced $500 million for the CFI to support the infrastructure needs of postsecondary institutions and research hospitals in these areas.
Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions and their affiliated research hospitals anchor much of the bioinnovation ecosystem. Important foundational components are centred in these institutions, including laboratories, research and talent.
Canada’s scientists need high-performance tools and innovative research spaces and laboratories to bring their ideas from discovery through development and commercialization. In many cases, their work requires specialized equipment in appropriate biocontainment facilities to ensure that infectious-disease research is conducted safely. Supporting surveillance, diagnostics, and pre-clinical and clinical trials with flexible research infrastructure capacity is critical to Canada’s biomanufacturing and life sciences ecosystem.
The Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund was created in 2021 to respond to these critical needs.
Research infrastructure supported through this fund will strengthen the capacity of academia to work with industry and government to advance promising discoveries and promote training and talent development.
Funded projects will:
- Meet a high standard of scientific excellence
- Best respond to government priorities to address pandemic readiness and emerging health threats
- Hold the greatest potential to develop commercially viable vaccines and therapies.
CFI investments will ensure that funded facilities are collaborative, durable, flexible, multi-institutional and capable of serving researchers in all relevant disciplines in support of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.