World-class research infrastructure plays key role in attracting top research talent to Canada

OTTAWA, ONTARIO — Researchers hired over the last year to lead projects at higher education institutions with labs, tools and equipment funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) overwhelmingly said that research infrastructure was a key factor in their decision to accept the new role.  

This was one of many findings in the CFI’s annual report on results, which provides a summary of outcomes achieved through CFI-funded research infrastructure at universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research organizations. This year’s report is based on performance data pertaining to the 2023–24 fiscal year from 1,741 infrastructure projects at 85 institutions.  

Of the 269 newly recruited researchers, 98 percent said CFI-funded tools and facilities helped persuade them to accept the position. Established researchers echoed this sentiment, with 94 percent saying CFI-funded research infrastructure influenced their decision to remain at their current institution. 

Just over half of the new recruits — of Canadian or non-Canadian citizenship — came from outside the country, which demonstrates that access to high-quality research infrastructure is not only retaining domestic expertise, but also attracting international talent and bringing home Canadian researchers trained abroad.  

Despite this, 30 percent of respondents’ projects still faced challenges in recruiting and retaining trainees or personnel — the most common problem reported across all projects.  

Labs provide key training for Canadian workforce 

Trainees also benefited from access to facilities and equipment that received CFI funding. More than half of the nearly 25,000 postdoctoral fellows and higher education students who used this research infrastructure did so for the first time in 2024, gaining new skills along the way.   

This year 1,734 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students completed their training and moved into the workforce. Nearly all — 84 percent — secured jobs in Canada, with more than half securing jobs in the private sector.  

The Canadian economy benefitted from the creation of more than 1,200 jobs as a result of CFI-funded infrastructure. Most of those jobs were created within the research facility, but more than 250 are in the private sector. Additionally, thirty spin-off companies were launched and researchers obtained 214 patents and provisional patents.

For more statistics and analysis on the value of research infrastructure, read the full report.