Research stories

Our investments support research that benefits Canadians

In CFI-funded labs and facilities across the country, researchers in all stages of their careers are making discoveries, supporting a robust innovation ecosystem and helping solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

Strategic investments, national impact

Learn how innovations in areas that matter most to Canadians, including affordable housing, food sovereignty and national security, comes from the research made possible by CFI investments in cutting-edge labs and equipment.
Discover the innovations
David Jones wears protective laser glasses as he stands behind a prototype on his lab bench.
article
British Columbia

Zeroing in on critical minerals

New sensors can pinpoint profitable ore — and reduce the financial and environmental costs of mining
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podcast
Nova Scotia

Jan Rainey is untangling the mysteries of spider silks

The Dalhousie University researcher is looking to create synthetic versions of spider's silk that have the potential to help heal damaged nerves and damaged hearts
All podcasts
video

Transforming research instincts into a successful business (March webinar)

Part of our Future You webinar series. This webinar features a new generation of researchers who share their challenges and successes as they made the move from researcher to entrepreneur. Watch the video to gain insights and receive valuable tips on how to start your own business.
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A close-up photo of taillights of a car and a transport truck at the back of a long line of traffic.
article
British Columbia

Choosing the right route to lower traffic emissions

By profiling tailpipe emissions and creating community-specific transportation models, researchers will help cities reach their net-zero mobility goals faster — even in sub-zero temperatures
York University researcher Pirathayini Srikantha poses for a photo.
podcast
Ontario

Reinforcing the reliability of our vulnerable electricity grid

York University’s Pirathayini Srikantha studies power grid systems with the aim of keeping Canada’s infrastructure safe from fluctuations and hackers. Find out why she’s passionate about power.
Brown paper cups, trays and bags arranged neatly on a green background.
article
Ontario

Packaging with potential

Developing efficient and sustainable packaging is a pressing concern for food processors, but a new research centre will help them find solutions
A drone resembling a small blue helicopter sits on a grassy area in the foreground with a white van parked on a driveway in the background.
article
Alberta

Improving safety from the skies

Large drones are poised to offer a cheaper, more secure alternative to manned flights in remote areas
Photo of a fire simulation exercise. Two people wearing fire coats aim a fire hose at a burning building.
article
Quebec

An ounce of disaster prevention for a pound of long-term benefit

At a new experimental simulation site, the first of its kind in Canada, emergency management practitioners will learn how to handle the risks of natural and human-made disasters
An illustration of a man looking up as gears and a lightbulb come out of his brain.
article
Quebec,Ontario,Alberta

Smarter, safer and more cost-effective

College research teams partner with industry and community to tackle real-life challenges in the skies, in disaster zones and on the factory floor
A row of zebra finches with bright orange beaks perch in a tight huddle along a long branch.
article
Quebec

Why (and how) the songbird sings

Listening to what finches can teach us about our own neurobiology and how we acquire language
Low buildings and homes along a flat shoreline with water in the foreground.
article
Ontario

Biskaabiiyang: Rebuilding power and authority for sovereign Indigenous Nations

Research into traditional forms of Indigenous governance will explore the resurgence of roles held by Indigenous youth, women, Two Spirit and trans folx
A person wearing a coat in an empty field, posing for a photo.
podcast
Quebec

Getting fired up about the Arctic

Alexandre Langlois is passionate about all aspects of his job. As a researcher in Northern Canada, he studies the fastest-warming place on the planet and the problems that arise as the climate changes.
A grey and white photo of a multi-storeyed building with turrets at each corner and a large circular driveway in front.
article
Quebec

Bringing back bygone ventilation schemes

Uncovering a decommissioned ventilation system embedded in the walls of a Victorian-era hospital in Montréal offers insight into architectural designs for modern-day energy efficient buildings
Several surgeons and nurses around an operating table.
article
Ontario

Improving patient care in complex times

A new lab is developing instructional methods for training healthcare providers to be nimbler in ever-changing circumstances
Dark orange flames along the crest of a treed hill with billows of thick grey smoke.
article
Alberta

Blazing a new trail in fire forensics

Many devastating wildfires are human-caused; some are set intentionally. One research lab aims to get to the bottom of how the blazes start to inform arson investigations and prevention measures.