National research facilities

In 2010, the Government of Canada mandated the CFI to find a systematic way to evaluate and address the operational funding needs and scientific performance of national research facilities. The purpose would be to ensure that these facilities have solid governance and management policies and practices in place.

The Major Science Initiatives (MSI) Fund was launched in 2011 with an initial investment of $185 million from the Government of Canada and the goal of helping national research facilities to thrive. In 2013 and 2016, two additional investments of $25 million and $400 million were made available to the CFI to address the needs of existing and other national research facilities through the MSI Fund. Currently, the CFI supports 17 national research facilities across Canada. They tackle some of the most important issues facing society by bringing together the best researchers from Canada and around the world.  As science becomes more complex, facilities like these become crucial for exploring the frontier of research.

The national research facilities supported through our Major Science Initiatives Fund appear in the interactive graphic below.