QUESTION PERIOD — Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Funding for Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Scholars
December 12, 2023
Senator Gold, Canada has historically seen that every $1 spent on research and development generates over $4 in GDP growth. The workforce driving much of this growth is the 300,000 graduate students and post-docs working in academic institutions, yet Canada has not increased funding to these people since 2003. Why has the government not invested in graduate students and post-docs when doing so offers a clear return on investment for Canada?
Thank you for your question, senator, and for your continuing advocacy on this important issue. Indeed, the government has invested considerably. It has invested more than $16 billion which has been committed to support research and science across Canada and, as I mentioned on other occasions, that includes 600 new Canada Graduate Scholarships. Last year, the government also announced more than $275 million for 5,700 promising students and emerging researchers across Canada in many disciplines through the granting agency scholarships and fellowships program, including the Canada Graduate Scholarships program, as well as agency-specific doctoral and post-doctoral awards. The government understands very well that when it invests in Canada’s research community, it is investing in the discoveries of tomorrow. That leads to a better quality of life for all Canadians.
Thank you very much, Senator Gold. However, the reality remains that our post-docs and graduate students are struggling because they have had no substantive increase in their awards and stipends and basic salaries for over 15 to 20 years, and that’s just not right.
How will the government ensure that Canada continues to benefit from the economic productivity of these individuals if they don’t increase the funding across the board?
Well, the government is working with its funding agencies to explore ways in which they can better support the next generation of researchers and top talent. I should add that the research community is also benefitting from the support of the universities and research institutions themselves thanks to the generous philanthropy that is increasingly flowing into the research sector from the private sector.
