Government of Canada Invests $136 million in University-Based Social Sciences and Humanities Research

(Regina, April 20, 2009) – The Government of Canada today announced $136 Million in funding to further the development of talent and knowledge among Canada’s top scholars in the social sciences and humanities. Through grants and fellowships administered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), these investments will support more than 2,500 of Canada’s best researchers.

In SSHRC’s largest research grant competition, $78.8 million over three years will be awarded through Standard Research Grants. Another $57.1 million over multiple years will support research through new funding suites focusing on priorities for Canadians, including the social and economic prosperity of communities in the North and Canadian environmental issues. These programs provide researchers with development grants, research grants and funding for community-university research alliances and dedicated knowledge-mobilization initiatives.

“Our government is committed to fostering world-class research in the humanities and social sciences, and increasing the supply of highly qualified graduates that Canada needs to be successful,” said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology). “The social sciences and humanities show us how to harness and interpret innovation from a human perspective, which translates into benefits for society.”

The social sciences and humanities community continues to comprise Canada’s largest research community, consisting of some 22,000 faculty members and well over 50,000 graduate students. All applications have been adjudicated according to the highest international standards by a rigorous peer-review process.

“SSHRC is committed to enhancing the quality of, and support for, research and research training in the social sciences and humanities through world-class review processes,” said Chad Gaffield, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. “This research will enhance understanding of political, social, cultural and economic issues—past and present—that are vital to our future innovation, prosperity and quality of life.”

This year’s successful award recipients will undertake research across a broad spectrum of the humanities and social sciences, including: history, education, politics, economics, law and literature. These research projects will also provide students and scholars with training that will increase Canada’s talent pool for the private, public and voluntary sectors. The following are a few examples of research funded by these programs:

• Social networking is on the rise among youth through programs such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, as well as among children through Webkinz and Club Penguin. Shaheen Shariff from McGill University will look at how children use and perceive these tools and will examine stakeholders’ legal obligations to enhance cyber-safety.
• The new resource economy in Western Canada, driven by non-renewable natural resources, poses a number of serious environmental challenges. In Saskatchewan, greenhouse gas emissions in 2005 were more than three times the national average. Jeremy Rayner from the University of Regina and his program, “Energy Futures,” will integrate research and knowledge mobilization designed to stimulate open, evidence-based, informed energy policy development in Saskatchewan and the rest of Canada.
• From the Metropolis Project, Tony Fang and his team, drawn in part from York University, will look at the macroeconomic impacts of Canadian immigration. His proposed study will provide a significant base of evidence for policy-makers to analyze the costs and benefits associated with large-scale immigration.
• Bonita Beatty and a team of scholars from the University of Saskatchewan will analyze the political engagement and political culture of Aboriginal people living in Saskatchewan’s northern administrative district, an area that covers half of the province.
• Through a Community-University Research Alliances grant, Victoria Esses and her team from The University of Western Ontario will research ways of attracting, retaining, and successfully integrating minorities and immigrants in Canada and internationally. Their research will lead to information on best practices and will give policy-makers the tools they need to make evidence-based decisions on local and regional issues.

All competitions results have been posted.

For additional information on this release and other SSHRC-supported research projects, please contact:

David Holton
SSHRC Communications
Tel: 613-853-4479
E-mail: david.holton@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca