SSHRC President Ted Hewitt became Canada Research Coordinating Committee chair as of January 1, 2023, taking over from outgoing chair Alejandro Adem, president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. The chair position rotates annually among the presidents of the three federal research funding agencies. As part of the rotation, Michael Strong, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is vice-chair for 2023.

SSHRC was at the Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC) in November. The presidents of the three federal research funding agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation took the opportunity to pen an op-ed together for the CSPC magazine, on the need for innovation and collaboration in funding research that responds to vast, evolving, complex issues like climate change and global health challenges. The issue also has an editorial by NSERC president Alejandro Adem on the release of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s 2021-22 progress report, Moving Forward.

SSHRC and Employment and Social Development Canada cohosted a national virtual forum in November on the emerging asocial society, one of 16 global challenges identified through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative. Four days of panels brought policy-makers and representatives from across sectors together with researchers from 25 universities to discuss research and potential responses to what has been dubbed the “loneliness pandemic.” Topics ranged from education, employment, and isolation and youth, to socialization and belonging, health and aging, and housing and community. Evidence briefs from related Knowledge Synthesis Grants projects will be available through SSHRC’s website this spring.

Microsoft Power Platform has been selected as the platform to support the tri-agency grants management solution (TGMS). The agencies have launched a request for proposals to select a vendor to help configure the solution. Read the update from TGMS Vice-President Adrian Mota and what the team has learned from engagement activities.