Alberta group heads to Ottawa looking for more research cash

Groups present a united front in effort to reverse downward trend from Ottawa

Politicians and university leaders from Alberta will land this morning in Ottawa for two days of meetings to push for a greater share of federally sponsored research funds.

While most provinces have seen declines in research revenue over the past five years, Alberta has witnessed a 17-per-cent drop — or $56 million — the largest dollar-value decline of all provinces in Canada.

In 2010-11, Alberta’s universities shared in $324 million of research funds from the federal government alone, but in 2014-15 that slipped to $267 million.

The only province to significantly buck that trend is Ontario, which has seen a 3.3-per-cent increase over the same period, or about $39 million.

Alberta Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt said the mission’s goals were two-fold: share the province’s research and innovation agenda with the federal government and get a better understanding of where their priorities lie.

Discussions will centre on research work, health innovation, clean energy technology and smart agriculture, Schmidt said, adding that this mission is part of the NDP government’s “commitment to diversifying the economy.”

“Research and innovation being undertaken at Alberta universities is really the cornerstone of that economic diversification,” he said.

Schmidt will be joined by Economic Development and Trade Minister Deron Bilous, along with representatives from the province’s three largest research universities.

Last year, the University of Alberta received more than $450 million in sponsored research revenue from government and industry and the University of Calgary received a touch over $360 million.

“It is essential that we are aligning our programs with the federal government so that Albertans are getting value for the dollars they are investing into research and development,” Schmidt said.

“But also we want to make clear that we are interested in partnering with Ottawa and working together to get the most out of research and development dollars they wish to spend.”

LOOKING FOR THE BIG BUCKS

Lorne Babiuk, University of Alberta’s vice-president of research, said the shared goal was to demonstrate to Ottawa policy makers that universities and the government of Alberta were a united and coordinated group.

With a key part of the NDP’s Climate Leadership Plan being the research and development of clean energy technology, which dovetails with the Trudeau government’s push to develop a clean economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, now is the perfect time to push for increased funding, he said.

“By going to Ottawa, we can demonstrate to them what our priorities are and actually help shape some of the funding opportunities from Ottawa,” Babiuk said.

Alberta’s research universities were more actively engaged with each other to benefit each other, he said.

“There’s been a much more concerted effort more recently to actually complement each other and not duplicate,” he said.

PRESENTING A UNITED FRONT

Michael Mahon, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Lethbridge, agrees. “The point of this is to look at Alberta as a province instead of looking at it like individual regions,” he said.

Mahon said in the past, universities and the province “haven’t necessarily been as strategic” in terms of leveraging federal dollars.

“Being able to go as a collective to go to Ottawa … it’s something that is just smart,” he said. “Universities have always been competitive, (but) the world is really transforming so being an island unto oneself as a university is no longer a strategic or effective approach to be successful.”

Elizabeth Cannon, University of Calgary president and vice-chancellor, said the federal government has already clearly indicated its focus on research and innovation.

In September, the universities of Alberta and Calgary each received $75-million grants for clean technology research projects aimed at “reducing the environmental footprint of fossil fuels,” as well as “developing new low-carbon energy systems.”

“Ensuring we are bringing a common message from the province is absolutely key to ensure Alberta is at the table and is included and leading in some of these areas where we truly have world-class expertise,” Cannon said.

The group is scheduled to meet with the respective ministers of health, environment, infrastructure and natural resources, along with the chair of the National Research Council.

Ensuring we are bringing a common message from the province is absolutely key.