Canada commits $558M for science discovery research

The federal funding agency for research is committing $558 million this year for discovery research, an additional $70 million compared to last year.

Minister of Science and Sport Kirsty Duncan was at the University of Windsor for the announcement. The funding is from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

"Discovery research leads to new innovations which leads to new products and services and economic growth," said Duncan, who said she used to teach at the university in the 90s.

Out of the $558 million for projects across the country, almost 30 researchers and students from the University of Windsor will share more than $6 million for work in advanced manufacturing and ecology.

Duncan visited the university's science fair on campus where she spoke to current students and researchers.

Xiao Yu, a postdoctoral fellow working at the Clean Combustion Engine Lab, said the funding will help them promote the technology that they've been working on a clean combustion engine.

He said the lab has been developing the technology for at least five to six years. The first generation of the engine they had built by hand.

"We need our young researchers to help us to keep this work rolling," said Yu, and getting funding would be important in making that happen.

NSERC this year is also providing $5.4 million to more than 400 researchers early in their career.