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Canada: Federal Science Cuts Threaten Facilities, Big Investments |
| Source: |
canada.com |
| Source Date: |
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 |
| Focus: |
Knowledge Management in Government
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| Country: |
Canada |
| Created: |
Aug 28, 2012 |
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OTTAWA – A $1.3-million reduction in federal research funds will jeopardize $81 million worth of investments in eight facilities that have trained or employed nearly 2,000 scientists, technicians and researchers, but are now at risk of shutting down, says a new report to be released on Tuesday by the federal New Democrats.
“It does seem reckless,” said the NDP’s science and technology critic Kennedy Stewart in an interview Monday. “It’s really a shame that the government didn’t consult more before they cut this funding because this research isn’t going to happen in these facilities any more.”
The research report, entitled Pennywise, Pound Foolish, was based on surveys of 39 different facilities that received funding through a $35-million support program for operating costs.
Twenty-eight of the facilities agreed to participate in the survey, which asked them to outline capital investment, jobs, training and research in their facilities and the impact of reductions in federal support.
Eight of those facilities told the suburban Vancouver MP that their survival was now in jeopardy, including the National High Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre, the National Ultrahigh-Field NMR Facility for Solids, the Canadian Centre for Isotopic Microanalysis, the Canadian Charged Particle Accelerator Consortium and the Advanced Laser Light Source.
“Surviving facilities will have to fire staff and reduce services, with many unable to repair or upgrade multi-million dollar equipment,” said Stewart’s report.
Three of the eight facilities at risk asked to remain anonymous, fearing repercussions for speaking out about the moratorium on new grants from the $35-million Major Resources Support Program.
One respondent in Stewart’s report described the cuts as “a bullet to the head.”
Gary Goodyear, the federal minister responsible for science and technology, was not immediately able to respond to questions about whether he was aware of the potential shutdown of the facilities identified in the report.
But in a statement emailed to Postmedia News, he noted that the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s budgets for academic support have increased by $200 million since the Conservatives formed a government in 2006, suggesting that the council was responsible for allocating this funding.
“Scientists know that they can count on our government to make important investments that help create jobs, grow our economy, and improve the quality of life for all Canadians,” said Goodyear in the email.
“NSERC makes decisions on how to best utilize the resources allocated to them by the government.”
Stewart’s report said the consequences of the cuts would result in highly specialized equipment falling into disuse and a complete loss of specialized training, expertise and services.
Among those affected, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen, featured on the new Canadian fifty dollar bill, indicated it could continue operations, but would be forced to lay off seven out of 10 core technical positions, among other problems that would cause “the overall international competitiveness and reputation of Canada in Arctic science to plummet.”
(By Mike De Souza)
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Canada: Federal Science Cuts Threaten Facilities, Big Investments A 1.3-million reduction in federal research funds will jeopardize 81 million worth of investments in eight facilities that have trained or employed nearly 2,000 scientists technicians and researchers but are now at risk of shutting down says a new report to be released on Tuesday by the federal New Democrats
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