Short summary of the results of the
A survey held in July 2020 shows that research laboratories have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of the physical distancing measures that were taken to combat the pandemic.
Research laboratories were completely closed for 3 months or more, and most are still not functioning at full capacity. Our survey showed that most researchers reported loss in at least one of the categories in the graph below.
Loss of highly qualified personnel
Students, Staff members, Post-Doctoral fellows, Clinical fellows or visiting scientists were lost during the COVID pandemic (Relocation, leave of absence, loss of funding, etc.)
- 29% of PIs reported loss of 1 or more Paid Staff (Research Associates/Scientists, Research Technicians/Assistants)
- 24% reported loss of 1 or more Post-Doctoral Fellows
- 49% reported loss of 1 or more Students
Loss of productivity
How many more studies (publications) do you expect your lab would have completed (i.e. paper submitted or resubmitted) if the pandemic had not occurred?
89% of PIs (302) reported the inability to complete and submit findings for publication (On average, this was 2.4 more studies.)
Loss of funding
Was any of the funding you expected to receive/applied for during 2020-21 cancelled or delayed?
42% of PIs (143) reported loss or delay in funding for 2020-21 because of the pandemic.
Estimated percent of budget required only for COVID recovery
To the question what percentage of your lab’s annual budget will you need to spend solely to compensate for losses, restart and recovery of your operations? The average response was 27%
2024/08/02
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance invited Canadians to participate in its annual pre-budget consultations process. The committee will table a report on these consultations in the House of Commons with recommendations to be considered by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the development of the 2025 federal budget.
Read CAN’s submission to these consultations here:
2024/04/22
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience applauds new investments in science and research announced in budget 2024 by the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finances of Canada. These announcements demonstrate that scientific research has real-world benefits to people across Canada, to Canada’s economy, and to Canada’s future prosperity. We specifically applaud the following measures:
Increased funding for graduate student scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships
(more…)
2024/03/22
One in two people will suffer from a mental illness across their lifetime. It is estimated that 1.7 million Canadians will suffer from dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, by the year 2030. The burden of brain disorders and diseases has substantially increased over the last 25 years with the aging of the population and the negative impact of the pandemic. This is having a detrimental impact on the economy, healthcare systems, and Canadian livelihood. Neurodegenerative diseases are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, and mental health disorders are the leading cause of days off work.
Canada is fortunate to have a rich and diverse community of brain scientists who tackle this challenge from many different angles. In addition to neurologists and brain surgeons, who treat patients directly, we must remember that the development of innovative treatment avenues relies on new basic research. (more…)
2024/03/13
We invite you to write to the Minister of Finances, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, to remind her and her team of the importance of investing in scientific research as they work on the 2024 Canadian budget.
CAN has drafted a sample letter, you can dowload here: CAN letter to Freeland (more…)
2024/02/28
We invite you to read a letter calling for urgent recapitalization of the Canada Brain Research Fund we recently sent to
The Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions of Canada
The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health of Canada
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finances of Canada
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Read the letter here: CAN-Brain-Canada-support-letter-2024
2024/02/09
Read our main recommendations here:
(more…)
2023/11/28
CAN held its second in-person Parliament Hill Day in Otttawa on November 7, 2023. This presented an exceptional opportunity for a team of CAN advocates to meet face-to-face or virtually with members of Parliament, Senators, Parliamentary staff members and important senior civil servants to advocate for a increased support for the major federal funding agencies in Canada (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and graduate student and postdoctoral fellowships and for making research on Brain and Mental Health a national priority. (more…)
2023/08/10
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is proud to announce its support of the ThinkSci Outreach Program with a 2023 CAN Advocacy and Outreach award.
The “ThinkSci Outreach Program” is a workshop-based initiative organized and led by undergraduate and graduate students, with the goal of immersing high school seniors and 1st year CÉGEP students into the world of neurophysiology. Its long term goal is to reach local, regional and national underrepresented student communities in Canada. (more…)
2023/07/14
CAN is sharing with you the brief we have submitted to the House of Commons Finance (FINA), which is currently holding its consultations in advance of federal budget 2024. – our three recommendations are
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience recommends the following:
Recommendation 1: That the government double the budgets of the three main federal funding agencies: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for the benefit of all Canadians. This recommendation aims to bring Canadian investment in scientific research to a level commensurate to that of other G7 countries.
Recommendation 2: That the government of Canada double support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows by increasing both the value and number of fellowships awarded in the next budget. In conjunction with Recommendation 1, this recommendation will ensure our next generation of scientists have the means to participate fully in Canada’s knowledge economy.
Recommendation 3: That the government of Canada make research on the Brain and Mental Health a national priority by investing in research to understand the brain through well-established and trusted organizations in the field.
Read our full submission for the FINA pre-budget submission here: (more…)
2023/06/20
Read the brief submitted by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research study on “Government of Canada’s Graduate Scholarship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Programs”.
