Funding agency COVID-19 updates
Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, please find below information and links to research-related news and/or updates from external funders received by the Office of Research Services
Federal Tri-Agency:
Tri-agency message on COVID-19 (March 16, 2020)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
NSERC program information in relation to COVID‑19 (March 20, 2020)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
COVID-19: Impacts on SSHRC’s policies and programs
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Canada Research Chair (CRC) Program
The release of results for the October 2019 cycle (2019-2) is delayed until June, 2020. Start dates for renewals and new nominations will be backdated to April 1, 2020, where applicable.
The deadline for Chairholder Annual Reports and Institutional Reports has been postponed to September 30, 2020. (Updated on March 20, 2020)
New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)
NFRF Transformation Stream - While we finalize the review of the competition timeline, the Letter of Intent (LOI) deadline for the 2020 Transformation Competition has been extended to July 15, 2020, at 8 p.m. (eastern). This is the deadline for submission to the agency by the research administrators; institutions may have earlier internal deadline. Dates for future milestones will also be changed. (March 20, 2020).
Canadian Foundation for Innovation
COVID-19: Update on 2020 Innovation Fund competition and other CFI activities
Other Government Agencies
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
Due to the ongoing and evolving COVD-19 outbreak, IDEaS will be working at a highly reduced capacity. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.
For additional questions, please contact the IDEaS mailbox at DND.IDEaS-IDEeS.MDN@forces.gc.ca
Mitacs
Update on COVID-19 (coronavirus) (March 20, 2020)
Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)
A connected community, a coordinated response
Grant extensions due to COVID-19 research disruption
The Office of Research Services is here to support your research and facilitate adjustments, particularly during this time of rapidly evolving change due to COVID-19. NSERC and SSHRC are permitting no-cost extensions for up to 12 months for grants with an end date between February 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 inclusively. This provision applies to all NSERC and SSHRC grants, regardless of whether they have received a previous time extension of any length for any reason (including, where applicable, automatic extensions).
If you would like to request an extension to your current NSERC- or SSHRC-funded research projects ending within the specified timeframe, please contact your Grants Officer to:
- specify the length of the extension needed, and
- provide a paragraph identifying how the COVID-19 situation has impacted your research necessitating the extension requested.
ORS is also permitting no-cost extensions for up to 12 months for Ontario Tech internal grants (SSHRC Small Grant, Dr. Deborah Saucier Early Researcher Award, Research Infrastructure Fund, and Research Excellence Chair) with an end date between February 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 inclusively. This provision applies to all Ontario Tech Internal grants, regardless of whether they have received a previous time extension of any length for any reason (including, where applicable, automatic extensions).
If you would like to request an extension to your current Ontario Tech-funded research projects, please contact your Grants Officer to:
- specify the length of the extension needed, and
- provide a paragraph identifying how the COVID-19 situation has impacted your research necessitating the extension requested.
Other Updates