Neutrons Canada welcomes the Government of Canada’s new decision-making framework for Major Research Facilities (MRFs) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) role in implementing it in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).
“The new framework for Major Research Facilities is a big step forward for Canada’s future,” says Dr. John Barrett, Chair of the Neutrons Canada Board of Directors. “MRFs are essential components of Canada’s research ecosystem. Each is unique, national in scope, and must be regarded as national assets that require national stewardship. There has been a need for an MRF framework since the early 2000s. Neutrons Canada therefore strongly welcomes the Government’s MRF policy decision as well as CFI’s national leadership in its implementation.”
As announced by the CFI, the new framework aims to enhance federal decision-making on MRFs by introducing coordinated capital and operational funding and embedding lifecycle and portfolio-based approaches into investment decisions.
Neutrons Canada and the neutron beam research community have collectively voiced support for creating an MRF framework, most recently in the Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan for 2025 to 2035. The Plan builds on the 2023 Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System recommendations for a lifecycle, road-mapping, and portfolio approach to the governance and funding of these national assets.
Moreover, the Plan recommends that the MRF framework include a national research and development program with neutron beams. It designates Neutrons Canada as the organization to coordinate and operate such a national neutron beam R&D program.
The new MRF framework will be rolled out in phases over the coming years. CFI will initially focus on a limited number of existing facilities, with the intention of engaging the wider MRF community in the coming months.
“Neutrons Canada looks forward to working with CFI to discuss how and when Canada’s neutron beam infrastructure can be included in the MRF framework. Bright neutron beams require centralized facilities at research reactors or large particle accelerators that fall within the MRF category,” says Barrett.
The CFI’s announcement aligns with Neutrons Canada’s push for improved funding policies for MRFs at a well-attended session hosted by Neutrons Canada at the 2023 Canadian Science Policy Conference. This year’s CSPC conference will feature a follow-up discussion on the MRF framework implementation, organized by the Canadian Light Source with input from Neutrons Canada and major facilities nationwide.