Canada moves to restrict research funding to protect intellectual property

(Reuters) – Canadian authorities on Tuesday announced new restrictions on research grants designed to block funding to projects that include researchers who are affiliated with institutions with ties to foreign governments posing a risk to national security.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos have instructed federal grant-making officials and an innovation fund to institute new limitations on researchers seeking research investments.

“This new action is one of many significant steps the Government of Canada is taking to protect our country, our institutions and our intellectual property,” the officials said in a statement. “Protecting Canadian research is our top priority.”

The announcement comes months after Canada launched a C$2.3 billion ($1.7 billion) Indo-Pacific strategy to boost military and cyber security in the region. Canada also said it would tighten foreign investment rules to protect intellectual property and prevent Chinese state-owned enterprises from snapping up critical mineral supplies.

As part of the new rules announced on Tuesday, funding will be denied to applicants seeking to conduct research in sensitive subjects if any researchers are affiliated with a university or entities connected to foreign militaries or security agencies that are viewed as a threat to Canada.

The order was directed to the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the country’s federal research granting councils.

The ministers also urged that Universities Canada and the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities adopt similar guidelines.

(Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Stephen Coates)