This week, the Coalition for Canadian Research,  a broad alliance of universities, research hospitals, health charities, student groups, researchers, and science advocates, including Evidence for Democracy, has released an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

The letter highlights the importance of protecting the historic gains made in research and science in last year’s Budget 2024, which expanded support for graduate scholarships, fellowships, and the core budgets of Canada’s federal granting councils. These investments represented a long-term vision for Canadian research: to attract and retain top talent, foster innovation, and position Canada as a global leader in science after more than three decades of stagnant funding. 

With the upcoming Budget 2025 and the government’s ongoing expenditure review, Canada cannot afford to repeat the mistakes seen in the U.S., where cuts and grant freezes have undermined researchers and innovation. Protecting research funding now is key to safeguarding Canada’s sovereignty, prosperity, and resilience for decades to come.

We stand with the Coalition in urging the government to keep science and research at the heart of Canada’s future.