Andrea Smith

Seeking funding support for genomics and related sciences research in Canada through the financing of Genome Canada's activities.

Tax policy affecting philanthropy, small business innovation and post-secondary institutions; tax benefits and credits for apprentices; tax benefits and credits for employers. Participate in all relevant policy discussions and consultations about academic research funding, business innovation and applied research; how businesses, non-profits and other enterprises benefit from innovation supports from academic institutions/polytechnics. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, College and Community Innovation Program; tri-council structure and funding; eligibility of polytechnics and colleges for research funding and research support; Horizon Europe and opportunities for polytechnics to engage in international research partnerships. Highly skilled workforce; in-demand occupations. Supports, programs and policies designed to boost innovation and productivity; technology adoption; respond to skills needs; polytechnics and colleges as innovation intermediaries. Student housing; funding to support equipment purchase for training in high-demand fields, infrastructure programs geared to the post-secondary sector. Respond to consultations and advocate for change to international student policy; consider how polytechnics/colleges support inward and outward student mobility; consider international best practices for workforce development and applied research; better integration of newcomers through credential recognition, prior learning recognition and upskilling. Participate in all relevant policy discussions about skills training and work-integrated learning; upskilling and reskilling policies, programs and funding; apprenticeship training, attraction, retention and completion, including on federal projects. Adequate financial support for learners through the Canada Student Loan Program and other student-centered programs; Edu-Canada marketing and branding initiatives. Participate in all relevant policy discussions and consultations related to productivity, business innovation, technology adoption and artificial intelligence. Seeking funding for the activities of polytechnics and colleges in areas including workforce development, applied research and infrastructure/equipment. Canada Foundation for Innovation - Seek ongoing infrastructure support for the applied research conducted by colleges and Polytechnics.

Advocacy for investment in the Canadian energy sector. Advocacy to advance international collaboration to support sustainable development. Advocacy to support funding for higher education programs and research initiatives in the health sciences. Advocacy to advance Canadian leadership in key areas through long-term support for major research facilities and initiatives. Advocacy related to policies that impact international students. Advocacy to represent university interests in the allocation of land. International collaboration to support the reputation of Canadian universities abroad. Advocacy to advance Canadian leadership in priority areas, including artificial intelligence and defence, to support world-class research and the attraction and retention of top talent, including, but not limited to, specific calls for proposals. Regulations related to visitor visas to support international engagement. Support in principle for high-speed rail along the Québec–Toronto corridor and advocacy for the inclusion of a stop in Kingston. Advocacy to secure support in the budget for post-secondary education, research, innovation, and science. Advocacy to increase support for university research, including research funding and granting programs administered by the tri-agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) and other departments and agencies. Advocacy to enhance support for university research mobilization and commercialization. Timeliness of decisions regarding Temporary Residence Visas in the recruiting of international faculty. Student assistance and financial support for higher education, sources of funding to be determined. Science and Technology Policy - Operating funding for major scientific installations and equipment from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Regulations related to the provision of immigration advice (under section 91 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) Military and Veteran's Health - seeking support for the national research program of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health through Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. Maintenance and growth in funding for investigator-driven grants from tricouncils. Indirect Costs of Research Program - increase in support to levels of international peers, source of funding to be determined. Funding for infrastructure to support advanced research and teaching Funding for health sciences initiatives - Obtain federal funding to extend the value chain of cancer clinical trails in Canada. Sources of funding to be determined. FedDev Ontario Applied Research and Commercialization (ARC) initiative to support applied research and commercialization for SME-University partnerships

Brain Canada Foundation is seeking a top-up to its current funding to support the development and application of AI to accelerate research, advance our understanding of the brain, and identify solutions for brain diseases and disorders. Brain Canada Foundation is seeking additional funding to increase the Canada Brain Research Fund, which is currently funded by the Government of Canada, through Health Canada, and which current funding expires March 31, 2028. Brain Canada Foundation wishes to engage the Government on policy development issues related to medical research support, mental health, Indigenous health, and sex and gender diversity in the medical and research fields.

Renewing the multi-year funding agreement between the Government of Canada and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, in the context of Budget 2025 and the new government's priorities for research and growth. Providing input to the Government of Canada’s Digital Research Infrastructure Strategy, in relation to federal research funding priorities and government prioritization of artificial intelligence and advanced compute capability to support Canadian researchers and institutes.

Execution of the multi-year funding agreement between the Government of Canada and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. Providing input to the Government of Canada’s Digital Research Infrastructure Strategy.

Innovation policy and programming related to Mitacs domestic and international activity, including the Mitacs Globalink program and efforts to attract top talent and researchers to Canada. Funding to support ongoing growth in work-integrated learning collaborations between industry and academia in relation to Mitacs programs. Funding and policy development to support industry-academic research and development partnerships, commercialization, job creation, training and professional skills development for post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows, international research collaborations and the promotion of activities that support innovation in Canada.

Communicating with ISED, regarding the receipt, allocation, and outcomes of funding received. Familiarizing Health Canada, ISED, and Members of Parliament about the work of the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute.

Advocacy related to university engagement in Canadian priorities in artificial intelligence, data systems and related computing science and energy subjects, including but not limited to specific calls for proposals. Advocacy for university initiatives related to Canadian priorities across the defence spectrum, including initiatives relevant to both Defence and Veterans' Affairs, among other federal departments. Advocacy to enhance support for university research mobilization and commercialization activities. Research security, with respect to international research partnerships Discussions with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies regarding the role of universities in supporting federal innovation initiatives, policies and programs. Discussions regarding research and development initiatives and federal support related to energy and environment, and climate change research, innovation, commercialization, talent and knowledge mobilization. Discussions regarding official language funding amounts and mechanisms. Discussions about the Copyright Act and details of its implementation in a post-secondary setting. Advocacy to secure support in the budget for post-secondary education, research, innovation, and science and technology. Advocacy to secure federal support to develop and upgrade university infrastructure, including but not limited to research and learning facilities, digital infrastructure, and transit infrastructure. Advocacy to increase support for university research, including research funding and granting programs administered by the tri-agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) and other departments and agencies. Advocacy to improve immigration policies and programs for prospective and current university students, faculty, and staff. Advocacy to ensure that proposals to develop or amend federal legislation, regulations, policies or programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary system reflect the needs of universities and support our research and education mission. Advocacy to enhance student supports, including but no limited to Canada Student Grants and Loans, the Canada Graduate Scholarship Program, supports for Indigenous students, and work-integrated learning programs. Advocacy to advance Canadian leadership in priority areas to support world class research, talent attraction and retention, and knowledge mobilization. Advocacy related to reconciliation efforts, including but not limited to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action

Support for new research and campus infrastructure. Increased funding and program design for various programs administered by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Funding or support with respect to international development cooperation (student and academic mobility, internships, research collaboration, exchanges, technical assistance). Discussions regarding possible research and development initiatives for, and investments in, partnerships with the University of Calgary. Discussions concerning potential research and development initiatives and investments related to clean energy, environmental research and climate change policy. Discussions about policy implementation regarding the academic visa process in support of international faculty recruitment with respect to changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Budget bills in support of federal funding for post-secondary education, research, innovation, science and technology.

Federal AI Adoption capability for ISED as a federal department Joint health data proposal together with research hospitals Pan-Canadian AI Compute Environment (PAICE) program progress and AI compute Bill C-27: Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) consultation