Thank you, Madam Chair.

Hello, everyone.

Thank you for inviting me.

This is my first opportunity to address a parliamentary committee since becoming the president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation just a few weeks ago.

The CFI funds research labs, equipment and other infrastructure at universities, colleges and research hospitals, and we are a critical element of the research funding landscape in this country.

Our unique mandate allows us to support the bold ideas of researchers and innovators. We also serve as a vital link between academia and the private sector to deliver tangible benefits to Canadians. We support the proposed capstone research funding organization. This initiative presents a valuable opportunity to harness the strengths of all players in our research ecosystem.

Today we offer three recommendations. First, maintain the existing independent status and mandate of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Second, include representation of research infrastructure interests and perspectives in the governance of federal research funding. Third, preserve the CFI's rigorous merit review process for funding.

Let me elaborate on these points. First, we recommend maintaining the existing status and mandate of the CFI. The CFI is an independent arm's-length organization with a unique federal-provincial funding model. Over 27 years, this model has allowed us to leverage more than $10 billion in federal funding and translate it into over $25 billion of investment in state of the art infrastructure. This successful program has helped Canada achieve its research goals and priorities.

Our second recommendation is that the governance of federal research funding should include representatives with deep knowledge of research infrastructure to ensure that this perspective is considered in the capstone activities. With its own expertise in research infrastructure, the CFI is also ready to collaborate with the capstone organization to help develop a comprehensive road map for research in Canada. We are well positioned to identify areas that are ripe for exploration and innovation built on existing infrastructure capacity.

Finally, we emphasize the importance of maintaining a rigorous assessment process. As a custodian of taxpayers' dollars, it is incumbent on us to focus our process on excellence, relevance and impact, and to demonstrate our value to Canadians. Let me provide you with a few examples of how our investments have been translated into meaningful outcomes.

CFI invested $35 million in state-of-the-art equipment that allowed a University of Alberta virologist to develop vaccines for hepatitis C, a disease that costs the health care system about $160 million each and every year. Look at the Niagara wine industry, which in 2019 contributed over $1 billion to Canada's GDP. It has benefited from process and product testing in CFI-funded labs in both colleges and universities in southern Ontario.

I also point to Chantiers Chibougamau, a lumber company in Quebec that applied research insights from a CFI‑funded facility to create a new line of engineered wood products, and in so doing created 250 new jobs for the community.

In Saskatchewan, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization continues to break ground in infectious disease research and vaccine development for both humans and animals.

Our investments also touch small and medium-sized enterprises. They gain access to expertise and cutting-edge equipment to solve their business challenges.

It is also important to note that 25,000 students and post‑docs every year work with research leaders and gain hands‑on experience in the labs we support.

These rich training environments foster an entrepreneurial spirit that prepare the next generation to innovate and contribute to the economy.

In summary, I invite the committee to consider our recommendations as you move forward with your capstone report. By maintaining our current status, considering infrastructure expertise in federal research funding, and upholding our assessment processes, we can further strengthen Canada's research ecosystem and continue to deliver remarkable benefits for Canada.

Thank you. I would be happy to answer your questions.