These strategic investments come at a time of intense international competition and will help propel innovation and build a resilient Canada. They are made through the CFI's John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), a critical tool designed to help institutions attract and retain the very best researchers, and its College Fund, which supports applied research and technology development that address the social, business, health or environmental needs of a Canadian industry or community.
Projects being funded through the JELF include:
Making explosives safer and more efficient (Ontario): Energetic materials are used to trigger explosions for demolition, mining, and military applications, but historically, higher performing materials are harder to handle safely and often contain heavy metals, raising environmental concerns. Using CFI-funded equipment, researchers at Carleton University are developing a new class of energetic materials that respond to light. With light as a trigger, users can have precise control over when and where the explosive reaction occurs. The research will pave the way for new defence and military technologies while placing Canada at the forefront of material development.
Refining mineral exploration (British Columbia): Researchers at the University of British Columbia Okanagan are studying the chemical and physical processes of rock formation at the nanoscale in order to optimize the extraction of critical minerals and other natural resources through more precise exploration methods. The same insights can also improve predictions of natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. CFI funding is supporting the establishment of the Centre for Nanogeology, where interdisciplinary research combines materials science and geology.
Turning waste into energy (Nova Scotia): Practical, sustainable technologies for manure management could help livestock farmers cut costs, waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and generate renewable energy. Canada's agricultural industry accounts for 10 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions, with manure management a notable contributor. Using CFI-funded instrumentation, researchers at Dalhousie University are studying ...
