Canada Lures 64 Top Researchers from US in C$1.7B Talent Push
Canada attracted 48 of 64 new research chairs from US universities as the C$1.7 billion Global Impact+ initiative targets talent fleeing Trump-era funding cuts.
Canada landed 64 international research chairs, 48 of them from US universities, in the first round of a C$1.7 billion program designed to capture talent fleeing Trump-era funding cuts.
Industry minister Mélanie Joly announced the first cohort on Thursday under the Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative. The researchers, working in fields such as health and AI, will receive C$504 million over eight years to work at institutions including the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto.
The new chairs come from universities including Cornell, Harvard, Yale and MIT. Four researchers come from the United Kingdom, two from China, and single scholars from Germany and India, plus one from Japan.
Normand Labrie, chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, said in a statement that the researchers are "tackling complex challenges and generating knowledge" that will strengthen communities and improve lives. He added the chairs will help cement Canada's place as a world leader in fields from AI to biotechnology.
The initiative, earmarked in the 2025 budget, aims to attract 100 researchers. Canada is among several countries courting academics affected by US federal funding cuts and research restrictions under the Trump administration.
Canada has long relied on foreign-born talent for its AI boom. Geoffrey Hinton, a UK native, and Richard Sutton, born in the US, both built their careers at Canadian universities. The government said the new chairs will train the next generation of research leaders and help generate new technologies.
The first round leaves room for 36 more chairs. No timeline for the next round has been announced.
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