Question Period Note: 2023-24 Supplementary Estimates (A)

Why are the portfolio organisations under your responsibility requesting $105.9 million in funding through Supplementary Estimates A?

• The measures set out in these estimates will help to foster a dynamic and growing economy that strengthens Canada’s competitive advantage as a destination of choice for world-class researchers, creates jobs and opportunities, and supports Canada's strengthened climate plan.

• The Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada portfolio organizations are requesting $105.9 million through the 2023-24 Supplementary Estimates (A) for key priorities, including investing in statistical surveys, science and research and clean technology.

Supplementary Estimates A were tabled in Parliament on May 29, 2023. They represent the first of three opportunities to access funding for fiscal year 2023-24.

The portfolio is requesting $105.9 million in these Estimates for the following organizations:

Statistics Canada (STATCAN): $87.7 million
• $66.6 million to support the planning, design, development and testing of the 2026 Census of Population;
• $6.5 million to support the planning, design, development and testing of the 2026 Census of Agriculture; and
• $14.6 million related to the adjustment of contributions to Employee Benefit Plans.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC): $12.6 million
• $10.4 million to award grant funding to successful Canadian post-secondary institutions because of the 2022-23 competition of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) to strengthen Canada’s competitive advantage as a destination of choice for world-class researchers;
• $2.1 million to support university researchers in developing technologies and crop varieties that will allow for net-zero emission agriculture; and
• $0.2 million related to the adjustment of contributions to Employee Benefit Plans.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC): $5.6 million
• $4.4 million to award grant funding to successful Canadian post-secondary institutions because of the 2022-23 competition of CERC to strengthen Canada’s competitive advantage as a destination of choice for world-class researchers;
• $0.9 million to support university researchers in developing technologies and crop varieties that will allow for net-zero emission agriculture; and
• $0.2 million related to the adjustment of contributions to Employee Benefit Plans.

ISED: $350K internal reallocation (net impact of zero)
• Internal reallocation of $350K in contribution funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund to the grant to the International Telecommunications Union, Geneva, Switzerland (ITU) to address currency fluctuations. The reallocation has no impact on funding but must appear in the Estimates to authorize the payment of the ITU grant.

• Statistics Canada is requesting $87.7 million through Supplementary Estimates A for two priority Budget 2023 items: the 2026 Census of Population and the 2026 Census of Agriculture.

• The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are requesting $18.2 million for priority investments related to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs and to support university research on Net-Zero emission agriculture.

• Funding for further investments announced in the 2023 Federal Budget will be requested by future Supplementary Estimates.