Canada has awarded 64 global scholars a total of C$504 million (US$362 million) in funding to relocate their research to Canadian universities and advance projects in fields such as health and artificial intelligence. Of these researchers, 48 were recruited from the United States, including from prestigious institutions like Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The remaining 16 scholars come from 12 other countries, including the UK, Germany, China, and Japan.

Industry Minister Melanie Joly stated in Vancouver on Thursday, August 27, 2026, “While certain countries are cutting research and turning their back on academic freedom, we’re doubling down on science and we’re doubling down on research.” She also noted that 23 of the research chairs are Canadians returning home.

This funding announcement is part of a broader initiative unveiled last year by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to strengthen Canadian universities. The plan allocates C$1.7 billion over 12 years to recruit more than 1,000 researchers.

Canada’s strategy to attract top research talent contrasts with recent US federal funding cuts, tightening immigration policies, and tensions between the Trump administration and leading universities, factors that have prompted some scholars to seek opportunities abroad.

Sources