The Government of Canada announces new funding for the Canadian Light Source
Posted April 06, 2004
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Released by the Government of Canada
Date: April 6, 2004
The Government of Canada announces new funding for the Canadian Light Source
(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) - The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of
Finance and Member of Parliament for Wascana, on behalf of the Honourable
Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for NSERC,
today announced that the Government of Canada will provide $19 million
towards the operation of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) - a
state-of-the-art synchrotron research facility located at the University of
Saskatchewan. NSERC is providing $16 million to the CLS while Western
Economic Diversification Canada (WD) will contribute up to $3 million.
"It is with great pleasure that the Government of Canada is announcing this
contribution to the Canadian Light Source project," said Minister Goodale.
"This unique facility is paving the way for pioneering scientific
discoveries right here in Saskatchewan. The synchrotron will benefit all
Canadians and help us enhance Canada's competitiveness in today's global
knowledge-based economy."
"The Canadian Light Source is an excellent example of collaboration between
the public and private sector," said Minister Robillard. "Through today's
investment, the Government of Canada is reaffirming its commitment to remain
competitive in today's 21st century economy."
"This contribution to the Canadian Light Source builds on the Government of
Canada's
commitment to commercialize bright ideas and innovative research projects,"
said
the Honourable Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan, Minister of Western Economic
Diversification Canada.
A truly national "big science" project, the $174-million CLS will be used
by, and is critically important to, scientists across the country from
virtually all disciplines. Synchrotrons create light millions of times
brighter than sunlight and are used to analyze the nature and structure of
molecules. The CLS synchrotron, a leading-edge instrument, promises major
research breakthroughs in disciplines from the basic sciences of chemistry,
physics, geology and biochemistry to the applied sciences of genomics,
global warming, engineering, radiology and medicine.
"NSERC is proud to support the work being done at the Canadian Light Source
in Saskatchewan," said Dr. Tom Brzustowski, President of NSERC. "Once fully
operational, this facility will serve to enhance Canada's competitiveness in
a broad range of scientific disciplines, while helping us to become one of
the world's top countries in RandD."
The CLS is scheduled to open this fall. Today's funding announcement will
bring the total operating budget over five years to $89.8 million. Today's
announcement of continued support for the CLS is made possible with funding
from the March 2004 budget. This contribution is in addition to previous
announcements on funding for research and the granting agencies.
"Today's support for the Canadian Light Source's operational activities will
go a long way in attracting world-class researchers to the facility,
providing maximum return on the investment in infrastructure, and ensuring
that Canada's scientific community and industry sectors are able to compete
on an international level," said Peter MacKinnon, President of the
University of Saskatchewan.
"This new money demonstrates a commitment on the part of the Canadian
government to operate this project as a truly world-class research facility
with the capability to recruit top staff scientists and provide the level of
support required by national and international users," said Dr. Bill
Thomlinson, CLS Executive Director.
The CLS synchrotron research facility is a unique Canadian science endeavour
that came about through an imaginative partnership among the federal
government, three provincial governments, numerous universities, and other
private and public sector organizations. CLS capital contributions have been
made by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Province of Saskatchewan,
Western Economic Diversification Canada, Ontario Synchrotron Consortium
(Ontario Innovation Trust), Alberta Synchrotron Institute (Alberta Science
and Research Authority and Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical
Research), the University of Saskatchewan, National Research Council, City
of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Power Corporation, Natural Resources Canada, the
University of Alberta, the University of Western Ontario, Boehringer
Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., and Cisco Systems.
NSERC, now also known as Science and Engineering Research Canada, is a key
federal agency investing in people, discovery and innovation. It supports
both basic university research through research grants, and project research
through partnerships among postsecondary institutions, government and the
private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.
Note to Editors: A short video clip from March 31, showing detection of the
first light in a CLS scientific beamline, can be downloaded from the CLS Web
site at: www.lightsource.ca.
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For further information, contact:
Suzanne Godbout
Communications Division
NSERC
Phone: (613) 943-0310
Fax: (613) 943-0742
E-mail: suzanne.godbout@nserc.ca
Kathryn Warden
Office of the Vice-President Research
University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-2506
Fax: (306) 966-2411
E-mail: kathryn.warden@usask.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Canadian Light Source - A State-of-the-Art Facility
The $174-million national facility at the University of Saskatchewan is one
of Canada's largest science projects in a generation, and it's being
completed on time and on budget. It is scheduled to open this fall.
The CLS is only the second of a new class of synchrotron light sources in
the world, moving Canada into a position of prominence in this critically
important area of science and technology.
Synchrotron light - from the infrared through to the ultraviolet and X-ray
wavelengths - is perfect for probing the molecular arrangement and
inter-molecular interactions that underlie the structure and function of
materials. It has been used by materials scientists to improve lubricants in
spacecraft, by mining companies to reduce the toxicity of their tailings,
and by biomedical researchers to develop novel medications.
More than 400 scientists from diverse fields are already involved with the
CLS and this number will continue to grow. The project enjoys the
endorsement of 27 universities across the country.
The Government of Canada funding announced today will bring the total
operating budget over five years to $89.8 million. This budget will go a
long way to enabling the CLS to stay competitive with other synchrotrons
around the world with 24/7 operations, sufficient scientific staff to build
a vibrant in-house research program, and a high level of support for
visiting scientists from government, academia and industry.
Prior to today's announcement, the CLS had secured operating funding from
NSERC, the National Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research and the University of Saskatchewan, along with an anticipated $5
million from fee-for-service charges to non-academic users.
Until now, Canada's synchrotron scientists have had to travel outside of the
country to collect their data, lining up at overbooked synchrotrons in, for
example, Europe and the United States.
About the size of a football field, the CLS takes advantage of a
pre-existing University of Saskatchewan linear accelerator and electron gun,
and has benefited from experienced personnel with accelerator expertise.
This national resource represents an unprecedented level of co-operation
among governments at all levels, universities across the county, and
industry.
For more information, please visit: www.lightsource.ca
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For further information, contact:
Suzanne Godbout
Communications Division
NSERC
Phone: (613) 943-0310
Fax: (613) 943-0742
E-mail: suzanne.godbout@nserc.ca
Kathryn Warden
Office of the Vice-President Research
Univesity of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-2506
Fax: (306) 966-2411
E-mail: kathryn.warden@usask.ca
