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Details on transfer payment programs

Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence (voted)

Start date	2007
End date	2023-24
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2012-13
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research knowledge is used.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Research Partnerships
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program (BL-NCE) funds large-scale collaborative research networks that bring a wide range of research expertise to bear on specific challenges identified by an industrial sector. This tri-agency program is administered by NSERC on behalf of SSHRC, CIHR and NSERC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	In 2021-22, the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) i) and the Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence (BL-NCE) ii) programs continued to help connect businesses to Canada’s world-class research enterprise. The responsibility for NCE-funded programs will be gradually transferred to ISED’s Strategic Innovation Fund, ensuring that the programs continue to support BL-networks and centres, until the end of their funding agreements.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	There are no plans to evaluate this program as the BL-NCE was transferred to the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) managed by ISED and will be evaluated as part of the SIF. This program has been evaluated regularly (i.e., every 5 years) since its inception in 2007. Given the solid evaluation history, there are few lessons to be learned from an evaluation at this time.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in2021-22	No further competitions are planned under this program. Existing recipients are supported by direct contact and engagement through their assigned NCE staff liaison who sits as an observer on the Board of Directors.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	5,960,000	2,763,000	2,727,000	2,727,000	2,727,000	0
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	5,960,000	2,763,000	2,727,000	2,727,000	2,727,000	0
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.

Canada 150 Research Chairs (voted)

Start date	2017
End date	2025-26
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2017-18
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research is internationally competitive.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Discovery Research
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The Canada 150 Chairs provides Canadian universities with a one-time investment to attract top-tier, internationally based scholars and researchers (including Canadian expatriates) to Canada. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	In 2021-22, the Canada 150 Research Chairs program invested a total of $14.1 million to support 24 Canada 150 Research Chairs, including six (25%) that align with SSHRC’s mandate. Of the 24 chairholders, about 60% are women and 42% are Canadian researchers choosing to return to Canada to carry out their ambitious research programs. Each chairholder has the opportunity to recruit students from Canada and beyond who will help further their work in disciplines such as chemistry, microbiology, evolutionary genomics, gender and African politics, global governance, neurosciences, epigenetics, public health and psychology.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	There is no evaluation planned for this program. The program ends in 2024-25 and has been evaluated within the 5-year period since its establishment.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	9,450,000	9,450,000	9,450,000	9,450,000	9,275,000	(175,000)
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	9,450,000	9,450,000	9,450,000	9,450,000	9,275,000	(175,000)
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.

Canada Excellence Research Chairs (voted)

Start date	2008
End date	Ongoing
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2016-17
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research is internationally competitive.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Discovery Research
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program is a tri-agency initiative that supports Canadian universities in their efforts to build on Canada's growing reputation as a global leader in research and innovation. The program awards world-renowned researchers and their teams to establish ambitious research programs at Canadian universities. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	In 2021-22, the program supported 20 Canada Excellence Research Chairs with a total budget of $19.6 million, including six grants that align with CIHR’s mandate, 12 grants that align with NSERC’s mandate, and two grants that align with SSHRC’s mandate. One Canada Excellence Research Chair midterm review was completed in 2021-22. This review demonstrated that the chairholder is building a competitive research environment that is both attracting top talent into the Canadian research ecosystem and building a critical mass of expertise in the country’s priority areas. Seven women hold active Canada Excellence Research Chairs, representing 35% of the total awards for this fiscal year. To ensure the program continues to meet its objectives, it was redesigned in 2021, and a fourth competition was launched in November 2021. The deadline to submit applications was extended to account for the delays in the publication of the Science, Technology and Innovation priorities for the CERC and CFREF programs and the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two maximum award values will be considered in the review process ($1 million or $500,000 per year) with a total initial budget envelope of approximately $190 million over 8 years starting in 2023-24.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	The evaluation of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs is planned to be completed by March 2026.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	11,936,000	14,000,000	12,950,000	12,950,000	11,550,000	(1,400,000)
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	11,936,000	14,000,000	12,950,000	12,950,000	11,550,000	(1,400,000)
Explanation of variances	* The variance is due to funds from terminated awards * These figures do not include operating expenses.

Canada First Research Excellence Fund (voted)

Start date	2014
End date	Ongoing
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2014-15
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research is internationally competitive.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Discovery Research
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) supports Canada’s postsecondary institutions in their efforts to become global research leaders. CFREF helps institutions: (i) compete with the best in the world for talent, for partnership opportunities and to make breakthrough discoveries; (ii) seize emerging opportunities and strategically advance their greatest strengths on the global stage; and (iii) implement large-scale, transformational and forward-thinking institutional strategies. This program is administered by SSHRC on behalf of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	A total of 18 CFREF recipients at 17 Canadian institutions were supported in 2021–22, for a tri-agency investment of $199 million. Funding supports several areas of strategic relevance to Canada, including environment and agriculture; health and related life sciences; advanced manufacturing; information and communications technology; and natural resources and energy. The midterm reviews of the remaining five of 13 CFREFs awarded in the second competition were conducted in 2021-22. The reviews demonstrated that CFREF recipients have established strong partnerships and collaborations at the national and international levels; recruited highly qualified personnel and students; hired new faculty; built world-class infrastructures; already achieved significant advancements in their respective fields of research; and leveraged funding that will contribute to the sustainability of these initiatives in the long term. The third CFREF competition was launched in 2021-22. The application and review process will be undertaken in 2022-23. This competition will award up to $1.4 billion over 7 years.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	The objective of the audit was to provide assurance that an adequate framework was in place to support the launch and ongoing management of the CFREF program. The scope of the audit included management processes and controls since the CFREF program was announced in 2014-15. The CFREF program successfully delivered grants from two competitions in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The audit noted the inherent challenges of launching a grants program within a short timeframe, followed closely by the 2015-16 and 2016-17 funding competitions, all within three (3) years. The audit found that the CFREF program had limited time to prioritize, document and effectively conduct certain key activities. The audit identified areas of weakness in the processes and controls intended to ensure the CFREF program management fulfilled its responsibilities for administering the grant competition process, including a framework to manage risk and performance measurement, administration of funding recipient requirements and management of the CFREF program information.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	The evaluation of the Canada First Research Excellence Fund is planned to be completed by March 2026.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	137,135,497	137,135,497	137,135,497	137,135,497	137,135,497	0
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	137,135,497	137,135,497	137,135,497	137,135,497	137,135,497	0
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.

Canada Graduate Scholarships (voted)

Start date	2003-04
End date	Ongoing
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2009-10
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada has a pool of highly skilled people in the natural sciences and engineering.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Research Training and Talent Development
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	NSERC's portion of the Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program provides financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in Master's or doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering. This program is a tri-agency program and is administered by each respective agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC). There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	The Canada Graduate Scholarship program supports students at both the Master’s and doctoral level. In 2021-22, 950 Master’s-level scholarship awards were allocated to eligible institutions. The total expenditure for Master’s level scholarship awards in 2021-22 was $16.6 million. At the doctoral level, NSERC had funds to support a total of 950 students. The total expenditure for new awards and on-going awards from previous years was $33.4 million. An additional 955 students were supported by NSERC’s Postgraduate Scholarships, with an expenditure of $20.0 million. A redistribution of Canada Graduate Scholarship program funding amongst the Tri-Agencies is coming into effect in 2022-23. This redistribution will see a decrease the total number of NSERC's Master’s-level scholarships from 950 to 840, and an increase the total number of NSERC's doctoral-level scholarships from 950 to 990.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	The Canada Graduate Scholarships are being evaluated as part of a tri-agency evaluation of Research Training and Talent Development. The evaluation was underway and is expected to be completed by March 2023.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	Applicants and recipients are engaged through communication with academic institutions and tri-agency or agency specific electronic communication.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	46,880,337	48,545,749	50,455,000	50,455,000	50,413,322	(41,678)
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	46,880,337	48,545,749	50,455,000	50,455,000	50,413,322	(41,678)
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.

Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research

Start date	2007
End date	2023-24
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2012-13
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research knowledge is used.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Research Partnerships
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program bridges the challenging gap between innovation and commercialization. The program matches clusters of research expertise with the business community to share the knowledge and resources that bring innovations to market faster. Centres advance research and facilitate commercialization within four priority areas: the environment; natural resources and energy; health and life sciences; and information and communications technologies. This program is administered by NSERC on behalf of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	In 2021-22, the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) and the Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence (BL-NCE) programs continued to help connect businesses to Canada’s world-class research enterprise. The responsibility for NCE-funded programs will be gradually transferred to ISED’s Strategic Innovation Fund, ensuring that the programs continue to support BL-networks and centres, until the end of their funding agreements.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	There are no plans to evaluate this program as the CECR was transferred to the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) managed by ISED and will be evaluated as part of the SIF. This program has been evaluated 3 times since its inception in 2007. Given the solid evaluation history, there are few lessons to be learned from an evaluation at this time.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	No further competitions are planned under this program. Existing recipients are supported by direct contact and engagement through their assigned NCE staff liaison who sits as an observer on the Board of Directors.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	19,009,995	10,651,980	5,409,000	5,409,000	5,409,000	0
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	19,009,995	10,651,980	5,409,000	5,409,000	5,409,000	0
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.

College and Community Innovation Program (voted)

Start date	2007
End date	Ongoing
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2018-19
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research knowledge is used.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Research Partnerships
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program is managed by NSERC in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The CCI Program increases innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local companies, particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), in areas of the natural and social sciences, engineering, humanities and/or health. It supports applied research and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, as well as technology transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies, in areas of strategic importance to Canada. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	The CCI Program invests approximately $86M annually to increase innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local partner organizations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition to this amount, the 2021 Federal Budget announced new funding of $46.9 million over two years for the CCI program to support Canada’s economic recovery. Over summer 2021, a new funding opportunity was launch, the Applied Research and Technology Partnership (ARTP) grant. This grant allows colleges, CEGEPs and polytechnics to help SMEs seize new opportunities by applying innovative research and technologies or developing them into useful new products and services. NSERC received 153 applications requesting a total amount of $187,972,307. A total of 74 grants were awarded representing a success rate of 48%.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	The evaluation of the College and Community Innovation program is planned to be completed by March 2024.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	75,727,700	73,454,656	75,565,023	94,727,325	94,727,325	19,162,302
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	75,727,700	73,454,656	75,565,023	94,727,325	94,727,325	19,162,302
Explanation of variances	The variance is mainly a result of $22M that was received through Supplementary Estimates for funding to support applied research partnerships (Budget 2021) that was not captured in the planned spending figure. These figures do not include operating expenses.

Grants and Scholarships (voted)

Start date	1978
End date	Ongoing
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2018-19
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research is internationally competitive, Canada has a pool of highly skilled people in the natural sciences and engineering, Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research knowledge is used.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Discovery Research, Research Training and Talent Development, Research Partnerships
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	NSERC's class grant Grants and Scholarships program supports university-based basic and project research, college-based project research, provides scholarships and fellowships to young researchers, and facilitates links between universities, colleges, the private sector and governments. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	In 2021-22, NSERC supported over 12,700 researchers including scientists and engineers and over 7,200 trainees at post-secondary institutions across Canada through its funding opportunities under the Discovery Research Program as well as the Research Training and Talent Development Program and the Research Partnerships Program. To lessen the impacts due to COVID-19 and to support our researchers and highly qualified personnel, over 1400 holders of active Discovery Grants, Discovery Development Grants, Subatomic Physics (SAP) Discovery Grants (Individual, Project, Major Resources Support Grants), and Northern Research Supplements in their last year chose to accept NSERC’s offer of a one-time one-year extension with funds at their current funding level. These COVID-19 extensions with funds represent an investment of $61.7M for 2021-2022. This is in addition to the $43.7M invested in new awards for these programs in 2021-22. NSERC currently supports 7,200 students and postdoctoral fellows through scholarships and fellowships and invests over $513 million in domestic and international student training through grants. Through its scholarship, fellowship, and grant funding opportunities, NSERC continued to support the development of highly qualified “marketplace-ready” people in the NSE. NSERC continued to deliver the Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) funding opportunity, which provides enhanced opportunities for research trainees to develop technical and professional skills and to gain experience in enriched and varied research environments. In 2021-22, 96 CREATE awardees received $26.8 million. Over 80% of CREATE initiatives offered trainees the opportunity to gain experience in enriched and varied research environments beyond their home institution, including 70% of initiatives that offered internships in industrial, government, non-profit or other settings
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	The evaluation of Collaborative Heath Research Projects in Science and Engineering was completed in May 2021. Key findings include: Based on policies and priorities of the Government of Canada and the research community, there is an ongoing need to fund interdisciplinary research (IDR) that fosters collaboration between health and natural sciences and engineering (NSE) researchers, and that facilitates translation and commercialization of research to improve the Canadian health system and related services. The CHRP program continues to facilitate collaborations, both new and existing, between CIHR and NSERC researchers. The program has also provided training opportunities for highly qualified personnel (research staff, students), and has enabled students to develop the skills and knowledge required to find employment. There is some evidence that CHRP-supported research has resulted in innovations, efficiencies, technologies, and/or improved health systems and services. The majority of grants either developed or improved a product/service or process/treatment, or contributed to policies, guidelines, or regulations. Some grants have resulted in patents, but there is limited evidence that CHRP-funded research has resulted in economic and health benefits for Canadians. The involvement of knowledge/technology users (organizations that could benefit from the research results) in CHRP-funded projects varied. It was found that these users facilitated the translation, application and/or commercialization of scalable new technology to a moderate extent. The majority of research projects funded by the CHRP program are not technology ready. Using the technology readiness level (TRL) scale, 69% of projects started at the lower end, and 64% of projects reported an increase in technology readiness, with an average increase of two levels. The findings suggest that some design and delivery elements of the program may be limiting the achievement of expected results; in particular, those related to the knowledge/technology user requirement, three-year funding period, and expected translation and commercialization of research results. The evaluation of the Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering was completed in May 2021. Key findings include: The evaluation confirms that the CWSE program occupies an important niche within the wide eco-system of programs and initiatives that promote the engagement of women in science and engineering. Evaluation findings indicate that chairholders have tended to engage girls in grades K to 12, university students, and academics. There have been fewer activities targeting women who are acting as science and engineering professionals in industry. In collaboration with the current Chairholders and other relevant stakeholders, NSERC should review the current set of program objectives to ensure that they more closely reflect the range of activities undertaken by the chairholders and the contribution that the program can be reasonably expected to achieve. Areas for program improvement: addressing concerns relating to the current process used to review applications for individual Chair and the National Network, including more information about the CWSE selection committee, and ensuring that the feedback provided is clearer and more realistic considering the parameters of the program; providing additional guidelines on how each Chair can target subareas of the objectives identified by the program and on implementing intersectionality to the development and implementation of the Chair’s strategies and action plans; facilitating the transition between regional Chairs and facilitate the sustainability of the initiatives undertaken in a region. The evaluation of the Canada Research Chairs was underway and is expected to be completed by March 2023. The evaluation of Research Training and Talent Development was underway and is expected to be completed by March 2023. The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships evaluation was underway. This evaluation is being led by CIHR, with an expected completion date of March 2023. Planning for the evaluation of EDI Capacity-building grants was underway; expected completion is March 2023. Planning for the evaluation of Dimensions was underway; expected completion is March 2023.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	A variety of engagement initiatives (webinars, site visits, telephone, email, online forums) are used as part of the regular competition cycle in order to give applicants and recipients opportunities to seek and receive information and to provide feedback on service delivery.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	950,846,831	1,092,554,609	993,879,765	1,007,766,541	996,521,377	2,641,612
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	950,846,831	1,092,554,609	993,879,765	1,007,766,541	996,521,377	2,641,612
Explanation of variances	* The variance is mainly due to increased funding that was received through supplementary estimates that was not captured in the planned spending figure but an $11.2M lapse in the National Quantum Strategy was requested to be reprofiled to future fiscal years that caused a net variance of $2.6M as show in the table above. * These figures do not include operating expenses.

Networks of Centres of Excellence (voted)

Start date	1989
End date	2024-25
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2014-15
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada’s natural sciences and engineering research is internationally competitive.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Research Partnerships
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The program supports large-scale academically led research networks that harness the creativity and inventiveness of Canadian health, natural, and social scientists and engineers. Partners from industry, government and not-for-profit organizations contribute additional expertise and bring cash and in kind support. This program is a tri-agency program administered by NSERC on behalf of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program continued to mobilize multi-disciplinary research teams from across the country to help find solutions to major social, economic or health issues for Canada and train the next generation of highly qualified personnel. The gradual transition of NCE funding to the New Frontiers in Research Fund will continue over the next few years with a complete wind-down of the NCE suite of programs by 2024-25. During the transition period, networks will continue to be supported until the end of their funding agreement.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	There are no plans to evaluate this program, as the NCE is no longer an ongoing program and its funds will be gradually transferred to the New Frontiers in Innovation Fund. This program has been evaluated regularly (i.e., every 5 years) since its inception (as a sunset program) in 1985. Given the solid evaluation history, there are few lessons to be learned from an evaluation at this time.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	No further competitions are planned under this program. Existing recipients are supported by direct contact and engagement through their assigned NCE staff liaison who sits as an observer on the Board of Directors.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus 2021–22 planned)
Total grants	31,590,000	27,899,844	25,706,128	25,706,128	25,706,128	0
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	137,135,497	27,899,844	25,706,128	25,706,128	25,706,128	0
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (voted)

Start date	2008
End date	Ongoing
Type of transfer payment	Grant
Type of appropriation	Appropriated annually through Estimates
Fiscal year for terms and conditions	2014-15
Link to departmental result(s)	Canada has a pool of highly skilled people in the natural sciences and engineering.
Link to the department’s Program Inventory	Research Training and Talent Development
Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program	The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program is tri-agency program designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by offering them a significant financial award. This financial award assists students during their studies at Canadian universities. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related fields. This program is administered by CIHR on behalf of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. There is no repayable contribution under this TPP.
Results achieved	Through the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship program, the Government of Canada invests up to $25M annually, divided among the budgets of CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC, to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. Up to 166 scholarships are awarded annually to Canadian and international doctoral students studying at Canadian universities who demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering, and health. In the 2021–22 competition, CIHR invested $8.25M over three years to support research training in areas related to health.
Findings of audits completed in 2021-22	No audits of this transfer payment program were completed or underway in 2021-22.
Findings of evaluations completed in 2021-22	The evaluation of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is planned to be completed by March 2026.
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2021-22	Applicants and recipients are engaged through communication with academic institutions and directed tri-agency or agency-specific electronic communication, as well as through the Vanier CGS website.

Financial information (dollars)

Type of transfer payment	2019–20 Actual spending	2020–21 Actual spending	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	Variance (2021–22 actual minus2021–22 planned)
Total grants	8,325,000	8,973,340	8,325,000	8,325,000	8,320,836	(29,164)
Total contributions	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total program	8,325,000	8,973,340	8,325,000	8,325,000	8,320,836	(29,164)
Explanation of variances	* These figures do not include operating expenses.