The timely contribution received by Interciencia from L’Association francophone pour le Savoir (formerly Association Canadienne-Française pour L’Ádvancement des Sciences - ACFAS), described at the end of this editorial, has acquainted us with the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The CFI represents, undoubtedly, an interesting example of a mechanism for the funding and promotion of research and innovation, from which the science and technology offices in our countries could obtain ideas and successful management procedures.

The CFI (www.innovation.ca) is an independent corporation created in 1997 by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. Its mandate is to strengthen the ability of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and other non-profit institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that will benefit Canadians.

The CFI generally funds 40% of an eligible project infrastructure costs. Research infrastructure consists of state-of-the-art equipment, buildings, laboratories and databases required to conduct research. Support from the CFI enables institutions to set their own research priorities in areas of importance to Canada, allows researchers to compete with the best from around the world, and helps to position the country in the global, knowledge-based economy.

The support is intended to increase the country’s capacity for innovation, attract and retain highly skilled research personnel, leverage additional partners and funding, stimulate training of young researchers, promote networking, collaboration and multidisciplinarity among researchers, and ensure the optimal use of research infrastructure.

The research enabled by CFI support also creates the necessary conditions for sustainable, long-term economic growth, including the creation of spin-off ventures and the commercialization of discoveries. The existence of a rapid response mechanism for the handling of exceptional opportunities is also rather interesting. Remarkable examples of some spin-off university/commercial ventures were presented at the last AsoVAC meeting held in Maracaibo by Michel Bergeron from the Université de Montréal.

Of the several different funds established by CFI, there are two that are particularly relevant to collaboration with researchers from other countries: the International Access Fund which provides support to Canadian institutions and researchers, enabling access to major international collaborative programs and facilities in other countries; and the International Joint Ventures Fund which enables the establishment of high profile research infrastructure projects in Canada to take advantage of unique research opportunities with leading facilities in other countries.

Among the projects supported by the International Access Fund it is worth mentioning the ALMA project which contributes, together with other European countries and the United States, to the construction of a new array in Atacama, Chile, with 10 times better resolution than the Hubble Space Telescope. In another project, researchers at Canadian universities collaborate with researchers in Kenya to study infectious diseases.

Among projects supported by the International Joint Ventures Fund, it is interesting to note the ALLS project which, through collaboration with researchers from institutions in eight other countries in three continents, is developing a new ultra-rapid multi-beam laser system for novel manipulation of matter with applications in physics, chemistry, biology and medicine.

To give an idea of the magnitude of the CFI operation, since 1997 more than $2.7 billion (Canadian dollars) has been invested in 3600 projects. Investments to date in the CFI’s International Funds total approximately $158 million Canadian dollars.

L’Association francophone pour le Savoir (ACFAS) recently received a contribution from CFI for the support of the Interciencia journal publication. Interciencia acknowledges the collaboration from both Canadian institutions and pledges to use the funds to continue its efforts to disseminate science and technology in the Americas, and to help unite the scientific communities in our countries so that they can better serve the development of the nations and the welfare of their people.

Miguel Laufer

Editor