| Overview |
| Value and duration |
Total of $50,000 granted over one year |
| Application deadline |
January 31, 2023, 8 p.m. (eastern) |
| Results announced |
TBD |
| Submit the application online |
Application form |
On this page
Description
Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
The Government of Canada and the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) are committed to excellence in research and research training for the benefit of Canadians. Achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is also essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to seize opportunities and to respond to global challenges. Therefore, the program is committed to the federal government’s policies on non-discrimination and employment equity.
In April 2020, the governance committees of the CRCP implemented an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) stipend of up to $50,000 for institutions that participate in the program. These funds are being provided to help institutions address the systemic barriers in their policies, processes and structures (e.g., unconscious bias, discrimination) that have led to the historic and persistent underrepresentation of women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and racialized minorities in their allocation of chairholders of the CRCP.
The EDI stipend was offered in 2020 and 2022, and it will be offered again in 2023.
Objectives
These funds are expected to help successfully implement the 2019 Addendum to the 2006 Canadian Human Rights Settlement Agreement at a critical time during the ten-year window (2020-29) to meet increased equity targets. The funds also directly support the program’s objectives of attracting and retaining a diverse cadre of world-class researchers, and reinforce academic research and training excellence in Canadian postsecondary institutions. Funds will also support the development and implementation of institutional EDI action plans for the program.
Application process
The completed form must be sent to: information@chairs-chaires.gc.ca by the deadline. Electronic signatures or an approval of the form sent by email by the institutional representative at the vice-president level will be accepted as signatures.
Institutional eligibility
To be eligible to submit a nomination, the nominating institution must have a current allocation of chairs from the CRCP.
Use of funds
The stipend provides a total of $50,000 over one year, to be spent on EDI initiatives that support the EDI requirements of the CRCP within the fiscal year (April to March) in which the funds are awarded. Funds cannot be used for the direct costs of research and cannot overlap with other funding for EDI activities granted to the institution by the three federal research granting agencies.
Policies tied to the administration of funding can be found at the following link: /program-programme/admin_guide-eng.aspx
Examples of eligible funding expenses:
- EDI consultant fees (hiring of external EDI experts to guide efforts, develop tools and resources, etc.)
- Contribution toward salary of Equity Officer(s)
- Training in EDI (e.g., development of training or hiring of facilitator(s) to give training on unconscious bias training for recruitment committees, training on systemic barriers, micro-aggressions and anti-racism, training for chairholders on implementing EDI in their research programs, etc.)
- Costs associated with collecting self-identification data on the participation of equity-seeking groups in the program (e.g., revisions to self-identification data collection forms, implementation of systems to collect data, etc.)
- Costs to revise or further develop the institution’s EDI Action Plan for the CRCP (e.g., conducting environmental scan, employment systems review, comparative review projects tied to the implementation of key objectives in the plans, etc.)
- Costs to develop an EDI communications strategy (e.g., to further promote the link between diversity and research excellence, to promote self-identification, to raise awareness of systemic barriers, etc.)
Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
As we change the way we do business and amend policies and practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to use an equity lens in our work to help ensure that individuals from underrepresented groups are well supported and not further marginalized. In situations like the one that we are currently facing, women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized minorities can often face greater burdens, barriers and inequities.
Despite the current challenges of COVID-19, the program’s commitment to EDI remains steadfast. If your institution has concerns or specific challenges due to COVID-19, or for any questions, please contact us: information@chairs-chaires.gc.ca
Reporting
How to report on outcomes of funding
All institutions will be required to report on the outcomes or results of the 2022-23 EDI stipend funding in May of 2023 in the program’s annual EDI Progress Report.
Will funds also be provided the following fiscal year?
An additional opportunity to apply for a third instalment of the $50,000 stipend will be provided in early 2023.
Can the stipend term be extended?
Extensions to use of funds of six to 12 months are available upon request. Any requests should be sent to information@chairs-chaires.gc.ca before the end of the award.
Stipends awarded
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23