Federal budget makes LSRI commitment

The proposed Life Sciences Research Institute will contain the Brain Repair Centre as well as other research projects.

The federal budget sent some positive signals about future funding levels for post-secondary education, investment in research, and committed funding to a Dalhousie research facility.

But before the ink was dry on the federal document, the Nova Scotia government, in a budget of its own, said OttawaÕs promises of more money donÕt amount to much for Nova Scotia universities or students.

DalhousieÕs Life Science Research Institute is one of seven centres of excellence in commercialization and research across the country to receive a funding commitment in the budget.

The federal budget earmarks $15 million to help build the LSRI, and adds to that a $195 million pot that is available to the centres over the next two years. The $195 million will be allocated through competitive, peer review processes.

So, the new LSRI Ð to be located on Carleton Campus and house DalhousieÕs Brain Repair Centre Ð appears a go, although matching funds are required to access the federal $15 million. With provincial and other funding commitments, the matching contribution is attainable.

Nationally, the most positive budget sign is the additional $800 million Ottawa will send to provinces next year for post-secondary education, and the promise that university transfers will continue to grow.

Nova ScotiaÕs Finance Minister Michael Baker, in his own budget, said new methods of allocated federal transfers favour richer provinces, and as a result Nova Scotia only stands to gain $6 million of the $800 million increase.

For students, the federal budget offers tax morsels and relaxed qualifying rules for student loans. Students can now claim an annual $500 tax credit on textbook costs, which translates into a benefit of about $80 a year for a typical full-time student.

All scholarship, fellowship and bursary money will now be income-tax exempt, compared to the current exemption limit of $3,000 a year. There is also $35 million available over two years for new graduate scholarships.

More people will be eligible for Canada Student Loans because of a reduction in the amount parents are expected to contribute toward the cost of post-secondary education, effective August 2007.

The budget also boosts investment in research, with Òan additional $1.3 billion for an ambitious new direction in science and technology.” The specifics include: $510 million to support the Canada Foundation for Innovation, $120 million to CANARIE for a next-generation research broadband network, $85 million a year for research targeted to key priorities through the federal granting councils, $15 million a year to the Indirect Costs of Research program, $100 million for Genome Canada, $30 million to the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation for spinal cord research, and $11 million over two years to accelerate the creation of new business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence.