According to data from Universities Canada (2022), 1,415,509 people study at university in the country. Of this number, 252,559 are studying at the graduate level, which represents nearly 18% of university students. A good proportion of the latter group conduct research intended to help understand the world, make technological breakthroughs and prevent disease, to name just a few examples. These people, when they are Canadian citizens, have the opportunity to apply for scholarships from federal granting agencies.
Each of the three federal granting agencies specializes in a field of research: human and social sciences, natural sciences and engineering, then health. For 20 years, each organization has awarded $17,500 per year to holders of a master’s scholarship and sums ranging from $20,000 to $35,000 for a doctorate. Over time, these amounts have remained unchanged. If they had simply been indexed, they would today be around $27,000 per year at the master’s level and up to $54,000 at the doctorate level.
Twenty years ago, climate change was not widely known to the public. Let us remember the enlightening effect that the documentary had Year Inconvenience Truth by Al Gore. Since then, research has increased in this area, with a cross-cutting issue that mobilizes scientists on a global scale. Even major industries are joining the race to find solutions to this crisis. It is the research which initially documented the phenomenon of global warming and which then made it possible to raise awareness among the population towards a change in habits. The student research community is an integral part of this race to find innovative solutions!
Inconsistency
The Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information recalls that in 2023, in Quebec, the average viable income for a single person is above $30,000. It therefore seems obvious to us that the sums offered are derisory and insufficient. Sure, they may have been reasonable 20 years ago, but they are totally out of touch with today’s reality. We expect a substantial increase to make up for this two-decade-long lack of investment. Research students contribute directly to the scientific, economic and social development of Canada and they are not even entitled to decent financial support.
The inconsistency does not stop there: to these truly insufficient sums is added a duration which is not representative of real university research careers. At the master’s level, the scholarship is granted for one year; that’s up to three years at the doctorate. However, research courses in the second and third university cycles last on average two and four years respectively. A year without funding can compromise the success of your studies.
We recognize that the federal government has invested in recent years to improve student conditions. Several transfers were made to the provinces and interest was canceled on federal loans, to name just a few examples. The federal government also appears to want to invest in housing, a measure that appeals to the general population, including academics across the country. However, this investment should be in addition to that which has been owed to them for too long and not to the detriment of it.
Recently, the amounts offered by the Quebec Research Funds have increased by a few thousand dollars annually, exceeding those granted by federal granting agencies. Scholarship durations now range up to two years at the master’s level and up to four years at the doctorate level. Although the student movement believes that these amounts should be increased, it welcomes the initiative of the provincial government.
Ottawa has some catching up to do. The sums of $17,500, $20,000 and $21,000 offered to a majority of holders are unacceptable.
It is time for the Canadian Parliament to support science. Leaders must think about the future of the country. They have duties to fulfill. The federal government must stop the discord. We must invest to build the Canada of tomorrow, today.