INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
$7M for Sustainable Solutions that Benefit Society - Three INRS teams receive funding from the CFI Innovation Fund

The Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) is proud to announce that three of its research teams have secured major funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Innovation Fund, for a total of $7 million. These investments will support the development of cutting-edge research infrastructure designed to address critical challenges related to the energy transition, sustainable agriculture, and clean energy production.   

The Innovation Fund supports the acquisition and modernization of equipment essential to scientific progress. It also strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration, the training of highly qualified personnel, and the attraction of international talent, thereby helping enhance Canada's competitiveness on the global stage.

"This CFI funding provides us with the cutting-edge research infrastructure we need to open new scientific avenues with strong potential for impact. It will allow our INRS teams to advance their work even further in sustainable energy, environmental innovation, and agricultural solutions. More broadly, it highlights the importance of investing in Canada's researchers, whose expertise and creativity are at the heart of the sustainable solutions our society depends on."

Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Chief Executive Director, INRS

This announcement is part of a broader Government of Canada investment of more than $552 million, unveiled on March 13 at the Université de Sherbrooke by Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. This support will fund 92 projects across 32 institutions nationwide.

INRS research infrastructure tackling society's sustainability challenges

An advanced characterization laboratory to accelerate the energy transition

Led by Professors Dongling Ma and Daniel Guay, the Advanced Laboratory of Operando and In Situ Characterizations (ALOIC) will provide a unique infrastructure in Canada capable of performing ultra high resolution in situ and in operando analyses. These tools will allow researchers to observe, in real time, how key materials behave during processes such as hydrogen production, biomass conversion, pollutant degradation, battery development, and solar fuel catalysis.

By enabling the study of ultrafast charge carrier dynamics and real time tracking of catalytic intermediates, ALOIC will help overcome major challenges in designing next generation clean energy materials and systems. Bringing together more than 10 professors and 100 collaborators, the facility will position Québec as a leading hub in sustainable energy research and foster new collaborations and industry partnerships. It will also offer an exceptional training environment, bridging the worlds of the ultra small and the ultra fast. This project receives funding of $3,214,433, all of which is awarded to INRS.

H2CO2 Transition: A new laboratory of the University of Québec for the capture and sequestration of gases

Led by Professors Jasmin Raymond and Geneviève Bordeleau, this interdisciplinary laboratory will develop new approaches for the capture, storage, and monitoring of hydrogen (both "green" and "white") and carbon dioxide (CO2). In partnership with the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), the team will explore geological and mineral storage, examine environmental impacts, study the role of microorganisms in gas transformation, and assess the territorial potential linked to the energy transition.

This demonstration platform will support Canada's carbon neutrality objectives by advancing scientific understanding and developing solutions that contribute directly to emissions reduction and clean energy strategies. This project receives funding of $2,086,289, of which $1,746,289 is awarded to INRS.

Microbiome manipulation platform to improve the sustainability of agriculture

Directed by Professors Étienne Yergeau and Philippe Constant, this platform will make it possible to analyze, at large scale, the microorganisms present in soils and plants -- critical actors that influence crop health, productivity, nutrition, and resilience. Agriculture is facing increasing pressure as the gains of the Green Revolution plateau and climate change accelerates; microbes may offer a new path forward.

The platform will enable the cultivation of major Canadian crops under controlled microbial conditions, allowing researchers to pinpoint the microbial drivers of plant performance. This deeper understanding will support strategies to manipulate soil and plant microbiomes, reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides, and advance the development of microbe driven, sustainable agriculture.

This project receives funding of $1,770,995, all of which is awarded to INRS.

The Innovation Fund is one of the CFI's flagship funding programs. It is open to Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions recognized as eligible by the CFI. Typically held every two years, Innovation Fund competitions support a broad range of research programs including those in natural sciences and engineering, health, social sciences, humanities and the arts, as well as interdisciplinary research.