Newsletter
Igniting a National Conversation
Tijs Creutzberg, President and CEO of CCA moderates a discussion at the Canadian Science and Policy Conference (November 19, 2025) between Ilse Treurnicht, chair of the Expert Panel on the State of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Canada, and MP Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, about the report’s findings.
Photograph by Blair Gable
The release of The State of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Canada 2025 has sparked a national conversation about Canada’s scientific and economic future. Media coverage and social media engagement have underscored the urgency of the moment: with global pressure mounting, technological disruption accelerating, and economic sovereignty top of mind, Canada’s performance in science, technology, and innovation is once again under the microscope. At the November Canadian Science Policy Conference, parliamentarians, researchers, industry leaders, and policy experts engaged with the report’s findings, with many noting that the evidence paints a clear picture: Canada needs to urgently align its scientific strengths with better economic and strategic outcomes.
-Ivan Semeniuk, The Globe and Mail
Canada is facing a period of unprecedented challenges with a weak hand.
-Ilse Treurnicht, chair of the Expert Panel on the State of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Canada
This must serve as a wake-up call to those in government, at the federal and provincial levels, as well as to those of us in the broader ecosystem in positions to push for something different.
-Tom Goldsmith, Orbit Policy
The report, without making recommendations, outlines a clear and urgent need for Canada to wake up when it comes to our innovation productivity.
-Baljit Singh, The Hill Times
Canada produces leading scientists but its research investment continues to decline. The gap with other countries is growing and experts say this is now a major concern.
-Temerty Medicine
By bringing together data and expert analysis to inform critical conversations about Canada’s future, The State of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Canada 2025 details the daunting challenges that could ultimately threaten economic prosperity and standard of living as the country continues to fall further behind peers in key measures of science, technology, and innovation performance.
As Canada navigates a rapidly shifting global landscape, this dialogue is more important than ever. The CCA is prepared to turn this moment into momentum, convene stakeholders and inform conversations aimed at tackling the longstanding challenges facing our science and innovation ecosystem. We encourage all partners—across sectors, regions, and disciplines—to stay engaged, deepen the discussion, and work together to shape an innovation system that strengthens Canada’s prosperity, security, and competitiveness.
Are you interested in supporting a national conversation that turns evidence into impact for Canada? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at projects@cca-reports.ca.
Pathways for successfully combining Indigenous and Western knowledge systems
The CCA was honoured to host a workshop on shared elements of successful braiding knowledges projects on November 5-6, 2025, at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, with support from Braiding Knowledges Canada and SSHRC. Experts and knowledge holders from across Canada gathered to share, discuss, and synthesize projects that successfully combined Indigenous and Western knowledge systems. The CCA will publish the workshop proceedings in 2026.
Learn more about the assessment.
ICYMI: Balancing Research Security and Open Science
On October 21, the CCA released Balancing Research Security and Open Science, which explores how researchers, institutions, and governments can prevent misuse that could cause harm to people, the economy, and national security while also preserving the values that make Canadian science strong: transparency, trust, and collaboration.
In a moment defined by shifting geopolitics, intense global competition for talent and technology, and rapid investments in national infrastructure critical to sovereignty, Canada must protect sensitive research and the benefits it creates—without closing the doors on the relationships that make Canadian science thrive. Balancing Research Security and Open Science offers an independent assessment of national and foreign efforts to promote research security, highlighting potential strategies to safeguard national interests while preserving the openness that drives discovery, innovation, and prosperity.
“Our most vital areas of research are often the ones that are most susceptible to misuse,” says Martha Crago, chair of the CCA’s Expert Panel on Sensitive Research of Concern. “To secure the future of Canada’s scientific strength, our country’s research ecosystem needs adaptive safeguards that work in tandem with our commitment to open science.”
Commissioned by Defence Research and Development Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, this assessment brings together leading experts from across disciplines to examine how Canada can navigate tensions between accessibility and security, and build a resilient, forward-looking research system.
Download Research Security in Canada and Foreign Jurisdictions. This document provides an overview of select laws, regulations, policies, and guidance governing sensitive research in Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K., and the U.S.
Download the quick reference guide on identifying and safeguarding sensitive research of concern.
As a member of the CCA Board of Directors and Chair of its Audit, Finance, Risk, and Human Resources Committee, Dr. Jawahar (Jay) Kalra brings a wealth of experience in medical research, governance, and public service to our mission of delivering evidence for the public good.
“The CCA brings together experts from across disciplines to examine the best available science and deliver balanced, thoughtful advice. This helps ensure that policy is rooted in knowledge, not ideology, and strengthens public trust in the decision-making process.”
Dr. Kalra values the CCA’s unique role in convening diverse expertise to support thoughtful, independent assessments. He’s particularly proud of the CCA’s work on antimicrobial resistance, medical assistance in dying, and the ongoing expert panel on Indigenous Science and Food Sovereignty.
In December 2025, Dr. Kalra will mark the end of more than eight years of dedicated service to the CCA. We’re grateful for his leadership and unwavering belief in the power of evidence to shape a stronger, more inclusive Canada. Learn more about Dr. Kalra’s work with the CCA.