Alberta’s research community says a multi-million dollar cut by the NDP government will have a long-lasting impact on not only important research, but the province’s reputation as well.
The government has slashed $22 million from the health research budget, a 24 per cent cut from the year before.
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“We understand that there’s a value to doing certain things for society that, in the long run, yields benefits,” said Dr. David Evans, a professor and vice-dean of research in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.
“You will lose the research capacity of this province if we keep this up.”
The time couldn’t have been worse for the university.
Several months ago it launched a search for new researchers. Several were identified, and brought in for interviews. In June, they were told the program was being cancelled due to the cut, forcing them to break the news to the already interviewed candidates.
“From a reputation perspective, it’s very bad for the University of Alberta, and the University of Calgary was doing the same thing,” Evans added.
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The cut is part of a larger overall shakeup at Alberta Innovates, which allocates the funding. In the spring budget, the NDP government announced it was restructuring the organization, and looking for savings. The transition CEO says it is committed to ensuring ongoing projects aren’t impacted.
“Over the next three years, the reality is that about 80 per cent of our budget will be committed to supporting those existing multi-year research grants and initiatives as a priority,” Dr. Pamela Valentine told Global News.
“A $20-million reduction this year means that we’ll have to defer decisions on program renewals and new funding competitions for one year.”
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Funding for health research in Alberta actually comes from an endowment fund set up by the Lougheed government in 1980. The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Endowment Fund is worth about $1.7 billion and annual withdrawals are limited by legislation.
Jean-Marc Prevost, the press secretary for minister Deron Bilous, said in past years, the fund was drawn beyond the limit and the reduction brings the endowment payment back toward the range prescribed in legislation.
Researchers insist the cut will be felt at all levels, hurting not only the amount of research being done in the province, but the number of students that can access post-graduate opportunities.
“That means there’s a whole other generation of people that won’t be trained,” Evans said.
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