The R&D Partnership Fund supports projects related to the development, testing, validation, and demonstration of automotive and mobility technologies in four focus areas:

1. AI, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (C/AV) and Smart Mobility.
2. Electric Vehicles (EV)
3. Advanced Charging and Vehicle to Grid (A/C & V2G)
4. Semiconductor and Hardware (S&H)

Supported by the Canada Brain Research Fund, the purpose of the Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research program is to accelerate novel and transformative research that will fundamentally change our understanding of nervous system function and dysfunction and their impact on health. The ultimate goal is to reduce the social and economic burden of neurological and mental health illnesses through prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.

The 2026 competition will support an expected 20-25 grants of $100,000 each, over two years. 

Who can apply: Early-career researchers. See Request for Applications for full Eligibility requirements.

Overview of the NSTP

The purpose of Polar Knowledge Canada's Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP) is to encourage and support Canadian university and Northern post-secondary students with an interest in northern studies and conducting thesis research in Northern regions, by assisting them to gain northern professional experience and training.  This is done, in part, through the issuance of supplementary funds to help eligible students to offset the high cost of northern research (i.e. transportation costs, living costs, shipping costs, interpreter fees etc.).

Northern Research

It should be noted that for the NSTP "northern research" is  defined as taking place north of the southern limit of the discontinuous permafrost zone (http://arcg.is/1vGHyr) or that takes place in the other circumpolar countries/regions listed in the Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP) Information Manual 2027-2028.

Level of Support

The NSTP will provide:

Undergraduate Students - one year of funding for thesis-based research;

Masters Students - up to two years of funding for thesis-based research; and

Doctoral Students - up to three years of funding for thesis-based research. 

Students may apply and be granted funding in any year of their programs. Students may apply for up to $6,000 in funding per year (however, note that actual award amounts are based on available funding).

Eligibility 

Students applying to the NSTP must be enrolled in a degree program at a Canadian university or Northern post-secondary institution and must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.

Application Submission Process

Students are required to complete an application using the web-based form available at Online Forms by November 10, 2026. Students should be aware that the application requires that a supervisor verify the accuracy of the information and the quality of the application, as well as complete the recommendation section of the application.   In addition, given the supplemental nature of the NSTP, the application requires that other sources of funding and/or support, the amounts received, applied for and the amounts secured for the project be clearly identified in the application.  Therefore, students should be aware that they will need to discuss and have their application approved by a supervisor. 

Once the online form has been completed, they are submitted to Lakehead University's Northern Studies Committee for review via the online submission system. Applications for NSTP funds are then submitted as a package by the Chairperson of Lakehead's Northern Studies to Polar Knowledge Canada which then reviews application packages and makes decisions regarding the amount of funding awarded to each university or Northern post-secondary institution. 

NSTP Awards

Each university or Northern post-secondary institution submitting an Application for Funds are also encouraged to nominate one candidate for each of the NSTP awards from among their current applicants in the respective discipline areas. For additional information, please see the  Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP) Information Manual 2027-2028.

Information Session / Meetings with Program Officer

Nathalie Robillard-Bergeron, Senior Program Officer, Grants and Contributions Unit, with Polar Knowledge Canada will be at Lakehead University October 19, 2026 to deliver a presentation at 10:00 AM in FB2023 (Ingenuity Theatre) regarding funding opportunities (including the NSTP) available through Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR).  To register for this session (either in person or on Zoom if in Orillia or Barrie), please click here.  Nathalie will also be available to meet individually with researchers and students regarding the NSTP and other programs from 1:30 to 5:00 on October 19.   To reserve a 30 minute time slot please email research@lakeheadu.ca.  Information regarding the meeting room location will be shared with respondents at that time.

Additional Information

For more information including how NSTP student applications are assessed, please consult the Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP) Information Manual 2027-2028.

The POGO Trainee Funding Grant provides up to $5,000 per trainee to support individuals in programs affiliated with childhood cancer as they complete research projects that contribute to the goals of Ontario’s 2024–2029 Childhood Cancer Care Plan.

In partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has launched a new funding opportunity for UK-Canada Research teams working in primary prevention. Up to £1.2M per grant will be awarded to UK- and Canada-based teams.

The Great Lakes Local Action Fund provides project-based funding to enable community-based actions that increase climate change resiliency and protect or improve water quality in the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Funding is available for projects taking place between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027.

The objectives of the fund are:

1. Nature-based outcomes:
   • Restore and protect wetlands, shorelines and habitat to strengthen resilience and support water quality and ecosystem function.
2. Community innovation:
   • Support scalable local solutions to basin challenges.
3. Economic resilience:
   • Support jobs and sustainable local economics as a co-benefit of the on-the-ground Great Lakes action, including through project delivery, partnerships and local capacity building.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Advance Indigenous health nursing research, knowledge, standards, education, leadership, and practice in response to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis health and wellness priorities across the lifespan;
• Strengthen Indigenous-led, community-driven, distinctions-based, culturally grounded, anti-racist, gender-responsive, and relational research approaches that strengthen health systems and nursing practice;
• Strengthen mentorship, training, leadership, and career development opportunities for Indigenous students, trainees, nurses, emerging scholars, early career researchers, Knowledge Holders, and knowledge users to support long-term participation, capacity, leadership, and advancement within Indigenous health research;
• Support meaningful partnerships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, organizations, governments, health systems, nursing bodies, and policy or decision-making environments;
• Mobilize knowledge in ways that are useful, accessible and accountable to participating communities and that contribute to meaningful change in nursing education, practice, standards, policy, programs, and health care and public health systems;
• Advance Indigenous data sovereignty, Indigenous research ethics, community governance, and Indigenous knowledge systems in the design, conduct, interpretation, sharing, and stewardship of research;
• Foster a network of NIRA Chairs to advance shared priorities, encourage collaboration and mentorship across jurisdictions, and strengthen national capacity in Indigenous health nursing research and leadership;
• Support the integration of Indigenous health nursing research within national research networks, health organizations, community-based organizations, and/or collectives, such as the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHRs) and the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), where relevant and appropriate, to support knowledge sharing, mentorship, community research capacity, culturally safe and anti-racist health systems, and Indigenous nursing leadership.

SSHRC’s Storytellers Challenge asks postsecondary students to show Canadians, in up to three minutes or 300 words, how social sciences and humanities research is impacting our lives, our world and our future for the better.