Beginnings

The Ontario Innovation Trust was created in 1999 by the Government of Ontario to help Ontario’s universities, hospitals, colleges and research institutes enhance the infrastructure needed for scientific research and technology development. The founding members of the Board were Michael Gourley, Kenneth Knox, Sheldon Levy, David Smith, Bette Stephenson and Calvin Stiller.

The Trust was designed to play a complementary role to the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund, which the province created to fund costs related to research personnel.

Research infrastructure and research support funding are now managed by the Ministry of Research and Innovation.

The endowment for the Trust from the Ontario Government was $750 million. This capital, as well as earned interest, has enabled the Trust to commit over $844 million in support of 1,253 projects at 44 Ontario universities, colleges, research hospitals and other institutions.


A partnership with the Canadian Foundation for Innovation

Since its inception, the Trust has worked closely with the federal government’s Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), which also focuses on infrastructure funding. In most cases, projects approved and funded by the CFI received matching support from the Trust. The Trust has, however, also provided funding for selected projects independent of CFI support.


Eligible costs and project evaluation criteria

The Trust’s mandate restricted its funding to the acquisition, housing, installation and servicing of research infrastructure, including new buildings and modifications to existing structures. Scientific collections and specimens, computer software, information databases, communications linkages and other similar items were also eligible.

The usual maximum investment for any one project was 40 percent of the approved costs, up to $10 million. In a few exceptional cases, the Board approved investments of up to 60 percent, to a maximum of $15 million.

Projects were evaluated on their potential to…
• build Ontario’s capacity for innovation, economic growth, health and environmental quality;
• strengthen the cadre of Ontario research personnel, and attract and retain researchers;
• enable collaboration with the private sector;
• promote the sharing and efficient use of research infrastructure among and within institutions; and
• contribute to provincial strengths in research.


A changed focus.

In 2005, the Government of Ontario created the Ontario Research Fund (ORF), under the aegis of the Ministry of Research and Innovation. The ORF is handling applications for research costs, including infrastructure.

The Trust, meanwhile, has committed its entire capital plus earned interest and no additional applications are being entertained.

The Trust’s mandate has shifted to focus on administering the staged disbursement of funds to supported projects, and managing any funds still awaiting disbursement.