Due to changes in the federal funding landscape and unique situations across several provinces, institutions based in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario are being impacted by Mitacs funding constraints.
In Ontario, there will be a significant reduction of available funding in 2024-2025 for the Accelerate program, which includes the joint Mitacs applications with the Tri-Council Agencies. The new restrictions do not include Mitacs Business Strategy Internships (BSI), Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA) and Mitacs Elevate programs.
For all new submissions in Ontario, Mitacs will require a minimum of 50% of interns to be named on the proposal and for the project to be a maximum of 2 years in duration; applications where all interns are named are encouraged.
Carleton University Accelerate Allowance
Taking into account the level of federal funding to Mitacs, provincial considerations, and the average use of the Accelerate program by each institution, Mitacs has determined a maximum number of Accelerate Intern Units for each university.
Carleton University has received a limit on the maximum number of Accelerate internship units allowable within the current fiscal year (April 1, 2024 through to March 31, 2025). This limit equates to just over half of the average annual activity relative to prior years.
Projects which are not impacted by these restrictions include:
- Accelerate projects in quantum research (see definition below)
- Indigenous Pathways program (see definition below)
Programs which are not impacted by these restrictions include:
- Business Strategy Internships (BSI),
- Globalink Research Award (GRA)
- Elevate
For researchers with existing projects, please note:
- Projects pending signatures from Industry Partnership Services (IPS) and/or submitted as of June 14 are already accounted for and will be honoured within our institutional allowance.
- Projects previously approved by Mitacs will continue to be honoured. These include NSERC-Mitacs joint projects, all flavours of the Accelerate program and multi-year Accelerate projects.
If you are in the process of developing any Mitacs Accelerate projects, we highly encourage you to contact Ana Boika <aboika@mitacs.ca>, our Mitacs Business Development Advisor, to understand if there is an opportunity to transfer either the full project or a portion of it to the Elevate / Business Strategy Internship (BSI) programs or to discuss whether new submissions this fiscal year will be possible.
Allocation of available internship units will be completed on a continuous basis based on fully submitted projects until all units have been allocated. Due to the current backdrop, projects with a high proportion of named interns (over 50% named internship units) and which are less than 2 years in duration are encouraged.
Next Steps
Mitacs has committed to work with the university to ensure that applications submitted do not exceed the University’s allowance.
If you have any questions regarding the change in funding, please contact Ana Boika (aboika@mitacs.ca), or refer to the How To Apply section on Accelerate on Mitacs’s website: Mitacs Accelerate Program.
I understand this news is not ideal, and we strongly encourage you to liaise with Ana Boika as a next step before initiating any Accelerate application via their online application portal and/or drafting an Accelerate application.
The OVPRI is on hand to provide support as we move forward during this period.
Quantum Project Eligibility
“Quantum” projects refer to those in the ‘quantum’ field of science and technology which seek to predict and explain the behaviour of atoms and molecules and involve the manipulation and control of systems at the atomic and subatomic levels. Quantum science and technology projects broadly refer to projects that aim to study one or more of the following:
- Quantum computers – a type of computer that exploits the behaviour of microscopic elements of the size of atoms to perform calculations; • Quantum software – software and algorithms that run on quantum computers, and enable the operation and design of quantum computers and/or development and optimization of quantum applications;
- Quantum communications – networks that utilize the laws of physics to protect and share data;
- Quantum sensors – devices that use quantum science to perform measurements with high sensitivity and accuracy; and
- Quantum materials – materials with unusual magnetic and electrical properties resulting from quantum effects.
Indigenous Pathways Eligibility
In order to be eligible to the Indigenous Pathways offering, one of the following requirements must be met:
- The partner organization must be a for-profit organization with self-identifying Indigenous persons (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) who hold 50% or greater ownership shares
- The partner organization must be a not-for-profit organization with board membership consisting of 50% or greater self-identifying Indigenous Persons (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit)
- The student assigned to the project must be a self-identifying Indigenous person (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit)