Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders
Aboriginal Peoples
Arctic and Northern Regions
Community, Regional & Enterprise Development
Creative Arts, Culture and Heritage
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources
Governance and Public Policy
Information and Communication Technology
Oceans, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Social Justice
Well-being, Health and Biomedical Discovery
Deadlines
Academic Unit: Inquire with unit
Memorial Deadline: Wednesday 14th, January 2026
External Deadline: Tuesday 10th, March 2026
Description
The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Impact+) program is a one-time only initiative designed to support institutions in attracting world-leading researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program emphasizes both research excellence and tangible impact. Impact+ Chairs will receive long-term funding and institutional support to advance ambitious and transformative projects in Canada’s strategic priority areas, build and maintain exceptional research teams, and collaborate with partners across sectors and borders. Impact+ Chairholders are expected to drive the translation of discoveries into applications, commercialization and social and economic benefits for Canada and the world, while also developing the next generation of highly qualified personnel.
The Impact+ program is a tri-agency initiative of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The key objectives of the Impact+ program are to support institutions to:
• attract world-leading researchers to strengthen Canada’s global competitiveness and innovation leadership;
• transform bold discoveries into innovative products, ideas, policies and solutions that benefit Canadians and the world;
• help Canada grow and sustain a critical mass of expertise in priority areas identified by the Government of Canada through the development of high-impact research teams, and;
• incentivize strategic partnerships across sectors, such as industry, health systems, government and not-for-profit organizations, to accelerate the translation of research into practice and enhance long-term adoption and impact.
These objectives will guide the initial multidisciplinary review when awarding Chairs, as well as the subsequent external review of a potential funding extension of four additional years.
Registration deadlines
Intake one: March 10, 2026, 8:00 p.m. (eastern)
Intake two: June 15, 2026, 8:00 p.m. (eastern)
Application deadlines
Intake one: March 24, 2026, 8:00 p.m. (eastern)
Intake two: June 29, 2026, 8:00 p.m. (eastern)
For this competition, Memorial’s maximum dollar value per year is $4M per year for a total of $32M over 8 years. Academic units are invited to submit proposals from a broad range of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities; natural sciences and engineering; and health and related sciences. Applications must explain how the Chair will advance one or more of the following Canada Impact+ Strategic Priority Areas: • advanced digital technologies (including artificial intelligence, quantum and cybersecurity); • health, including biotechnology; • clean technology and resource value chains; • environment, climate resilience and the Arctic; • food and water security; • democratic and community resilience; • manufacturing and advanced materials; and/or • defence and dual-use technologies.”
See attached for more information.
Downloads
2026 Canada Impact+_Internal Call for Proposals_December 2025 - REVISED Jan 9 2026