This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning colleges, universities, campuses, international students, student housing, research initiatives, tri-council (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) agencies and funding opportunities. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Dates: 2026-03-29 to 2026-04-04

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇨🇦 Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Provincial Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

Government of Canada invests $127 million to grow biomanufacturing and life sciences ecosystem

On April 2, Minister Mélanie Joly announced $127 million in Strategic Response Fund contributions to Aspect Biosystems and Providence Health Care (PHC) in Vancouver, aimed at advancing bioprinted tissue therapeutics and developing an innovation hub within the new Clinical Support and Research Centre. Aspect Biosystems will receive $79 million from the federal government—and $23.8 million from the Province of British Columbia—to build clinical development and biomanufacturing capabilities, including an AI-powered bioprinting platform. The company, partnered with Novo Nordisk, will maintain 117 jobs and create 283 new positions, as well as 268 co-op roles for students in Vancouver. PHC, operating 18 health facilities, is being allocated $48 million for construction of the CSRC innovation hub, developing AI-enabled clinical research environments and incubator space for life sciences SMEs, contributing 597 student co-op positions and 768 new jobs. Both projects are designed to scale up R&D, accelerate partnerships, and anchor advanced health technologies domestically.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Grand Challenges Canada receives $200 million renewal for innovation platform

Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai announced on March 27 in Waterloo that Canada will provide $200 million to Grand Challenges Canada. The funding supports the organization’s approach to scaling early-stage health innovations globally, including technologies like KA Imaging’s portable X-ray diagnostics. Grand Challenges Canada has backed more than 1,600 innovations, with nearly 400 originating from Canada and impacting over 100 million people in 109 countries. With this renewal, Grand Challenges Canada will continue leveraging partnerships such as with the Global Fund and mobilize international financing—having raised $2.66 in partner or donor funding for every dollar from Canada over the past five years. Allocated funding is expected to drive both export and research opportunities for Canadian academic and startup communities, specifically in health technologies.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Lakehead University receives $1.5 million for veterinary training collaboration

Minister Patty Hajdu announced on March 31 a $1.5 million investment from FedNor to establish the Collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program at Lakehead University, in partnership with the University of Guelph. The funding supports laboratory and research equipment purchases and is structured to address shortages of veterinary professionals in Northern Ontario, with the program set to train students in Thunder Bay and Guelph beginning in 2027. The program will include indigenous community partnerships and focus on skillsets central to Northern, rural, and agricultural economies—including biosecurity, herd management, and disease response—with joint degrees conferred by Guelph. The model targets retention of talent in the region and is expected to bolster workforce needs for agribusiness and food supply sectors.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Expansion at Northern Ontario School of Medicine receives nearly $2 million support

Minister Patty Hajdu announced on April 1 nearly $2 million in FedNor funding to expand the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University. The funds will enable NOSM to retrofit training sites in 87 municipalities and Indigenous communities and acquire specialized equipment, increasing total MD program enrollment from 425 to 852 over four years. Facility improvements include video conferencing and ICT capabilities. The expansion includes comprehensive clerkship sites and significant capacity in Indigenous, rural, and Francophone regions. Five main hospital sites—Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, and Timmins—will act as hubs. This investment aims to increase supply and retention of physicians in underserved areas.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Federal government allocates over $7.1 million for innovation and skills development at Brandon institutions

On April 2, at Assiniboine College, Parliamentary Secretary Ginette Lavack announced over $7.1 million for six Brandon-based projects, supporting priorities such as innovation, advanced manufacturing, and skilled workforce development. Projects funded include a $2.25 million upgrade for Assiniboine College’s new Mechatronics Engineering Technology program, expansion funding for Greenstone Building Products’ manufacturing capacity, and $577,000 to Bushel Plus Ltd. for exports of agri-technology products. The grants aim to facilitate sector-relevant skills development, regional supply chains, and business scaling in key fields relevant to Manitoba and Canada’s economy.

Sources: www.canada.ca

PacifiCan invests $13.8 million in AI and aerospace technology projects across British Columbia

On March 31, Will Greaves announced on behalf of Minister Gregor Robertson a $13.8 million PacifiCan investment into five British Columbia AI and aerospace projects under the Regional Defence Investment Initiative. Funded initiatives at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Aerospace Research include a $4 million investment for a satellite ground station and technology commercialization, and $1.4 million for autonomous drone mapping technology. Other allocations include over $3 million for Arcane Aerospace’s satellite development, $2.4 million for Atreides to commercialize AI-enabled unmanned systems software, and $2.8 million for OSI Maritime’s collision avoidance platform. These investments enable test facilities, innovation infrastructure, and industry partnerships for dual-use (defence/civilian) technologies.

Sources: www.canada.ca

FedDev Ontario awards $14.5 million to aerospace and space innovation firms

Minister Evan Solomon announced on April 1 $14.5 million from FedDev Ontario for Kepler Communications and Dishon Limited. Kepler, a Toronto-based satellite company, will receive $7 million to advance deployment and commercialization of its Tranche 1 low-Earth orbit satellite suite—supporting secure and resilient communications critical for defence and Arctic operations. Dishon Limited, based in Vaughan, receives $7.5 million to expand advanced manufacturing for aerospace components. The support covers expansion of precision manufacturing capabilities and facilities, underpinning Canadian participation in military aviation, space, and advanced energy projects. The Kepler project aligns with broader defence surveillance and sovereign communications priorities.

Sources: www.canada.ca

University of New Brunswick secures $813,739 under Defence Industrial Strategy for Maritime Digital Twin

The University of New Brunswick has been awarded $813,739 to develop a Maritime 3D Digital Twin platform under the Regional Defence Investment Initiative, as announced on March 31. The project is engineered to support port capacity, security, and environmental monitoring through AI-enabled modelling and real-time ocean sensing, with applications for both defence and infrastructure development. The platform is intended to provide dual-use capabilities for maritime domain awareness and infrastructure management.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Government extends contract with BlackBerry to strengthen national cyber security and digital sovereignty

On March 31 in Waterloo, Parliamentary Secretary Jenna Sudds is expected to announce a contract extension with BlackBerry. The contract focuses on supporting Canadian cyber security initiatives, enhancing digital sovereignty, and aligning with national security demands. The extension follows an ongoing federal push for secure digital infrastructure and procurement programs targeting sensitive government and research data environments. Details about the scope of the contract were to be released at the event.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Federal government invests in oral health training at Université Laval

On March 30, Health Canada committed over $3.8 million to three projects at Université Laval. The funding supports new dentistry internships in underserved communities, private practice experience in rural Quebec, and measures for attracting and retaining Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) patients. The program strengthens training for oral health students, expands hands-on experience in vulnerable or under-served regions, and covers patient co-payments to reduce cost-related barriers. Projects are part of the Oral Health Access Fund, which complements national oral health coverage, now reaching over 1.7 million Quebec residents.

Sources: www.canada.ca

NOSM University regional expansion announced for Thunder Bay region

Minister Patty Hajdu will announce a significant FedNor investment on April 1 to support the next phase of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University’s regional expansion. The announcement, scheduled at Balmoral Street Centre in Thunder Bay, follows federal priorities to address Northern physician shortages and modernize medical education facilities for regional and Indigenous health needs.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Provincial Government News

Manitoba appoints new chair and board members at Research Manitoba

Adam Herstein has been appointed chair of Research Manitoba’s board for a three-year term beginning March 18, 2026. Other director appointments and reappointments were also announced, maintaining a full complement for the organization mandated to fund and promote multidisciplinary research in the province.

Sources: news.gov.mb.ca

British Columbia commits $6 million for 15 labour market training projects

The BC government, with federal partnership, announced over $6 million for labour market training across 15 projects, enabling community organizations and employers to provide training and work placements in sectors such as construction, education support, and social services.

Sources: news.gov.bc.ca

Quebec's INEE appoints new Board of Directors

The Quebec Council of Ministers appointed 11 new members to the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Excellence in Education (INEE), empowering the organization to commence its strategic and governance activities related to educational excellence.

Sources: www.quebec.ca

Alberta grants degree-granting status to private college

Alberta has designated the Alberta College of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine as a private post-secondary institution authorized to grant approved degrees under the Post-Secondary Learning Act (Order 114/2026).

Sources: www.alberta.ca

Manitoba marks progress on Indigenous language immersion degrees

The Manitoba government noted that the first student cohorts have begun in Indigenous language immersion Bachelor of Arts programs at University of Winnipeg and University College of the North, targeting fluency and educator training in Anishinaabemowin and Ininimowin.

Sources: news.gov.mb.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Want to future-proof your career? Build the skills that AI can’t replace: Discussion on career trajectories and skill development in the era of AI.
• Peter MacKinnon: University of Austin exposes everything wrong with Canadian universities: Commentary on academic culture in Canadian higher education.
• How a Halifax student uses ‘perseverance,’ 3D printers to pursue his entrepreneurial dream: Report on student innovation and entrepreneurship using 3D printing in Nova Scotia.
• Canada’s post-secondary graduates start job hunt amid high unemployment rates: Coverage of employment challenges facing new graduates.
• University of the Fraser Valley looks to turn land into money amid layoffs, budget crunch: Analysis of financial strategies at British Columbia's UFV during a period of fiscal constraint.

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