Research and Knowledge Initiative

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The call for proposals for the Research and Knowledge Initiative is now closed. Projects are currently being assessed and all applicants will be informed of funding decisions.

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Overview

Launched in 2019, the Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI) is a national merit-based contributions funding program from Infrastructure Canada that funds projects focused on key Government of Canada research and data priorities related to housing, infrastructure and communities.

Improving our understanding of housing and infrastructure, how they intersect and the dynamics that drive effective and responsive solutions in Canada, will be essential to build and maintain livable, resilient communities. More and better research and data on housing and infrastructure can facilitate innovative approaches, empower citizens, as well as further community resilience and sustainability. Improved research and data can also inform national, regional and local decision-making and governance.

To date, the RKI has provided approximately $10 million in funding, including:

  • $3 million to support the Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project, led by the World Council on City Data (WCCD), which aims to build municipal data capacity to plan and implement their public infrastructure investments.
  • $600,000 to support the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD) develop a Canadian methodology for a publicly available, jurisdiction-wide infrastructure assessment.
  • $6 million to support twelve projects selected through its first call for proposals under the theme of "Cultivating Community Data and Research to Inform Public Infrastructure Decision-making." Further information on the twelve projects can be found here.

Call for proposals

(Closed)

The call for proposals for the second phase of the Research and Knowledge Initiative is focused on applied research that includes or examines specific interventions and that contributes to solutions for addressing Canadian housing and infrastructure needs. Infrastructure Canada is particularly seeking proposals for research projects that investigate innovative and practical solutions – especially related to housing but may also address other infrastructure issues for communities – that respond to key concerns such as affordability, equity in access, and/or adaptability to changing needs, including climate change and demographic change.

Priorities for this phase of research will focus on projects that:

  • Test or evaluate solutions on a pilot basis, or undertake proof of concept analysis to study solutions in action, with robust methodology;
  • Investigate replication or scalability of solutions in different provinces, municipalities, communities or regions;
  • Develop and assess the application of new science, data, or technology; or
  • Extract and evaluate lessons and uptake feasibilities from practical innovations including outside of Canada.

Infrastructure Canada has allocated a maximum of $10 million in total contributions for this call for proposals. Funded projects and their activities must be scoped for completion between Summer 2024 and March 31, 2026. The call for proposals is now closed. The deadline to apply was February 12, 2024.

Important resources

Contact us

Applicants are invited to visit the Applicant Portal to access the online application form.

If you have any questions, please contact: RKI-IRC@infc.gc.ca.

If you are interested in receiving updates about the Research and Knowledge Initiative, please send us an email to subscribe to our Mailing List. You will receive a confirmation message once you are included.