The Canada Research Continuity Emergency Fund (CRCEF) was announced on May 15, 2020, as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. The temporary program has been established to help sustain the research enterprise at Canadian universities and health research institutions that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected that the program will help reduce negative impacts of the pandemic and ensure that the benefits of significant investments to date in universities and health research institutions are protected. This will maintain Canada’s international competitiveness in the global, knowledge-based economy, and contribute to Canadians’ health and social and cultural life, as well as the health of Canada’s natural environment.

The program, which has a total budget of $450 million, has two objectives:

  • as a priority, to provide wage support to universities and health research institutions, both of which are ineligible to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), to help them retain research-related personnel during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic (up to $325 million); and
  • to support extraordinary incremental costs associated with maintaining essential research-related commitments during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then ramping-up to full research activities as physical distancing measures are eased and research activities can resume ($125 million).

CRCEF Stage 3 Application Form

 Allocation Process at MSVU

 Allocation Process at MSVU

Stage 1

  1. Eligible faculty members are identified by internal financial records.
  2. Eligible faculty members are contacted.
  3. The application form is circulated to eligible faculty members.
  4. The application form is circulated to all faculty members for inclusion and transparency.
  5. The committee sought approval from MSVU’s Pandemic Equity Action Committee (PEAC) and obtained approval of the CRCEF process. Due to time restraints imposed by CRCEF, we acknowledge the limitations of the consultations with PEAC.
  6. Faculty members have two weeks to complete the application form.
  7. At the deadline, faculty forms will be collected and adjudicated by the committee.
  8. Applicants are informed of their CRCEF Stage 1 allocated amount by an award letter from the committee.

Stage 2

  1. Applicants to Stage 1 are automatically considered for Stage 2 funding. There is no additional form.
  2. Pending a successful application to Stage 2 by MSVU, residual needs (eligible costs, as indicated by applicants, not covered by Stage 1 funding) are adjudicated by the committee.
  3. Applicants are informed of their CRCEF Stage 2 allocated amount by an award letter from the committee.

Stage 3

  1. All MSVU faculty members are given a notice of the Stage 3 opportunity by e-mail, including the adjudication process and relevant dates.
  2. The application form is posted on the Research Office website and circulated to faculty via e-mail.
  3. The Research Office hosted three Q&A Sessions for interested faculty members, which were posted on the website.
  4. Faculty members have five weeks to complete the application form.
  5. At the deadline, faculty forms will be collected and adjudicated by the committee.
  6. Applicants will be informed of their CRCEF Stage 3 allocated amount by an award letter from the Committee.
  7. Pending additional support from the CRCEF to MSVU, applicants may receive an additional supplement above the original award. Applicants will be notified of their additional supplement by an award letter from the Committee.

Strategy for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Strategy for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) is dedicated to excellence in research and research training. MSVU is strongly committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within our community and encourages applications to the CRCEF from all qualified candidates including women, persons of any sexual orientations and gender identities and/or expressions, Indigenous persons, African Canadians, other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, and other groups that contribute to the diversification of our campus.

All award funds pertaining to the Stage 1 CRCEF funding will conform to policy and processes currently in place at Mount Saint Vincent University to ensure that all decisions do not negatively affect a researcher’s ability to work during the COVID-19 pandemic due to family or parental obligations or increased risk related to exposure to COVID-19. These apply to the research personnel on all projects. Strategy to document safeguards to ensure that decisions are not negatively affected by a researcher’s inability to work during the pandemic due to child/family care or increased risk related to exposure to COVID-19.

MSVU acknowledges that all researchers have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. MSVU has attempted to ensure that decisions are not negatively affected by researcher’s inability to work during the pandemic due to child/family care or increased risk related to exposure to COVID-19 by the following safeguards:

  • The Research Office ensured every faculty had access to the application form by developing an online form, circulated with multiple reminders of the application deadline and offers for support from the Research Office.
  • Particular attention was given to the number of form fields to ensure the application was not overly long or time-consuming.
  • The application form and supplementary information were circulated to all faculty members. Additionally, the Associate Vice-President Research directly contacted faculty members identified as holding eligible grants for Stage 1 and 2 funding and encouraged them to apply.
  • Members of the Research Office were available to answer any questions about eligible expenses, application process, and other relevant queries.
  • Three Q&A sessions on CRCEF funding were hosted virtually with members of the adjudication committee. These Q&A sessions were presented at different times of day to accommodate researcher schedules. The Q&A sessions were intended to help support and guide faculty and research center staff in completing the application form.
  • If an application extension were sought due to extenuating circumstances, the Research Office would work with the applicant to ensure that they are being supported appropriately.

MSVU would like to note that the timelines of the CRCEF program significantly limited the extent to which safeguards could have been enacted. After consultation with the Pandemic Equity Action Committee (PEAC), MSVU’s strategy to document safeguards to ensure that researcher’s inability to work during the pandemic due to child/family care or increased risk related to exposure to COVID-19 did not affect their eligibility was deemed to be appropriate, within the parameters of the program.

The committee members have received unconscious bias training prior to membership, and the committee includes representatives with appropriate expertise from equity-seeking groups, including Dr. Derek Fisher (Associate Vice-President Research (until September 1, 2021)), Brenda Gagné (Research Ethics Coordinator), Veronica Bacher (Research Grants Coordinator), Cathleen Madgett (Manager, Special Purpose Financial Reporting), and Dr. Gabrielle (Gabie) Durepos (Associate Professor in the Department of Business and Tourism and Co-Chair of MSVU’s Pandemic Equity Action Committee). We at MSVU strongly believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion strengthen the research community and the quality, relevance, and impact of research. All eligible researchers who apply to the CRCEF at MSVU will be considered for funding.

Committee Adjudication Process

Committee Adjudication Process

Stage 1: The committee endeavored to fund all applications to their fullest requested amount. As the need exceeded the funds, the committee issued an across-the-board cut relative to the funding limit. Stage 1 applicants received 70.25% of eligible costs of the 75% limit. MSVU applied for Stage 2 funding to support our applicants to the fullest amount possible under CRCEF guidelines.

Stage 2: As MSVU has been awarded Stage 2 funds from the CRCEF, all applicants to Stage 1 were automatically considered for funding. Stage 2 funds responded to the excess of need as indicated by Stage 1 applicants. Stage 1 applicants received an additional supplement of 4.75% of eligible costs from Stage 2 funds.

Stage 3: MSVU has been provided a notional allocation for Stage 3 funding. To affirm our commitment to EDI practices, the CRCEF Committee members will give priority to applications in these two categories:

  • From Early Career Researchers (defined as a MSVU full-time researcher who, at the time of application, has either completed their doctoral degree or held a tenure-track appointment within a period of 0 to 8 years, minus any leaves of absence).
  • For research that involves marginalized and/or equity-seeking participants, communities or partners. Applications that fall within the two categories above will be funded to the fullest amount possible (75%) of eligible costs within the notional allocation.

Applications that fall outside of these categories will receive equal distribution of the remaining funds within the notional allocation, with the potential to be funded to the fullest amount possible (75%) of eligible costs pending additional allocation from the CRCEF.

CRCEF Stage 3 Application Form

Contact Information 

Contact Information

Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan
Associate Vice-President Research
jacqueline.gahagan@msvu.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

Canada Research Continuity Emergency Fund (CRCEF) Stage 3 FAQs

1. What is the purpose of Stage 3 of the CRCEF?
Stage 3 is to support direct costs of research that have been incurred to:
·      maintain essential research-related commitments during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
·      support ramping-up to full research activities as physical distancing measures are eased and research activities can resume.

2. How do I know if I am eligible to apply for Stage 3 CRCEF Funding?
All researchers at MSVU with an active research project are eligible to apply for Stage 3 funds.

MSVU has been provided a notional allocation for Stage 3 funding. To affirm our commitment to EDI practices, the CRCEF Committee members will give priority to applications in these two categories:
·      Early Career Researchers (defined as a MSVU full-time researcher who, at the time of application, has either completed their doctoral degree or held a tenure-track appointment within a period of 0 to 8 years, minus any leaves of absence)
·      For research that involves marginalized and/or equity-seeking participants, communities or partners.

Applications that fall within the two categories above will be funded to the fullest amount possible (75%) of eligible costs within the notional allocation. Applications that fall outside of these categories will receive equal distribution of the remaining funds within the notional allocation, with the potential to be funded to the fullest amount possible (75%) of eligible costs pending additional allocation from the CRCEF.

3. What expenses are eligible?
The eligible expenses criteria at Stage 3 are:
·      unanticipated additional costs that would not have been incurred in the absence of the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot be funded by existing sources of funds;
·      for direct costs associated with maintenance and ramp-up of research activities;
·      costs borne by research projects.

Only direct costs of research that are extraordinary and incremental to those already covered by existing sources of funds and have been incurred between March 15 and November 15, 2020 will be reimbursed, at up to 75%.

The salaries of research personnel can be eligible for partial reimbursement up to 75% by CRCEF at Stage 3 for the period of August 30, 2020 to November 15, 2020 provided that they meet the Stage 3 eligible expense criteria (see above).

Internet connection, land line, cell phone connection, and equipment for working remotely can be eligible if they meet Stage 3 eligible expense criteria. Additionally, animal per diems for research maintenance and animal purchase costs to ramp-up the population are eligible, provided that they meet the Stage 3 eligible expense criteria.

More information about eligible costs can be found here.

4. What costs are not eligible?
·      Administrative costs (e.g., indirect costs, overhead or transaction costs)
·      Costs paid through the universities’ operating budget
·      Cancellation fees or nonrefundable travel fees
·      Ramping down expenses

5. Are lost costs and replacement costs eligible?
Lost costs are not eligible. Replacement costs are eligible if they are paid from a specific research project. For example, if samples spoiled during the pandemic and had to be replaced, then the replacement costs would be eligible, but not the costs incurred for the original spoiled samples.

6. How Do I Apply for CRCEF Stage 3 funding?
Please complete the CRCEF Stage 3 Application Form.

Please see the recordings of the Q&A sessions for more information:
CRCEF Stage 3 Q&A: Recording #1 

CRCEF Stage 3 Q&A: Recording #2

CRCEF Stage 3 Q&A: Recording #3