The Government of Canada is working hard to enhance the role of Parliament and the proactive disclosure of information so that Canadians are better able to hold Parliament, their Government, and public sector officials to account.
To this end, the Government announced the mandatory publication on departmental Web sites of travel and hospitality expenses for selected government officials; contracts entered into by the Government of Canada for amounts over $10,000 (with only limited exceptions such as national security); and, the reclassification of positions.
The NCE Program is administered by a joint Steering Committee composed of the granting agencies: – the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) – and
Industry Canada and a secretariat hosted by NSERC. The NSERC President is the Chair of the NCE Steering Committee.
In accordance with the Government of Canada new policy announced on December 12, 2003, on the mandatory publication of travel and hospitality expenses for selected government officials, the Travel and Hospitality Expenses for the Chair of the NCE Steering Committee Program are published on the
NSERC Web Site.
On March 23, 2004, the government announced a new policy on the mandatory publication of contracts over $10,000. NSERC administers all the NCE Program contracts and
NSERC Web site provides information on contracts issued on behalf of the Networks of Centres of Excellence Program.
On October 21, 2005, the Government announced its commitment to proactively disclose the awarding of grants and contributions over $25,000 as part of its Management Improvement Agenda.
As of 2005-06 the NCE Program annual budget has been increased by $5 million a year for five years and amounts to $82.4 million. The Government of Canada funding for the NCE Program is channeled through the three granting agencies: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Beginning on May 31, 2006, and every year thereafter, this Web site will be updated to include information on NCE grants awarded in the previous fiscal year, as well as the NCE grants amounts that are channeled through each granting agency.