NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – The Canadian government today said it is renewing a genomics research initiative with C$99.5 million (US$93.3 million) in funding for the next five years.
The funding for the program, called the Genomics Research and Development Initiative, will be used to support research in agriculture, environment, fisheries, forestry, and health. GRDI was created in 1999 and coordinates genomics research among eight federal science departments and agencies, including the National Research Council of Canada; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Health Canada; Fisheries and Oceans; the Canada Food Inspection Agency; Environment Canada; Natural Resources Canada; and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
In 2011 the GRDI received C$59.7 million in funding for three years.
"The GRDI increases our understanding of a wide range of genomic questions and supports discoveries in critical areas like healthcare, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries to the benefit of communities at home and around the world," Canada's Minister of State for Science and Technology Ed Holder said in a statement.