McKenna Institute: Research’s big impact in our small province

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New Brunswickers are known to be resourceful, collaborative, and driven by purpose. With that spirit, we have become experts in making a difference with limited resources. It’s that grit that fuels our province’s research and innovation community, where small teams are tackling big problems and producing results that reach far beyond our borders.

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New Brunswick receives among the lowest levels of federal research and development funding in the country. While that gap presents challenges, it is not stopping New Brunswick’s momentum and achievements in research.

Across the province, research is driving progress in every area of our daily lives, including in healthcare, clean energy tech, oceans, and the digital economy.

At the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in Saint Andrews, scientists are working at the centre of environment, economy, and community. For more than 50 years, Huntsman Marine has been a trusted partner for industry and government alike. Their impactful ocean research helps make traditional fisheries and aquaculture sectors more sustainable, tests safety of land-based industrial activities and response measures to improve how we respond to ship-related spills, fights global climate change while protecting marine habitats for future generations, and supports jobs across Atlantic Canada and beyond.

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Now, Huntsman Marine is looking to the future with the development of Huntsman Ocean Park, a 28-acre innovation campus that could attract global ocean-tech companies and create thousands of jobs right here in New Brunswick. This development is a reminder that investing in research is about community growth and economic opportunity just as much as it is about discovery.

In Moncton, Dr. Jalila Jbilou and her team at the Université de Moncton are leading the TH@CLINIC initiative, a made-in-New-Brunswick model reshaping how health care is delivered to underrepresented communities. Originally designed to support long-haul truck drivers, TH@CLINIC connects patients with nurses and other health professionals through digital monitoring tools. Early results from the program showed fewer emergency room visits, improved management of chronic diseases, and found patients were more empowered to take charge of their own health.

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Building on that success, Dr. Jbilou is now working to adapt TH@CLINIC’s model to meet the unique needs of other occupations. It’s compassionate, practical research that meets people where they are and when they need it most, while using existing resources to manage costs and relying on high quality, evidenced-based services. That work is happening right here in New Brunswick.

This incredible work in health care is one project of several that will be featured at the New Brunswick Health Research Symposium on November 20 and 21 at the Fredericton Convention Centre. The symposium will bring together researchers, health research professionals, policy makers, and thought leaders collaborating on the theme of “Powering Discovery Together,” focusing on the impact of research on real-world outcomes and driving economic benefits to our region.

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New Brunswick’s research community is solving practical, everyday problems and building a better future for all of us in areas including ocean science, health innovation, advanced manufacturing, and digital agriculture.

The impact of this work is undeniable. But imagine what could be achieved if New Brunswick researchers had access to a greater share of national research funding.

Figures from Statistics Canada and census data indicate New Brunswick ranks last in Canada for federal research and development spending on a per-capita basis at about $115 per person, compared with a national average of $238. For every research dollar spent nationally, New Brunswick receives just under half.

Despite this disparity, our researchers haven’t stopped leading the way. Through inventiveness and collaboration, they’ve built partnerships that reach across the country and around the world and have shown excellence is about ideas, perseverance, and community.

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Because New Brunswick’s research community is tight knit, we can bring together universities, colleges, health authorities, private companies, and government departments in quick and efficient ways. We can test ideas quickly, share data easily, and turn pilot projects into working solutions faster than many larger regions can.

That collaborative ecosystem makes us a perfect example of Canada as a place where national challenges can be studied and solved in real time. When we strengthen New Brunswick’s research capacity, the benefits ripple outward to the rest of the country.

Research funding isn’t just about supporting scientists. It’s about creating good jobs, attracting talent, solving important societal problems, and building industries that sustain our communities. Every research grant supports talented professionals to test the boundaries of what is possible. Every discovery opens doors for new companies, solutions, and careers in our province.

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Statistics Canada data show New Brunswick receives far less federal research and innovation funding than other provinces our size, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan among them. With fair, equitable access, millions more dollars could be fueling discovery, jobs, and growth right here at home every year. Those funds could accelerate precision-medicine breakthroughs, help commercialize clean-tech innovations, and allow more students to pursue research careers here at home instead of abroad.

But more importantly, equitable funding would recognize the significant return on investment New Brunswick research already delivers.

At ResearchNB, we’re proud to back the people and projects that make up this vibrant ecosystem. We see firsthand how research strengthens our health system, supports our industries, and enhances quality of life for all New Brunswickers, now and in the future.

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We’re equally proud of the collaboration that defines our province in the way partners from research institutions, government, and business come together with a shared sense of purpose. That spirit is what makes New Brunswick research special, and it’s what will continue to drive us, our ecosystem, and our economy forward.

While our share of national funding may be small, our impact is not. Our researchers are proving every day that big things can grow from small places and when New Brunswick succeeds, all of Canada benefits.

Candice Pollack is the CEO of ResearchNB. Tickets to the Health Research Symposium are available at researchnb.ca/hrs/.

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