The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada and the ESRC have awarded 10 Knowledge Synthesis Grants totalling over £161,000 (over C$280,000) to assess the state of research knowledge on Canada-UK trade relationships.
The unique competition supports projects led by researchers based in Canada and the UK working together to synthesise existing knowledge and identify research strengths and gaps around Canada-UK trade relations.
The projects cover diverse issues, such as governance, inclusion, labour, the environment, and technological and digital transformations. The resulting findings will help in understanding and enhancing future trading relationships, and will support evidence-based decision-making and policy development.
In July 2018, a workshop in Ottawa, Canada, will draw award holders and key stakeholders from across the business, community and government sectors together to discuss the proposed projects and further cross-sectoral international connections.
A second workshop in London in December will focus on the resulting findings and how they can contribute to strengthening Canada-UK trade relationships.
"SSHRC's and the ESRC's joint efforts will advance understanding of Canada-UK trade relations and help meet the goals of the 2017 memorandum of understanding on science, technology and innovation between Canada and the UK. Research collaborations such as this one create opportunities for international research teams to join forces and address emerging societal issues in a global context." - Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
"The recipients of these grants will make a powerful contribution to what we know and understand about UK-Canada trade relations. Their evidence and insight will help to inform future decisions about further strengthening the trade relationship between our two countries, which is so important for our mutual prosperity. This important initiative also marks the next step in the joint efforts by the ESRC and SSHRC to enable and enhance collaborative work on our shared strategic priorities." - Jennifer Rubin, Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council