Deadline: 01-Jun-2026
The CSA Explore Research Program 2026 is a Canadian funding initiative supporting interdisciplinary research on emerging societal risks, especially in freshwater protection and communications system resilience. It provides up to CAD $150,000 over two years for collaborative academic and public-interest research projects aligned with CSA Group priorities. Selected projects contribute to shared research networks, knowledge mobilization, and policy-relevant Research Insight Reports.
The CSA Explore Research Program is a research funding initiative led by CSA Group (Canadian Standards Association). It supports forward-looking, interdisciplinary research that addresses complex societal, environmental, and infrastructure challenges in Canada.
The program is designed to:
- Advance applied research
- Strengthen system resilience
- Support evidence-based policy and standards development
- Promote cross-sector collaboration
Key Research Focus Areas
The program supports two major thematic initiatives:
1. Protecting Canada’s Freshwater Systems
Research focuses on risks and solutions related to:
- Climate change impacts on water systems
- Industrial and agricultural water demand
- Infrastructure degradation and modernization
- Governance and regulatory frameworks
- Equity in water access and distribution
2. Securing Canada’s Communications Future
Research focuses on resilience of communication systems, including:
- Climate-related disruptions to infrastructure
- Cybersecurity threats and digital vulnerabilities
- Physical network resilience
- Governance and regulatory risks
- System redundancy and emergency preparedness
Program Objectives (What It Aims to Achieve)
The CSA Explore Research Program is structured to:
- Generate interdisciplinary research insights
- Strengthen resilience of critical national systems
- Support long-term standards development
- Improve decision-making in public and private sectors
- Encourage collaboration across academic and applied research institutions
Each project contributes to a larger research ecosystem, not standalone outputs.
Funding Details
- Funding amount: Up to CAD $150,000
- Duration: Up to 2 years
- Coverage: Direct research costs only
Additional requirements:
- Participation in quarterly research meetings
- Collaboration with other funded teams
- At least one in-person meeting during the project period
- Regular virtual knowledge-sharing sessions
How the Program Works
Step-by-step structure
- Application submission
- Proposal must align with one CSA Explore initiative
- Review and selection
- Based on relevance, feasibility, and scientific contribution
- Project execution
- Research conducted over 24 months
- Collaboration with other funded teams required
- Knowledge integration
- Findings shared in collective research ecosystem
- Final outputs
- Research Insight Reports
- Policy and standards recommendations
Who Is Eligible?
Principal Investigator (PI)
- Affiliated with a:
- Canadian publicly funded university, OR
- Public research institution, OR
- Non-profit research organization
- Must be capable of independently leading the project
Collaborators
- Allowed but not funded directly
Project Requirements
- Must align with one CSA Explore research initiative
- Must contribute to applied, solution-oriented research
- Must support knowledge mobilization and collaboration
Why This Program Matters
The CSA Explore Research Program plays a key role in strengthening Canada’s resilience to future risks by:
- Supporting evidence-based climate adaptation strategies
- Enhancing cybersecurity and infrastructure resilience
- Bridging gaps between research, policy, and industry
- Improving national standards development
- Encouraging interdisciplinary innovation
It ensures that research outcomes are not isolated but integrated into broader national systems.
Eligible vs Ineligible Elements
Eligible
- Academic-led interdisciplinary research
- Public-interest applied research
- Collaborative multi-institution studies
- Policy-relevant technical analysis
Not eligible (implied restrictions)
- Projects outside Canada
- Non-aligned thematic proposals
- Non-research commercial development
- Collaborators requesting direct funding
Tips for a Strong Application
- Clearly align with one of the two program initiatives
- Demonstrate interdisciplinary collaboration
- Show real-world application and policy relevance
- Define measurable research outcomes
- Explain integration into CSA research network
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting proposals outside the two focus areas
- Treating project as standalone rather than collaborative
- Weak explanation of policy or standards impact
- Not demonstrating institutional eligibility
- Ignoring collaboration and reporting requirements
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the CSA Explore Research Program?
It is a Canadian funding program supporting interdisciplinary research on freshwater protection and communications resilience.
2. How much funding is available?
Up to CAD $150,000 over a two-year project period.
3. Who can apply?
Principal Investigators affiliated with Canadian publicly funded academic or research institutions.
4. Can international researchers apply?
Not as lead applicants, but they may participate as collaborators.
5. What are the main research themes?
Freshwater systems and communications infrastructure resilience.
6. Is collaboration required?
Yes, participation in cross-project collaboration and meetings is mandatory.
7. What are the expected outputs?
Research Insight Reports and contributions to standards and policy development.
Conclusion
The CSA Explore Research Program 2026 is a structured funding initiative designed to advance interdisciplinary research on Canada’s most critical resilience challenges. By focusing on freshwater protection and communications systems, it connects academic research with real-world policy and standards development.
It is ideal for researchers aiming to produce applied, collaborative, and impact-driven research that contributes directly to national systems resilience.
For more information, visit CSA Group.