Indigenous-led Research Call for Proposals: Multi-Partner Research Initiative (Canada)

The initiative gathers leading researchers and knowledge holders, domestically and internationally, to design and collaborate on research questions related to the fate, behaviour, potential impacts and mitigation/remediation of oil spills in offshore, coastal and onshore environments oil spill research.

Projects funded under the MPRI aim to:

• increase knowledge about the impact of spills on flora and fauna;
• develop new technologies and protocols for clean-up;
• support evidence-based knowledge for making decisions that minimize impacts to the environment and optimize habitat recovery;
• provide opportunities for participation and training of the next generation of oil spill scientists and responders (e.g., students and young professionals);
• involve oil spill responders and decision-makers to ensure practical applicability of research; and
• mobilize knowledge for both technical and general audiences.

To advance the inclusion of Indigenous voices in oil spill response research, preparedness, and decision-making, the MPRI will be funding Indigenous-led or focused research collaborations. The aim of these collaborations is to bridge, braid, or weave science and Indigenous methodologies in oil spill response research to advance knowledge and technology to better respond to oil spills in marine, coastal and freshwater environments. The purpose of this call is to fund projects that support an effective and inclusive spill preparedness and response regime.

Priority Areas

The MPRI is currently seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) for multi-disciplinary, multi-partner research projects to investigate one or more of the following research themes:

• Theme 1: Fate, behaviour and transport of oil in the environment
  • Research to better understand what happens to oil when it is released in the environment, how it changes or breaks down over time, how it moves and where it ends up.
• Theme 2: In-situ burning and Spill Treating Agents
  • Improving knowledge on the effectiveness and impacts of in-situ burning and Spill Treating Agents to add in decision-making.
    • In-situ burning: removing of spilled oil by igniting and burning it under controlled conditions.
    • Spill Treating Agents: products, including dispersants and surface washing agents, that help clean spilled oil by changing how it behaves in the environment.
• Theme 3: Oil detection and monitoring
  • Improving technologies and techniques for detecting and characterizing oil in the environment during a spill.
• Theme 4: Biological effects of oil
  • Studying the biological effects and impacts of oil and spill response measures on populations, communities, and ecosystems.
• Theme 5: Physical recovery of oil
  • Improving technologies or techniques for removing oil using mechanical or physical techniques such as sorbents or booming and skimming. This includes research on decanting technologies, which is the process of separating water and oil after they are collected during booming and skimming.
• Theme 6: Planning and decision-making
  • Advancing data accessibility and mobilization tools, including Artificial Intelligence applications, to enhance the precision and accuracy of predictive models and decision-making by oil spill responders.

Funding

• The Department will consider single-year and multi-year proposals (maximum 3 fiscal years beginning April 1, 2024).
• Projects must be completed on or before March 31, 2027.
• The total NRCan contribution for:
  • Indigenous organizations or groups may be up to 100% of eligible costs per project
  • For-profit recipients shall not exceed 50% of the eligible costs per project
  • All other recipients shall not exceed 75% of eligible costs per project

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects may:

• Be science pathways based,
• Be Indigenous knowledge based, or
• Bridge, braid, or weave Indigenous methodologies and science pathways.

Eligible Applicants

• Eligible recipients are:
  • Indigenous individuals and entities in Canada, including:
    • Indigenous communities and governments
    • Tribal councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (e.g., general council)
    • National and regional Indigenous organizations
    • Indigenous (majority owned) organizations or for-profit businesses.
  • Non-Indigenous entities, who are working with, or on behalf of, one or more above endorsing Indigenous partner organization(s), including:
    • Not-for-profit organizations
    • Academia and research associations
    • Provincial, territorial, municipal and regional governments
    • For-profit businesses
• Note: Projects led by non-Indigenous entities must include at least one eligible Indigenous organization as a partner (co-lead) (letter(s) of endorsement required) and involve direct meaningful Indigenous involvement and capacity building.

For more information, visit Natural Resources Canada.