Research and Knowledge Initiative

On this page

• Overview
• Funded projects
• Completed projects
• Call for proposals (closed)
• Important resources
  • Applicant guide
  • Frequently asked questions
• Contact us

Overview

Launched in 2019, the Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI) is a national merit-based contributions funding program from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada that funds projects focused on key Government of Canada research and data priorities related to housing, infrastructure and communities.

Improving our understanding of housing and infrastructure, how they intersect and the dynamics that drive effective and responsive solutions in Canada, will be essential to build and maintain livable, resilient communities. More and better research and data on housing and infrastructure can facilitate innovative approaches, empower citizens, as well as further community resilience and sustainability. Improved research and data can also inform national, regional and local decision-making and governance.

Funded projects

To date, the RKI has provided approximately $20 million in funding towards projects, such as:

• Through its latest call for proposals, $10 million to support projects selected under the theme of "Research and Solutions for Canadian Housing and Infrastructure Needs". Further information will be forthcoming.
• Through its first call for proposals, $6 million to support twelve projects selected under the theme of "Cultivating Community Data and Research to Inform Public Infrastructure Decision-making." Learn more about the twelve projects.
• Approximately $4 million to support two additional priority projects:
• The Data for Canadian Cities Pilot.
• The Infrastructure Assessment methodology project.

Completed projects

To date, the following projects have been completed because of funding received through the RKI. Those interested in the completed projects, are invited to consult the resources below that have been developed. This list will continue to be updated as projects reach completion.

• $600,000 to support the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD) with the development of a Canadian methodology for a publicly available, jurisdiction-wide infrastructure assessment.
• $3 million to support the Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project, led by the World Council on City Data (WCCD), which aims to build municipal data capacity to plan and implement their public infrastructure investments.
• $600,000 to support the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) with the development of an online platform, Measuring Main Streets that hosts research, case studies and interactive tools including a Main Street Mapping Tool.
• $259,655 to support the New Brunswick Environmental Network to develop an online tool, benefits and costs for Nature Based Climate Solutions (NBCS), to identify areas suitable for natural and nature-based infrastructure conservation or implementation based on the net-benefits for climate risk mitigation.

Call for proposals (closed)

The call for proposals for the latest phase of the Research and Knowledge Initiative focused on applied research that includes or examines specific interventions and that contributes to solutions for addressing Canadian housing and infrastructure needs. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada was particularly seeking proposals for research projects that investigate innovative and practical solutions – especially related to housing but may also address other infrastructure issues for communities – that respond to key concerns such as affordability, equity in access, and/or adaptability to changing needs, including climate change and demographic change.

Priorities for this phase of research focus on projects that:

• Test or evaluate solutions on a pilot basis, or undertake proof of concept analysis to study solutions in action, with robust methodology;
• Investigate replication or scalability of solutions in different provinces, municipalities, communities or regions;
• Develop and assess the application of new science, data, or technology; or
• Extract and evaluate lessons and uptake feasibilities from practical innovations including outside of Canada.

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada has allocated a maximum of $10 million in total contributions for this call for proposals. Funded projects and their activities must be scoped for completion between Summer 2024 and March 31, 2026. The call for proposals is now closed. The deadline to apply was February 12, 2024.

Important resources

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact: RKI-IRC@infc.gc.ca.

If you are interested in receiving updates about the Research and Knowledge Initiative, please send us an email to subscribe to our Mailing List. You will receive a confirmation message once you are included.