National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships

To help protect Canadian research and intellectual property against foreign influence, espionage and theft, the Government of Canada introduced the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships. These have the goal of ensuring that the Canadian research ecosystem is “as open as possible and as secure as necessary.” The Guidelines integrate national security considerations into the development, evaluation and federal funding of research partnerships.  

The Guidelines currently apply to NSERC Alliance grants where there is a private sector partner. As this policy evolves, these Guidelines will apply to other federal partnership programs. 

Researchers applying to NSERC Alliance must complete a National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ Risk Assessment Form.  This completed form is a component of the Alliance application package.   

The Office of Research is fully committed to assisting researchers in completing their Risk Assessment Forms. This will take the shape of extensive engagement to assess potential risk and, if necessary, to create robust risk mitigation plans.  You can read more about this under “NSERC Risk Assessment Form Process.” 

Advanced Digital Infrastructure Technology

  • Advanced communications technology 
  • Advanced computing technology 
  • Cryptography 
  • Cyber security technology 
  • Data storage technology 
  • Distributed ledger technology 
  • Microelectronics 
  • Next-generation network technology  

Advanced Energy Technology

  • Advanced energy storage technology
  • Advanced nuclear generation technology 
  • Wireless power transfer technology 

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing

Advanced Materials

  • Augmented conventional materials 
  • Auxetic materials 
  • High-entropy materials 
  • Metamaterials 
  • Multifunctional/smart materials 
  • Nanomaterials 
  • Powder materials for additive manufacturing 
  • Superconducting materials 
  • Two-dimensional (2D) materials

Advanced Manufacturing 

  • Additive manufacturing (3D printing) 
  • Advanced semiconductor manufacturing
  • Critical materials manufacturing 
  • Four-dimensional (4D) printing 
  • Nano-manufacturing 
  • Two-dimensional (2D) materials manufacturing 

Advanced Sensing and Surveillance

  • Advanced biometric recognition technologies 
  • Advanced radar technologies 
  • Atomic interferometer sensors 
  • Cross-cueing sensors 
  • Electric field sensors 
  • Imaging and optical devices and sensors 
  • Magnetic field sensors (or magnetometers) 
  • Micro (or nano) electro-mechanical systems (M/NEMS) 
  • Position, navigation and timing (PNT) technology 
  • Side scan sonar 
  • Synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) 
  • Underwater (wireless) sensor network 

Advanced Weapons

Aerospace, Space and Satellite Technology

  • Advanced wind tunnels 
  • On-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing systems 
  • Payloads
  • Propulsion technologies 
  • Satellites 
  • Space-based positioning, navigation and timing technology 
  • Space stations 
  • Zero-emission/fuel aircraft 

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Technology

  • AI chipsets 
  • Computer vision 
  • Data science and big data technology 
  • Digital twin technology 
  • Machine learning (ML) 
  • Natural language processing 

Human-Machine Integration

  • Brain-computer interfaces
  • Exoskeletons
  • Neuroprosthetic/cybernetic devices 
  • Virtual/augmented/mixed reality 
  • Wearable neurotechnology 

Life Science Technology

Biotechology

  • Biomanufacturing 
  • Genomic sequencing and genetic engineering  
  • Proteomics 
  • Synthetic biology 

Medical and Healthcare Technology

  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) medical countermeasures 
  • Gene therapy 
  • Nanomedicine 
  • Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine 

Quantum Science and Technology

  • Quantum communications 
  • Quantum computing 
  • Quantum materials 
  • Quantum sensing 
  • Quantum software 

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

  • Molecular (or nano) robotics 
  • (Semi-)autonomous/uncrewed aerial/ground/marine vehicles 
  • Service robots 
  • Space robotics 

Research partnerships focused on critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure refers to processes, systems, facilities, technologies, networks, assets and services essential to the health, safety, security or economic well-being of Canadians and the effective functioning of government. For more information on Canada’s critical infrastructure, see National Infrastructure and Action Plan for Critical Infrastructure