The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) handed down $2,264,612 to post-secondary institutions across the country for encouraging vaccine confidence. .The NSERC is a Government of Canada agency that supports "discovery and innovation." ."We work with universities, colleges, businesses and not-for-profits to remove barriers, develop opportunities and attract new expertise to make Canada’s research community thrive," reads its website.."We give Canadian scientists and engineers the means to go further because we believe in research without borders and beyond frontiers.".In June 2021, registered non-profits, post-secondary institutions, and non-federal museum or science centres were encouraged to submit a detailed application describing activities that will "promote the acceptance of vaccines" for the chance to win a grant of up to $50,000..By far, the University of Windsor took the largest amount, winning a grant total of nearly $200,000 with four different submissions..The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, ON, scored two grants totalling nearly $100,000; one with its proposal 'Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence: Educating the Educators,' and one for its proposal titled 'Stop COVID in Kids — School based vaccine education outreach to build trust and empower families.' .McMaster University also won two grants taking in more than $95,000; one focused on "encouraging vaccine confidence among pregnant and breastfeeding Canadians," and the other for its proposal entitled 'Immune Nations: The Vaccine Project.' .Two grants were awarded to the Public Health Association of BC; one focusing on vaccinations for children, the other with a focus on COVID-19 vaccination in the South Asian community. .Other post-secondaries were granted two awards including the University of Waterloo and the University of Calgary. .The University of British Columbia scooped up $50,000 with its proposal, 'Promoting Vaccine Confidence in Canada through TikTok,' and Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre took $50,000 with its proposal 'A Nudge for COVID Vaccine Confidence.' .Calgary's Mount Royal University collected nearly $50,000 for its proposal, 'Encouraging Vaccine Confidence in School-aged Children Across Western Canada.' The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon also took more than $48,000 for its 'COVID-19 Basics/Diagnosis/Treatment' proposal. .Although Western University was not named as a beneficiary of any of the "vaccine confidence" grant money from the federal government, it recently announced it was hardlining on its mandatory vaccination policy requiring all students and staff to have taken a COVID-19 booster shot before being permitted on the London, ON campus this fall. .READ MORE: Ontario university enacts COVID-19 booster mandate, reinstates mask requirement.The University of Toronto announced July 21 it will require students staying in residence buildings to have taken three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine..READ MORE: Toronto university mandates booster shots for students living in residences
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) handed down $2,264,612 to post-secondary institutions across the country for encouraging vaccine confidence. .The NSERC is a Government of Canada agency that supports "discovery and innovation." ."We work with universities, colleges, businesses and not-for-profits to remove barriers, develop opportunities and attract new expertise to make Canada’s research community thrive," reads its website.."We give Canadian scientists and engineers the means to go further because we believe in research without borders and beyond frontiers.".In June 2021, registered non-profits, post-secondary institutions, and non-federal museum or science centres were encouraged to submit a detailed application describing activities that will "promote the acceptance of vaccines" for the chance to win a grant of up to $50,000..By far, the University of Windsor took the largest amount, winning a grant total of nearly $200,000 with four different submissions..The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, ON, scored two grants totalling nearly $100,000; one with its proposal 'Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence: Educating the Educators,' and one for its proposal titled 'Stop COVID in Kids — School based vaccine education outreach to build trust and empower families.' .McMaster University also won two grants taking in more than $95,000; one focused on "encouraging vaccine confidence among pregnant and breastfeeding Canadians," and the other for its proposal entitled 'Immune Nations: The Vaccine Project.' .Two grants were awarded to the Public Health Association of BC; one focusing on vaccinations for children, the other with a focus on COVID-19 vaccination in the South Asian community. .Other post-secondaries were granted two awards including the University of Waterloo and the University of Calgary. .The University of British Columbia scooped up $50,000 with its proposal, 'Promoting Vaccine Confidence in Canada through TikTok,' and Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre took $50,000 with its proposal 'A Nudge for COVID Vaccine Confidence.' .Calgary's Mount Royal University collected nearly $50,000 for its proposal, 'Encouraging Vaccine Confidence in School-aged Children Across Western Canada.' The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon also took more than $48,000 for its 'COVID-19 Basics/Diagnosis/Treatment' proposal. .Although Western University was not named as a beneficiary of any of the "vaccine confidence" grant money from the federal government, it recently announced it was hardlining on its mandatory vaccination policy requiring all students and staff to have taken a COVID-19 booster shot before being permitted on the London, ON campus this fall. .READ MORE: Ontario university enacts COVID-19 booster mandate, reinstates mask requirement.The University of Toronto announced July 21 it will require students staying in residence buildings to have taken three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine..READ MORE: Toronto university mandates booster shots for students living in residences
