National Research Council Canada · Contribution program
International Astronomical Observatories Program
Participation in international collaborations permits Canada to share costs with other international organizations and ensures telescopes will be located in optimal viewing sites. As a result, Canadian researchers have access to world class observatories and participate in collaborative research on international teams. At the same time, Canada profits from opportunities that might not otherwise be available for Canadian researchers and firms to develop instrumentation for large scale international projects.
- Total value
- $340M
- Agreements
- 21
- Mar 2012 to Aug 2026
- Median agreement
- $5.1M
- Typical range
- $4.5M–$7.9M
- the middle half of agreements
Federal grants and contributions, agreements starting Jan 2006 to Oct 2026, each counted once at its latest amended value. Source: Treasury Board proactive disclosure, published October 11, 2026.
See every record for this program on the government’s search. How to apply: look up the program on National Research Council Canada’s website.
Who got it
Organizations with the most funding under this program.
By year
Agreements by the year they started.
| Year | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 | $5.9M |
| 2018 | 1 | $3.6M |
| 2019 | 4 | $22.5M |
| 2020 | 3 | $17.7M |
| 2021 | 4 | $31.6M |
| 2022 | 1 | $86M |
| 2023 | 1 | $4.9M |
| 2024 | 3 | $167M |
| 2025 | 1 | $375K |
| 2026 | 2 | $750K |
By province
By type of recipient
As the department classified the recipient.
| Recipient type | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| International (non-government) | 11 | $183M |
| Government | 6 | $122M |
| Not-for-profit organizations and charities | 2 | $35.1M |
| Academia | 2 | $750K |
Latest agreements
| Start | Recipient | What for | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | Contribution Agreement for SKA ScientistsContribution | $375,000 |
| Jan 2026 | York University | Contribution Agreement for SKA ScientistsContribution | $375,000 |
| Oct 2025 | The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University | Contribution Agreement for SKA ScientistsContribution | $375,000 |
| Apr 2024 | SKA Organization | Contribution to SKA organizationContribution | $127,400,324 |
| Feb 2024 | Digital Research Alliance of Canada | Expansion of the Canadian Advanced Network for Astronomical ResearchContribution | $34,700,000 |
| Jan 2024 | Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation | Tripartite Agreement Charter of Incorporation BylawsContribution | $4,939,809 |
| Jan 2023 | Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation | Tripartite Agreement Charter of Incorporation BylawsContribution | $4,884,642 |
| Jan 2022 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Gemini Agreement for the operation of an 8 meter telescope on Maunakea, Hawai'i and an 8 meter telescope on Cerro Pachón, Chile known as the International Gemini ObservatoryContribution | $86,000,000 |
| Sep 2021 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Gemini Agreement for the operation of an 8 meter telescope on Maunakea, Hawai'i and an 8 meter telescope on Cerro Pachón, Chile known as the International Gemini ObservatoryContribution | $7,853,031 |
| Sep 2021 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Gemini Agreement for the operation of an 8 meter telescope on Maunakea, Hawai'i and an 8 meter telescope on Cerro Pachón, Chile known as the International Gemini ObservatoryContribution | $6,207,439 |
| Jan 2021 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Contribution towards the opearation of Atacama Large Millimeter ArrayContribution | $13,068,000 |
| Jan 2021 | Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation | Tripartite Agreement Charter of Incorporation BylawsContribution | $4,482,800 |
| Oct 2020 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Gemini Agreement for the operation of an 8 meter telescope on Maunakea, Hawai'i and an 8 meter telescope on Cerro Pachón, Chile known as the International Gemini ObservatoryContribution | $8,032,566 |
| Jan 2020 | SKA Organization | Contribution to SKA organizationContribution | $5,109,607 |
| Jan 2020 | Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation | Tripartite Agreement Charter of Incorporation BylawsContribution | $4,559,657 |
| Oct 2019 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Gemini Agreement for the operation of an 8 meter telescope on Maunakea, Hawai'i and an 8 meter telescope on Cerro Pachón, Chile known as the International Gemini ObservatoryContribution | $7,891,652 |
| Jan 2019 | SKA Organization | Contribution to SKA organizationContribution | $4,356,647 |
| Jan 2019 | The National Science Foundation of the United States of America | Gemini Agreement for the operation of an 8 meter telescope on Maunakea, Hawai'i and an 8 meter telescope on Cerro Pachón, Chile known as the International Gemini ObservatoryContribution | $5,768,125 |
| Jan 2019 | Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation | Tripartite Agreement Charter of Incorporation BylawsContribution | $4,492,668 |
| Jan 2018 | SKA Organization | Contribution to SKA organizationContribution | $3,594,725 |
| Mar 2012 | SKA Organization | Contribution to SKA organizationContribution | $5,927,671 |