Natural Resources Canada · Contribution program
Multi-Partner Research Initiative - Oceans Protection Plan
The objective of the external science MPRI program is to continue to advance oil spill research in Canada to enhance Canada’s level of preparedness and response by leveraging new collaborative research with some of the world’s best researchers, both domestically and internationally.
- Total value
- $24.8M
- Agreements
- 33
- Jul 2023 to Dec 2025
- Median agreement
- $647K
- Typical range
- $346K–$903K
- 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 Natural Resources 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 17 | $15.5M |
| 2024 | 8 | $5.9M |
| 2025 | 8 | $3.4M |
By province
| Province or territory | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Canada or not stated | 8 | $9.4M |
| Quebec | 5 | $3.7M |
| Ontario | 4 | $2.5M |
| Nova Scotia | 3 | $2.3M |
| British Columbia | 5 | $2.2M |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 3 | $1.7M |
| Manitoba | 2 | $1.4M |
| Alberta | 2 | $1.1M |
| New Brunswick | 1 | $646K |
By type of recipient
As the department classified the recipient.
| Recipient type | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Academia | 27 | $22M |
| Indigenous recipients | 6 | $2.8M |
Latest agreements
| Start | Recipient | What for | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | Concordia University | INTERNATIONAL OIL SPILL SCIENCE CONFERENCEContribution | $346,000 |
| Dec 2025 | Cedre | Fresh-NH3 - Freshwater Risk Evaluation and Spill Hazard of AmmoniaContribution | $200,000 |
| Mar 2025 | Nunatsiavut Government | Investigating Polycyclic Aromatic Compound (PAC) Contaminants in Wild Food in NunatsiavutContribution | $506,346 |
| Feb 2025 | Manitoba Métis Federation Inc. | Red River Métis Oil Spill Impact Study and Response PlanContribution | $483,783 |
| Feb 2025 | Great Bear Initiative Society | Building Environmental Unit decision-support tools for responding to oil spills that incorporate BC First Nations knowledge, traditions, laws, and priorities for human, community and ecological healthContribution | $667,172 |
| Feb 2025 | Cedre | Joint Industrial Partnership for controlled ammonia releases at sea – Assessment of sensors for monitoring ammonia gas dissolution and design of a field measurement chainsContribution | $299,000 |
| Jan 2025 | Kcfn Maina And Campground Limited Partnership | Vulnerability assessment on health equity through the impacts of oil spills on traditional food systemsContribution | $688,713 |
| Jan 2025 | Uchicklesaht Tribe Government | A study of seaward transport and probability of grounding in the Maa-nulth Domestic Fishing AreaContribution | $207,397 |
| Dec 2024 | The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq | An investigation into identifying culturally, ecologically, and economically important marine and coastal sites to Mainland Mi'kmaq communities, including enhancing oil spill response and prevention capabilitiesContribution | $199,716 |
| Feb 2024 | Concordia University | BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FATE AND BEHAVIOR OF HYDROCARBONS TO IMPROVE THE FIGHT AGAINST SPILLS ON THE CANADIAN ESTUARY COASTSContribution | $1,031,000 |
| Feb 2024 | Concordia University | BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FATE AND BEHAVIOR OF HYDROCARBONS TO IMPROVE THE FIGHT AGAINST SPILLS ON THE CANADIAN ESTUARY COASTSContribution | $1,000,000 |
| Feb 2024 | Concordia University | DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF IMPROVED, LOW-TOXIC SURFACE WASHING AGENTS FOR CONTROLLING SHORE SPILLSContribution | $550,000 |
| Jan 2024 | Dalhousie University | ADVANCING THE MONITORING, RESPONSE, AND ASSESSMENT OF OIL SPILLS WITH AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF AUTONOMOUS MARINE VEHICLES, IN-SITU OIL SENSORS, AND MODELSContribution | $980,731 |
| Jan 2024 | Dalhousie University | ADVANCING THE MONITORING, RESPONSE, AND ASSESSMENT OF OIL SPILLS WITH AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF AUTONOMOUS MARINE VEHICLES, IN-SITU OIL SENSORS, AND MODELSContribution | $1,100,000 |
| Jan 2024 | The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | Release of Oily Decanted Water: Spatial Distribution and Toxicity of the Resulting PlumeContribution | $215,000 |
| Jan 2024 | The Governing Council of the University of Toronto | Advancing Porous Materials With High Efficiency and Reusability Towards Practical Decanted Warer TreatmentContribution | $800,000 |
| Oct 2023 | Texas A & M University - Kingsville | UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLE WITH MODULAR DESIGN AND MULTI-LEVEL SENSING CAPACITY FOR OIL SPILL DETECTION, MONITORING, AND SAMPLINGContribution | $120,000 |
| Oct 2023 | Memorial University of Newfoundland | DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF NEXT-GENERATION DISPERSANTS FOR APPLICATION IN CANADIAN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTSContribution | $800,000 |
| Oct 2023 | Lakeland College | DEVELOPMENT OF FERROCENE-BASED SYSTEMS FOR SMOKE REDUCTION, ENHANCED BURN EFFICIENCY AND TRAINING IN THEIR USEContribution | $250,000 |
| Oct 2023 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | CONSORTIUM FOR EVALUATION OF MECHANISMS OF OIL FATE AND TRANSPORT AND RESPONSE ACTIONS (CEMOR): EMULSION, OIL PARTICLE AGGREGATES, UNDERWATER RELEASE, AND THREE DIMENSIONAL MODELINGContribution | $3,100,000 |
| Oct 2023 | McGill University | DEVELOPMENT OF BIOREMEDIATION AND NATURAL ATTENUATION STRATEGIES FOR ARCTIC MARINE BEACHES CONTAMINATED WITH HYDROCARBONSContribution | $723,902 |
| Oct 2023 | Queen’s University | Contribution | $850,000 |
| Aug 2023 | The University of Western Ontario | DEVELOPMENT OF SMOKE SUPPRESSANTS FOR IN-SITU BURNING OF OIL SPILLED IN INLAND WATERSContribution | $599,956 |
| Aug 2023 | University of Northern British Columbia | DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF NEXT-GENERATION ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DECANTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR ON-SITE OIL/WATER SEPARATION AND DISPOSALContribution | $833,500 |
| Aug 2023 | The University of British Columbia | REFINING ATLANTIS TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL UNEXPECTED CONTAMINANT RISKS TO EVALUATE THE RESILIENCE OF THE SALISH SEAContribution | $257,044 |