Funds allocated within the Research Facilities category assisted in providing technical support in the central Lakehead University Instrumentation Laboratory and Paleo-DNA Laboratory.  This centralized facility serves researchers and graduate students and provides access to the fundamental tools needed for modern research and training. In addition to these expenditures, this allocation partially supported a Project Manager in Physical Plant, as well as custodial, security and maintenance attributable to research space on campus. Affiliated research institutions (Northern Ontario School of Medicine and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute TBRHRI) invested their share of the RSF into laboratory technical support and laboratory operations. Indirect Costs invested in Research Facilities built research capacity, allowed sharing of infrastructure in centrally managed laboratory facilities, making compelling arguments for external funding investments at Lakehead University.

RSF funds allocated within Research Resources ensured the continuation of Lakehead’s participation in the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) allowing the library to significantly increase the number of digital scholarly resources it provides to researchers in the sciences, engineering, health and environmental disciplines. The RSF grant also covers insurance on university-owned research vehicles and field research equipment.

The RSF funding was utilized to offset the salaries in support of managing and providing administrative support towards the university’s research enterprise in numerous units such as: Office of the Vice-President (Research and Innovation), Office of Research Services, Office of Financial Services, Economic Development and Innovation, Human Resources and administrative support to eligible centre-initiated tri-council funded Research Centres. The RSF continues to be used to support the salaries of research facilitators in the Office of Research Services; these positions have had a positive impact on Lakehead’s success rates in tri-council granting competitions.  In addition, the RSF supported a number of research databases and subscriptions, including MITACs, COS Pivot, and the ROMEO research information system that tracks grant applications, certifications and awards.  In addition, funds were allocated for research communications and promotion initiatives, including Research and Innovation Week 2018.

Funds invested in this category assisted in providing management and technical support to animal facilities, including the Lakehead University Animal Care Facility, training of animal care technicians and training of Research Ethics Board members and support staff. The RSF also supported salaries associated with administering the Research Ethics Board, Animal Care Committee, and the Biosafety program. The RSF ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements as well as the health and safety of human participants in research, animals and employees. Ethical compliance is a condition of eligibility to receive Tri-Council Funding.  Lakehead received its CCAC GAP certificate as a result of a successful CCAC site visit in 2016.

The RSF offsets a portion of the operating costs to run a dedicated Economic Development and Innovation office that provides support & expertise in ensuring all aspects of intellectual property and partnerships with the private sector are effectively managed.  Within this dedicated office, the following supports are provided: intellectual property and industry contracts management, invention/patent administration, technology licensing, industry partnership development and support for the establishment of start-up companies based on university technologies and process improvements.  In addition, the EDI is actively involved in mentoring student and faculty entrepreneurs in collaboration with the Lakehead PIE program administered through the Faculty of Business.