Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Quarterly Financial Report for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2025

Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and programs

1. Introduction
   1. 1.1 Authority, mandate and programs
   2. 1.2 Basis of presentation
2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year-to-date results
   1. 2.1 Significant changes to budgetary authorities
   2. 2.2 Significant changes to authorities used
3. Risks and uncertainties
4. Significant changes related to operations, personnel and programs
5. Statement of authorities (unaudited)
6. Departmental budgetary expenditures by standard object (unaudited)

1. Introduction

This Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act (FAA), and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board. It should be read in conjunction with the 2025–26 Main Estimates. This report has not been subject to an external audit or review.

1.1 Authority, mandate and programs

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) was established in 1977 by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Act and is a departmental corporation named in Schedule II of the FAA. SSHRC is a funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary research and training in the social sciences and humanities to enhance the economic, social and cultural development of Canada, its communities and regions. Social sciences and humanities research builds knowledge about people in the past and present, to help create a better future.

Further information on SSHRC's mandate and program activities can be found in Part II of the Main Estimates.

1.2 Basis of presentation

Management prepared this quarterly report using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes SSHRC’s spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the agency, consistent with the Main Estimates for the fiscal year 2025-26. This quarterly report has been prepared using a special-purpose financial reporting framework designed to meet financial information needs with respect to the use of spending authorities.

The authority of Parliament is required before the Government of Canada can spend monies. Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through appropriation acts or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes.

SSHRC uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual financial statements that are part of the departmental results reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year-to-date results

This section highlights the significant items that contributed to the change in resources available for the fiscal year, as well as the actual year-to-date expenditures compared with the previous fiscal year.

The following graph provides a comparison of budgetary authorities available for the full fiscal year, and budgetary expenditures by quarter, for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2024-25.

2.1 Significant changes to budgetary authorities

As of June 30, 2025, SSHRC’s total available authorities for fiscal year 2025-26 amounted to $1.3 billion. This represents an overall increase of $130.0 million (10.9%) from the comparative period of the previous year. The major changes in SSHRC’s budgetary authorities between the current and previous fiscal years include:

• An increase of $61.4 million from Budget 2024 to support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers;
• An increase of $58.2 million from Budget 2024 to increase support to core research grants;
• An increase of $3.4 million for the transfer of funds related to the College and Community Innovation program from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), to increase innovation through partnerships between Canadian colleges, universities, and local companies;
• An increase of $2.8 million from Budget 2024 for the new Canada Research Training Awards Suite, to enhance federal support for research and research talent;
• An increase of $2.5 million from Budget 2024 to support Indigenous participation in research.

2.2 Significant changes to authorities used

Year-to-date spending

The following table provides a comparison of cumulative spending by vote for the current and previous fiscal years.

Year-to-date budgetary expenditures used at quarter-end (millions of dollars)	2025-26	2024-25	Variance
Vote 1—Operating expenditures
Personnel (includes contributions to employee benefit plans)	12.2	10.8	1.4
Non-personnel	1.1	1.0	0.1
Vote 5—Grants and scholarships	179.6	162.6	17.0
Total budgetary expenditures	192.9	174.4	18.5

Total budgetary expenditures amounted to $192.9 million at the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2025-26 compared to $174.4 million reported in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Grants and scholarships

At the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2025-26, grant and scholarship expenses increased by $17.0 million compared to those reported in the same period of the previous fiscal year. The increase is due mainly to additional budget authorities (refer to section 2.1) and the timing of award payments.

Operating expenditures

Personnel expenditures, which include contributions to employee benefit plans, have increased by $1.4 million compared to the same period of the previous year, mainly due to the implementation of the new collective agreement (October 2024) and related clauses relative to salary increases.

Total non-personnel expenditures as of the first quarter of fiscal year 2025-26 have remained largely in line with the comparative period of the previous fiscal year. There was a decrease in database access services and software rentals, partially offset by an increase in acquisition of client software, data communication services and travel for stakeholder engagements. See the Departmental budgetary expenditures by standard object table in section 6 for details.

Total authorities used at the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2025-26 ($192.9 million) represent 15% of total available authorities ($1.3 billion).

3. Risks and uncertainties

Through the corporate risk identification exercise, SSHRC produces an annual Corporate Risk Profile that includes strategic risks, risk levels and mitigation activities. SSHRC has linked corporate risk management with its integrated planning process to ensure greater cohesion and executive oversight in delivering its mandate.

The 2025-26 risk assessment exercise provided the level of insight required to properly respond to risk through the allocation of resources, both human and financial, and prioritization of activities. Senior management is closely monitoring three key risks.

Risk 1 - Managing resources

SSHRC’s ability to allocate financial and human resources, including the recruitment and retention of talent, to support new and existing priorities may be limited by the implementation of a new grant management solution and the continued maintenance of SSHRC’s legacy information management and information technology systems compounded with multiple resource pressures facing the organization (e.g., design and delivery of new programs, expanded collaboration with external stakeholders, and the continued adaptation to an evolving environment).

Risk 2 - Managing change

The continued volume, complexity, and uncertainty of changes facing both SSHRC and the research ecosystem, will have a significant impact on SSHRC staff and may challenge SSHRC’s ability to successfully deliver core programming and implement new investments and new structures.

Risk 3 - Managing reputation

SSHRC’s influence and role in the Government of Canada’s science and innovation strategy and the broader research ecosystem is affected by public perceptions of the value of social science and humanities research, which is directly impacted by how well we identify and communicate, in both official languages, the excellence and impact of the research and training we support and build strong partnerships across sectors.

4. Significant changes related to operations, personnel and programs

On March 11, 2025, the three federal research funding agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and SSHRC – announced the launch of the new harmonized tri-agency scholarship and fellowship program, called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) that will open for applications in summer 2025. With the new CRTAS program, the annual number of scholarships and fellowships available to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers will increase by 1,720 awards. This increase will include 300 additional awards at the master’s level, 1,200 at the doctoral level, and 220 at the postdoctoral level. The annual value for these awards will be $27,000 at the master’s level, $40,000 at the doctoral level and $70,000 at the postdoctoral level.

On March 21, 2025, the three federal research funding agencies announced the following new funding opportunities for Indigenous-led research, related to Federal Budget 2024’s commitment to provide $30 million to support and increase Indigenous participation in research:

• Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research Connection Grants (for First Nations and Métis)
• Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants (for First Nations and Métis)
• Inuit Research Network Grant (Phase 3)

The agencies have sought to co-develop, through engagement with Indigenous research partners, new funding opportunities committed to Indigenous self-determination, the decolonization of research, and more equitable access and support for Indigenous organizations and researchers.

Approved by:

Ted Hewitt, PhD
President

Dominique Osterrath
Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Common Administrative Services Directorate

Ottawa, Canada
August 29, 2025

5. Statement of authorities (unaudited)

6. Departmental budgetary expenditures by standard object (unaudited)