Closure of the National Ultra-high Field NMR Facility for Solids

[FFX-ME]

In 2005 the Government of Canada funded the purchase of an 11M $ NMR spectrometer, a powerful instrument used by chemists, physicists, and biologists in order to understand the nature of materials and biological processes. The National Ultra-high field NMR facility in Ottawa was born and became a unique facility that is to this day the highest magnetic field spectrometer dedicated to studying solids. With the advent of this new facility in Ottawa, Canada was now at the forefront in magnetic resonance. Unfortunately, the massive funding cuts by the Harper government have led to the announcement today that the facility must be closed. The 11M $, unique in the world, instument must be shut down since there is no funding to keep the instrument running. This is a gross waste of taxpayer money and a huge loss for science in Canada.

[Norman Bates]

It seems almost as though if it's not in the bible it's not going to get any Harper Government funding.

[FFX-ME]

Tons of facilities such as this are closing across the country since the loss of the MRS program. To move forward, scientists from any field would need to get funding to buy new instruments which is insanely more expensive and wasteful of taxpayer money than to fund existing infrastructure. For example, the facility which is closing cost 11 M $ to open and costs 170 000$ to operate. If a new facility is to open it would cost a second 10M $ instead of the 170 000$ to keep it open.

[Norman Bates]

Stop making sense.

[FFX-ME]

Anyways, for those who speak french the story was covered in Ottawa's french newspaper Le Droit:

http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/actualites-regionales/201411/21/01-4821414-fermeture-du-centre-national-de-resonance-magnetique-nucleaire.php

[FFX-ME]

Country's strongest magnet will soon be shutdown

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/World+strongest+magnet+Canadian+will+soon+shut+down/10409916/story.html