Building Canada’s Future: Investing in Geoscience Education

Canada stands at a pivotal moment in its pursuit of national goals related to climate resilience, critical minerals, clean energy, and sustainable infrastructure. Yet, a critical bottleneck threatens progress: the declining investment in both earth science and geoscience (in Canada, geoscience is the application of earth science principles for public protection). Without a robust support for the development of qualified geoscientists, Canada risks falling short of its federal aspirations over the next five years and beyond. 

Geoscientists are foundational to many sectors that underpin Canada’s economy and environmental stewardship. From resource evaluation and extraction to groundwater management, hazard identification, and climate science, their expertise is indispensable. In 2023 alone, Canada’s minerals and metals sector — initiated and powered by thousands of Geoscientists — contributed $117 billion to the national GDP, representing 6% of the total. When indirect effects are included, this figure rises to $159 billion.  

 Geoscience professionals are not just economic drivers; they are enablers of national priorities such as critical mineral strategies, green infrastructure, clean energy, affordable housing, and climate change mitigation.

Despite this central role, geoscience remains marginalized in Canada’s education system. K–12 students rarely get exposure to geoscience career pathways, and post-secondary enrollment in geoscience programs has plummeted since 2015. This decline comes at a time when federal and provincial governments are emphasizing domestic sourcing of critical minerals, potable water access, and housing construction. The result is a shrinking talent pool, compounded by the looming retirement of 20% of the current geoscience workforce.

This talent gap threatens Canada’s ability to deliver on projects of national interest. College and university programs are being underfunded or shuttered, disproportionately affecting marginalized and underrepresented groups. Without intervention, Canada risks losing its edge in responsible resource development and environmental leadership.

To address this challenge, a multi-pronged strategy is needed:

1. Expand Outreach Funding: Scale up support for existing geoscience outreach organizations such as Geoscientists Canada, the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences, the Canadian Geoscience Education Network, and Mining Matters. These programs are high-quality and well-regarded but require exponential replication to meet current needs.
2. Elevate Public Awareness: Canadian-based research into public perceptions of geoscience is required, along with the development of evidence-based strategies to attract youth and second-career applicants to geoscience education and careers.
3. Support Innovation: Investment in geoscience innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence applications, modeling, and reprocessing of mineral waste for use in technologies like cell phones, batteries, and wind turbines. This will help Canada maintain its leadership in sustainable resource development.
4. Strengthen K–12 and Post-Secondary Education: Targeted support is required to stabilize and grow geoscience programs at all educational levels, ensuring a sustainable domestic talent pool.
5. Develop Retraining Tools: Creation of resources to help professionals transition between sectors during market shifts, enhancing workforce resilience and retaining talent in the resource sector.
6. Enabling Early Risk Evaluation: Development of tools that incorporate sustainability, UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), and environmental goals early in the project assessments. This will reduce delays and friction in projects of national interest.
7. Advancement of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA): Reduction of systemic barriers by supporting inclusive hiring practices, leadership development, and accessibility improvements in educational and professional settings. Targeted EDIA initiatives will ensure broader participation in geoscience.

To catalyze these changes, NSERC budgets may be allocated in part for the next 5 years toward geoscience education and outreach. At the same time, changing the requirements to allow both research and outreach in one proposal rather than separated as two would improve efficiency. This investment/reallocation would unlock Canada’s potential to meet its federal goals in critical minerals, climate resilience, and sustainable development. 

Canada’s future depends on a skilled, diverse, and innovative geoscience workforce. By investing in education and outreach today, we can ensure that tomorrow’s challenges are met with expertise, equity, and excellence.

About Geoscientists Canada

Geoscientists Canada is the umbrella organization representing the geoscience regulatory Members. The Members license over 12,000 geoscientists of the geoscience profession throughout all jurisdictions of Canada except Yukon and Prince Edward Island. As the only national voice for the geoscience profession, our organization is committed to collaborating with the federal government to help inform and develop legislation, regulations, and policies. Geoscientists Canada commits to this engagement to shape a positive future for geoscience in Canada and is ready to work with the federal government to achieve this.