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Facilities at Core of New Agreement

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It’s like offering researchers a free cellphone roaming package, but for lab use.

In a move to begin reshaping the research landscape in Southern Ontario, Western and McMaster have signed an agreement that provides shared access to 13 leading research facilities across both institutions.

The unique partnership is more than a logistical arrangement – it’s a vision for a more connected, collaborative and resilient research ecosystem, leaders at Western and McMaster say.

Researchers at both institutions are now able to tap into a broader array of world-class infrastructure, unlocking potential and innovation across disciplines.

“Collaboration is the key to accelerating outcomes,” said Penny Pexman, Western’s Vice-President (Research). “The more we come together as individuals and institutions to leverage investments and remove barriers to success, the more productive we can be in addressing the questions that matter most in our region and to our country.”

McMaster researchers gain access to seven advanced facilities at Western, including the Biotron, Surface Science Western and the ImPaKT Facility. Meanwhile, Western researchers now have access to six premier McMaster platforms, such as the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy, the McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute and the Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy.

These spaces are known as core research platforms – facilities with specialized equipment or technical expertise that’s essential for advancing basic research and competing on the global stage. Not only does the reciprocal model provide equal access, it allows researchers to pay the same rates as those affiliated with the host institution, removing financial barriers that often hinder cross-institutional collaboration.

Shared use between the two universities will help further the goals of the core research platforms, which include fostering interdisciplinary research and providing opportunities for new discoveries. Higher utilization of the facilities, thanks to the new partnership, will increase their financial and operational sustainability. It also helps ensure investments by the Research Support Fund in hardware, technical staff and facility renewal benefit a growing number of researchers and industry partners across southwestern Ontario.

Strategic collaborations like these hold the key to future research impact across sectors, ultimately benefiting Canadians.

The Western-McMaster partnership is a first step in a larger strategy to develop a regional node of cores with other institutions in the area. Launched as a three-year pilot project in 2025, the partnership has the potential to grow by expanding to new facilities over time.