Canada’s CRTI: R&D to Deal With WMD & Terrorism

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) announced a federal investment of more than C$ 48.8 million (about $45 million) for 29 new projects under the Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI). These projects will address diverse requirements such as the development of more rapid, accurate and portable tools to detect chemical, biological and radiological agents, the fast-track development of an antiviral drug against Avian influenza, and the enhancement of decision-making support tools that assist the first responder and national security communities in coordinating a more efficient response to CBRNE incidents.

Canadian government departments and agencies working on this round of projects include DRDC, Department of National Defence, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Environment Canada, Health Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, National Research Council of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Projects funded under this round include:

Research and Technology Development projects:

# Canadian Food Inspection Agency will lead the development of rapid diagnostic technologies and methods for early detection of Rift Valley Fever virus in animals and humans (06-0138RD).
# Health Canada will lead the expansion of the network of laboratories established through the National Biological Dosimetry Response Plan (06-0146RD).
# DRDC Ottawa will lead a study of how radioactive materials interact and migrate between urban surfaces in different environmental conditions (06-0156RD).
# Environment Canada will lead the research and development of a novel chemical process developed by Queen’s University that will improve methods for decontaminating buildings, equipment and soil after the detonation of a chemical weapon (06-0170RD).
# National Research Council Canada will lead the development of a personal, wearable dosimeter tool that will measure DNA damage caused by exposure to radiation (06-0186RD).
# DRDC Suffield will lead the assessment of over 50 improvised explosives devices (IEDs) to create a database that will provide investigators and first responder communities with timely access to accurate information on IEDs (06-0204RD).
# The National Microbiology Laboratory will lead the evaluation of an improved vaccine against the Ebola virus (06-0218RD).
# Health Canada will lead the development of bioassay tests for the rapid detection of Polonium-210 and Strontium-90 in humans who have been exposed to radiation (06-0230RD).
# The Canada Security Intelligence Service will lead the development of protocols for explosion modeling that will be used to assess the impact of explosions on structures and people in real-world urban scenarios (06-0252RD).
# The Royal Military College of Canada will lead the development of a new all-hazard filter canister for respiratory devices used to protect First Responders responding to a CBRNE event (06-0283RD).

Technology Acceleration projects:

# The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will lead the design, development and implementation of four advanced CBRNE training courses for explosives technicians (06-0159TA).
# Environment Canada will lead the modification of CASCADTM (Canadian Aqueous System for Chemical-Biological Agent Decontamination) to improve its efficiency in decontaminating materials exposed to radiation (06-0169TA).
# National Resources Canada will lead the modification of a number of existing technologies to improve security measures against unwanted entry into explosives storage areas (06-0171TA).
# DRDC Ottawa will lead the development of a portable optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) detector that could be used to determine the source of radiation and level of exposure (06-0188TA).
# The University of Ottawa Heart Institute will lead the improvement and deployment of Advanced Syndromic Surveillance and Emergency Triage (ASSET), a system that monitors information from various sources to identify disease outbreaks (06-0234TA).
# The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will lead a project to integrate information on IEDs into the current military Combat Information and Detection (CID) system to enable information sharing between military and civilian sources (06-0236TA).
# The AMITA Corporation will lead the development of a centralized, deployable, electronic, medical and casualty management command post system that will assist municipal, provincial and federal authorities in managing a health care crisis (06-0255TA).
# DRDC Suffield will lead a project that aims to combine a new polymer nanocomposite barrier with other polymers to create a light-weight, high-strength chemically-resistant material that could be used in equipment and clothes to better protect First Responders in a CBRNE incident (06-0299TA).

Technology Demonstration projects:

# Public Works and Government Services Canada will lead the development of an integrated risk assessment tool kit to assist in preparing federal buildings against blasts (06-0150TD).
# Health Canada will lead the development and implementation of enhancements to the ARGOS/EMAP decision support system platform that will improve how organizations who play a role in the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan respond to a radiological-nuclear incident (06-0163TD).
# National Research Council Canada will lead the development and testing, in an operational setting, of a fully functional portable instrument for the rapid and reliable detection of biological agents (06-0187TD).
# Royal Military College of Canada will lead the development and testing of new approaches for training First Responders in the maintenance and safe use of respiratory equipment during a CBRNE incident (06-0192TD).
# DRDC Valcartier will lead the development and deployment of a compact, portable device for the rapid detection of biological threats in aerosol form (06-0202TD).
# The University of Ottawa will lead the development of computer-based training to better prepare decision-makers and First Responders for managing the psychosocial effects of a CBRNE incident (06-0259TD).
# The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will lead a project to integrate small radiation sensors with Motorola two-radio radios used by First Responders in order to rapidly detect radiation at the scene (06-0275TD).
# DRDC Suffield will lead a project to fast track the development of a nasal spray antiviral drug to protect First Responders, military and civilian communities against Avian influenza (06-0301TD).
# The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will lead the development of an integrated and expandable CBRNE Crime Scene Support Tool for police, emergency medical personnel and hazardous material personnel (06-0317TD).
# The University of Ottawa will lead the development and adaptation of software for maintaining a comprehensive database of chemicals, standardizing the management of chemical inventories across institutions, and improving tracking of chemicals in Canada (06-0318TD).
# DRDC Toronto will lead the development of standards and guidelines that will improve the protection against heat-injury and asphyxiation of personnel wearing personal protective equipment or self-contained breathing apparatus (06-0319TD).

CRTI was originally launched in May 2002 as a 5-year initiative to enhance Canada’s capacity to prevent, prepare for, and respond to CBRNE terrorist threats, receiving $170 million from the 2001 Public Security and Anti-Terrorism budget and funding 136 completed projects. In December 2006, the CRTI received funding for an additional 5 years and has expanded its mandate to include an explosives cluster and a focus on the development of dual-use technologies. CRTI is now administered by the Centre for Security Science, a collaborative initiative between DRDC and Public Safety Canada that was created in 2006.

Additional Readings

• Canada DND (June 15/07) – Government of Canada Provides Over $48.8 Million for Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology Projects

• Canada DND (June 15/07) – Backgrounder: CRTI Funds Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology