Organization Profile - International Development Research Centre

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a public corporation created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help developing countries use science and technology to find practical, long-term solutions to the social, economic, and environmental problems they face. Support is directed toward developing an indigenous research capacity to sustain policies and technologies that developing countries need to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies.

International Development Research Centre Act

The Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre is composed of a Chairperson, the President and not more than 12 other governors.

The Chairperson of the Board shall be appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office during pleasure for a term not exceeding five years.

The President shall be appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Board to hold office during pleasure for a term not exceeding five years.

Each of the governors, other than the Chairperson and the President, shall be appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office during pleasure for such term not exceeding four years as will ensure as far as possible the expiration in any one year of the terms of appointment of fewer than half of the governors.

Any retiring governor is eligible for re-appointment to the Board in the same or another capacity.

The Board shall elect one of the governors to be Vice-Chairperson of the Board.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the Chairperson, or if the office of Chairperson is vacant, the Vice-Chairperson of the Board has all the duties and may perform all the functions of the Chairperson.

The President is the chief executive officer of the Centre and has supervision over and direction of the work and staff of the Centre.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the President, or if the office of President is vacant, the Board may authorize an officer of the Centre to act as President, but no person so authorized shall act as President for a period exceeding sixty days without the approval of the Governor in Council.

The Governor in Council may, on any terms and conditions that the Governor in Council prescribes, appoint a temporary substitute governor if a governor, other than the Chairperson or President, is unable to perform the duties of his or her office.

Where the office of a governor becomes vacant during the term of the governor appointed thereto, the Governor in Council may appoint a person to that office for the remainder of that term.

The Chairperson, the Vice-chairperson and at least six other governors must be Canadian citizens.

At least eight of the governors must have experience in the field of international development or experience or training in the natural or social sciences or technology.

Two of the governors who are Canadian citizens, other than the Chairperson and the Vice-chairperson, may be appointed from among the members of the Senate or the House of Commons.