Running pattern detector against the corpus
The dataset shows contracts that started small and grew at least threefold through amendments — surfacing procurement relationships that may have outgrown their original justification.
Glassbox surfaces correlations and observations, not findings of misconduct. Severity is a calibrated read on how strongly the dataset matches the pattern definition — a starting point for review, not a verdict.
The match meets the pattern threshold but the signal is the lower band. Normal review queue.
The match exceeds the routine threshold. Worth a closer look — pull the source rows, walk the citation.
The match is in the highest band of the calibrated scale. Recommend: prioritise for active review.
Severity is computed from the detection signal · agreement_value is cumulative (F-3): original = amendment-0 row ≥ $100K · final = highest-amendment row · final/original ≥ 3.0 AND ≥ p90 of growth ratios among amended agreements in the same program · ≥ 1 amendment row · chains keyed by (ref_number, BN|legal name) per F-1 · signal = growth ratio
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4130 (Gagné, Louis · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $1,000,000 initial commitment to $3,098,875 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
Once a match is identified, the dataset suggests these review actions. Glassbox does not prescribe outcomes — these are calibrated options for funders, auditors, and program officers, framed as correlations to investigate.
Pull the amendment 0 record. If procurement_method indicates competitive, the growth ratio is the signal. If it was sole-source from the start, the pattern is different (and may be normal).
Within the same department + program, what is the median growth ratio? Glassbox can produce that distribution. If this match sits in the top decile of growth, it warrants extra scrutiny.
Each amendment row is a published decision. Read the descriptions for purpose drift (also flagged separately as amendment-purpose-drift). Sustained scope expansion across multiple amendments without re-procurement is the review-worthy signal.
Departments with policies on amendment caps (e.g. 2× original within 5 years) can use this match to surface agreements that crossed the threshold and were not refreshed.
These are calibrated suggestions, not directives. The dataset shows the pattern; the funder decides the response.
Aggregated from the matches below. Severity bands are calibrated per pattern; counts and dollar totals reflect this snapshot only.
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4131 (Côté, France · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $750,000 initial commitment to $2,324,156 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4136 (Pruneau, Jérôme · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $1,000,000 initial commitment to $3,098,875 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4139 (Dietze, Beverlie · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $1,000,000 initial commitment to $3,098,875 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4141 (Hébert, Alexandra · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $750,000 initial commitment to $2,324,156 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4142 (Descormiers, Julie · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $1,000,000 initial commitment to $3,098,875 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4143 (Landry, Mario · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $1,000,000 initial commitment to $3,098,875 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 110_2022_2023_Q2_4144 (Tremblay, Tchad · Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada) growing from $1,000,000 initial commitment to $3,098,875 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Research Partnerships".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 172-2020-2021-Q1-948344 (MotionHall Inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $150,000 initial commitment to $464,000 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.7×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Firms".
The dataset shows record 016-2025-2026-Q2-1377102 (GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA - PROVINCIAL TREASURER · Canadian Heritage | Patrimoine canadien) growing from $127,600 initial commitment to $390,300 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (3.1×) of amended agreements in "Enhancement of Official Languages Program - Second Language Learning".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 141-2018-2019-Q2-00635 (Canadian Roots Exchange · Employment and Social Development Canada | Emploi et Développement social Canada) growing from $1,005,101 initial commitment to $3,070,101 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.8×) of amended agreements in the same program.
The dataset shows record 086-2023-2024-Q3-00346 (East Coast Innovation · Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada) growing from $103,653 initial commitment to $316,173 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.1× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.0×) of amended agreements in "Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF)".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 141-2020-2021-Q1-00158 (NORTH CENTRAL FAMILY CENTRE INC. · Employment and Social Development Canada | Emploi et Développement social Canada) growing from $367,629 initial commitment to $1,120,584 current commitment across 5 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (2.0×) of amended agreements in "Youth Employment and Skills Strategy".
The dataset shows record 172-2021-2022-Q1-972284 (Copperstone Technologies Ltd. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $148,000 initial commitment to $448,000 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.7×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Firms".
The dataset shows record 154-2019-2020-Q3-00030 (The University of Guelph · Parks Canada | Parcs Canada) growing from $147,800 initial commitment to $447,215 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (3.0×) of amended agreements in "General Class Grants Contributions Program".
The dataset shows record 172-2020-2021-Q2-954315 (Les systèmes Cyberkar inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $175,000 initial commitment to $528,000 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.7×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Firms".
The dataset shows record 014-2025-2026-Q1-00083 (Resource Assistance For Youth · Employment and Social Development Canada | Emploi et Développement social Canada) growing from $599,629 initial commitment to $1,798,887 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (2.0×) of amended agreements in "Youth Employment and Skills Strategy".
The dataset shows record 064-2020-2021-Q4-00326 (World Vision Canada · Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada) growing from $100,000 initial commitment to $300,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (2.3×) of amended agreements in "International Development Assistance Program".
The dataset shows record 172-2018-2019-Q1-905895 (Advanced Opto-Mechanical Systems and Technologies Inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $130,000 initial commitment to $390,000 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.7×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Firms".
The dataset shows record 172-2021-2022-Q1-971564 (Gryd Digital Media Ltd. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $150,000 initial commitment to $450,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.7×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Firms".
The dataset shows record 172-2023-2024-Q1-1004376 (The Saskatchewan Research Council · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $100,000 initial commitment to $300,000 current commitment across 3 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (2.3×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Organizations".
The dataset shows record 172-2024-2025-Q1-1018596 (Lightbeam Data Labs Inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $100,000 initial commitment to $300,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.7×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program – Contributions to Firms".
The dataset shows record 172-2025-2026-Q2-1034462 (RFINE Biomass Solutions Inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $100,000 initial commitment to $300,000 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.8×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program".
The dataset shows record 172-2025-2026-Q2-1034504 (Unito inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $250,000 initial commitment to $750,000 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.8×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program".
The dataset shows record 172-2025-2026-Q3-1036887 (TuxMat Inc. · National Research Council Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada) growing from $100,000 initial commitment to $300,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.8×) of amended agreements in "Industrial Research Assistance Program".
The dataset shows record 064-2021-2022-Q4-00008 (Government of Jordan · Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada) growing from $5,000,000 initial commitment to $15,000,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (2.3×) of amended agreements in "International Development Assistance Program".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 099-2018-2019-04-00021 (Bird Studies Canada · Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada) growing from $600,000 initial commitment to $1,800,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.8×) of amended agreements in the same program.
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 236-2018-2019-Q1-00771 (Roy, Denis-Claude · Canadian Institutes of Health Research | Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada) growing from $300,000 initial commitment to $900,000 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.8×) of amended agreements in the same program.
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 236-2025-2026-Q1-00443 (Tate, Kaitlyn · Canadian Institutes of Health Research | Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada) growing from $175,950 initial commitment to $527,850 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Investigator-Initiated Research".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 236-2025-2026-Q1-00763 (Piché, Marie-Ève · Canadian Institutes of Health Research | Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada) growing from $102,000 initial commitment to $306,001 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (1.1×) of amended agreements in "Investigator-Initiated Research".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 016-2025-2026-Q2-1377072 (GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA - PROVINCIAL TREASURER · Canadian Heritage | Patrimoine canadien) growing from $707,100 initial commitment to $2,121,300 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (3.0×) of amended agreements in "Development of Official Language Communities Program - Minority Language Education".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 016-2025-2026-Q2-1377091 (GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA - PROVINCIAL TREASURER · Canadian Heritage | Patrimoine canadien) growing from $296,626 initial commitment to $889,878 current commitment across 1 amendment — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (3.0×) of amended agreements in "Development of Official Language Communities Program - Minority Language Education".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).
The dataset shows record 064-2019-2020-Q4-00038 (OCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs · Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada) growing from $500,000 initial commitment to $1,500,000 current commitment across 2 amendments — a 3.0× expansion, above the 90th percentile (3.0×) of amended agreements in "P007812001 & P007812002: International Development Assistance Program".
Why this may be benign · The recipient business number is missing or a placeholder ('0', all-zeros, '-', 'n/a'): rows were grouped by legal name only, so distinct entities with the same name may be merged (KNOWN-DATA-ISSUES F-6/F-7).