The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institutes' funding request has been approved by city councillors. They voted that the city set up a capital account of 1 and a half million dollars to help fund two major initiatives over the next three years. City Manager Tim Commisso says the benefits from this investment will be huge. He says it will help put the pieces together to make the city a centre of excellence in medical research. Commisso also says it positions the city to move forward in the delivery of health care to the region.