Except for MBAs, I would have to say that most STEM masters in the US are nonterminal, but provide the option to either continue to towards a PhD or to enter industry and also provide thesis-based or nonthesis based tracks. I remember seeing a stat from a US school where 25% of admitted PhD candidates possessed a masters. For example almost every school has masters in engineering (civil, mechanical, computer, electrical, etc), math, biology, physics, chemistry, etc, and also provide PhDs in those fields.
I see this effectivly shutting down masters programs for Canadians in the States as most charge a tuition of $25k-$60k with only a few rare ones providing funding to some domestic students. Canadian programs however, have to depend not only on your qualifications, but also on lab position availability and funding availability.
Does anyone know the reason this was shut down? I've heard rumors that it was due to high administrative costs compared to low number of applicants relative to other NSERC programs.
Can you explain a bit about how the CGS-M was used? I thought masters programs are two years and you only get CGS-M funding for the last year. Are you saying that some undergrad seniors already had a set project, applied in their senior year and moved their project to another institution and another lab?