Government of Canada and partners invest over $10M to strengthen public health systems through research

Press Release

From: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

New funding will support 14 research teams focused on evidence-informed solutions to build more resilient and equitable public health systems across Canada

June 10, 2026

Strong public health systems are essential to protecting the health of Canadians by helping prevent disease, promote well-being, and reduce health inequities. By investing in research, the Government of Canada strengthens the capacity of our public health systems to address challenges such as the opioid overdose crisis, climate-related events, infectious disease outbreaks, and persistent social and economic health inequities.

Today, Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $10 million from the Government of Canada and partner organizations to support the Strengthening Resilient and Equitable Public Health Systems (STEPS) research initiative. STEPS is led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and delivered in partnership with the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and Michael Smith Health Research BC.

By supporting interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research, STEPS brings together researchers, decision-makers, practitioners, and community partners to address real-world public health challenges. Fourteen teams will generate actionable evidence and develop practical solutions to strengthen how public health systems are organized, governed, financed, staffed and delivered.

These research teams are working on solutions to issues that matter to Canadians, including:

building a Canada-wide civilian emergency reserve to strengthen Canada’s ability to respond during public health crises
creating a national drug monitoring and alert system to help respond more quickly to the opioid crisis
improving how community-based services for seniors work together
improving how youth mental health and substance use services are designed and delivered
using artificial intelligence to help prevent strokes in Indigenous communities in rural and remote areas
improving heart health through First Nations-led approaches
addressing systemic racism and inequities in public health systems, including anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism

Together, these projects will strengthen the building blocks and core functions of public health systems while generating practical tools, data, and approaches that decision-makers and communities can use. By improving coordination, preparedness, and equity-focused responses, this work will help public health systems better prevent and respond to emerging challenges, support healthier communities, and deliver more equitable outcomes for people across the country.

Quotes

“Public health systems are the foundation of a healthier, more equitable society. This investment will help generate the evidence needed to strengthen resilience, improve preparedness, and ensure better health outcomes for people across Canada.”

The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health

“Congratulations to the 14 funded STEPS Teams. This timely research investment addresses national calls to bolster research in public health systems in Canada. CIHR’s Institute of Population and Public Health is thrilled to lead this initiative and grateful to our nine partners. Empowered by intersectoral partnerships, the STEPS Teams will generate evidence to drive public health systems improvements and close the health equity gap.”

Dr. Katherine Frohlich, Scientific Director
CIHR’s Institute of Population and Public Health

“We are proud to partner with CIHR on this important initiative, which represents a meaningful step toward addressing public health system priorities for Indigenous communities. Through this funding, we aim to accelerate the translation of practical, community-driven solutions that improve heart and brain health and advance more equitable, culturally relevant public health systems.”

Dr. Ryan Perry, Vice President, Research
Heart & Stroke

“Strong public health systems rely on research that connects evidence, decision-making, and community experience. The ability for Michael Smith Health Research BC to actively partner with CIHR on the STEPS initiative ensures alignment between the funding program and BC’s priorities. As a result, we are strengthening capacity to generate evidence that advances systems and responses to public health emergencies, while ensuring funding reflects BC’s public health priorities and aligns with the BC Population and Public Health Framework.”

Dr. Danielle Lavellee, Chief Scientific Officer & Senior Vice President, Research & Innovation
Health Research BC

“STEPS is an innovative initiative that brings together various stakeholders in the health ecosystem and focuses on knowledge translation to promote the adoption of evidence-based approaches by user communities. This effort strengthens practices and builds resilience in the face of public health challenges, thereby contributing to sustainable health.”

Carole Jabet, Vice President of Research, Health Science Division
Fonds de recherche du Québec

“The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) congratulates the winning teams of STEPS, whose work will help contribute to the generation and use of evidence to support more equitable and effective public health systems. By fostering the complementarity of expertise within the teams, issues are better understood and research can progress toward tailored solutions, thereby helping to build the society of tomorrow.”

Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientist of Québec

Quick facts

STEPS is an innovative, high-impact initiative that fosters interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research, emphasizing evidence-informed solutions and knowledge mobilization, to improve public health system equity and resilience.
Several funded teams are working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities to support distinctions-based approaches and integrate Indigenous knowledge systems.
CIHR is grateful to the support of its partners who made this investment possible, including contributions from: the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and Michael Smith Health Research BC.

Government of Canada and partners invest over $10M to strengthen public health systems through research

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