The Minister of Health highlights investment of $275M in more than 370 research projects across Canada
March 12, 2019 – Quebec City, QC – Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Canada is home to highly trained and creative health researchers, and the Government of Canada is proud to support their important work.
Today the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, highlighted a recent federal investment of $275 million to support more than 370 health research projects across the country. This investment in health research supports our economy and creates high-quality middle-class jobs. Every $100 million invested in health research represents 1,800 jobs for researchers and trainees.
The Minister met with grant recipients at Université Laval to celebrate their achievements and to learn more about their research projects. A highlight of the visit included a lab tour with Dr. Guillaume Foldes Busque and Dr. Francesca Cicchetti, who are studying, respectively, anxiety disorders and psychology and the cognitive deficits caused by Huntington’s disease.
Quotes
“Investments in health research are some of the most important that we can make as a nation. These federally funded projects hold the potential for scientific advancements, new treatments, and improved quality of life for Canadians living with a variety of health conditions, while creating high-quality middle-class jobs at hospitals and universities across the country.”
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health
“Health research has the power to help us tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing us as a society, and Canadians should be proud of the incredible work being done from coast to coast to coast. As a researcher myself, I can say that the work is rarely glamourous—but it is always worthwhile, and I am excited to watch these CIHR-funded projects unfold.”
Michael J. Strong, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
“We salute the Government of Canada and the major support for basic health research announced by the Minister during her visit to Université Laval. This significant investment will allow many scientists, including 14 researchers at Université Laval, to devote themselves entirely to their research work that will benefit Canadians across the country.”
Sophie D’Amours, Rector of Laval University
Quick facts
- The projects funded through the $275M investment are supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)’s largest funding program.
- This program, called the Project Grant program, is designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential to advance health research and the health care system.
- It supports projects of varying sizes and duration through a highly competitive and rigorous review process.
- CIHR runs two Project Grant competitions per year.
- The results from the latest competition were released in January 2019, and the funding ($275M) will begin on April 1, 2019.
- Eighty-two of the grants from the latest competition were awarded to early career researchers (those within the first five years of their first academic appointment).
- Eleven of the grants funded are focused on Indigenous health research. CIHR is proud to support these projects as part of its commitment to invest 4.6% of its annual budget in Indigenous health research.
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Contacts
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
613-941-4563
[email protected]
Thierry Bélair
Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
613-957-0200
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