Canadian Research Hospitals to get $66 Million Boost

 - Download backgrounder 

 OTTAWA, November 22, 2004— A better health care system is a top priority for Canadians. Today, Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), joined by the Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister of Health and the Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry, announced that the CFI Board of Directors approved up to $66.4 million to support 13 projects at 8 institutions under the new Research Hospital Fund (RHF).

The funding for state-of-the-art equipment and facilities announced today will enable research hospitals across Canada to tackle research that is increasingly sophisticated and leading-edge. The projects announced in this first round cover a broad range of health research—from diabetes prevention and treatment in Montreal, to the development of better therapeutic drugs to battle cancer in Toronto, to better hip replacement methods in Vancouver.

"These infrastructure investments in health care will provide Canada’s research hospitals with the tools necessary to be internationally competitive,” said Dr. Phillipson. “Researchers will have the support they need to further improve Canada's health care system.”

"This Government is unwavering in its commitment to make our country a world leader in health research," said Minister Dosanjh. "The investments being announced today by the CFI will contribute to medical breakthroughs of tomorrow. Innovative health research is at the heart of improved health for Canadians."

“The Government of Canada is firmly committed to continued support for research excellence and innovation in Canada's research hospitals. These investments made today will result in better health care and improved quality of life for all Canadians," said Minister Emerson.

To ensure that they remain leaders in health research and health care innovation, research hospitals are seeking to establish new and different research space. As part of the 2003 Health Accord with the provinces, the federal government allocated $500 million to the CFI to enhance the Foundation’s support for state-of-the-art health research facilities.

The RHF is designed to contribute to research hospital-based projects that support innovative research and training, in particular large scale infrastructure projects that take a more integrated and multidisciplinary approach to health research—biomedical, clinical, health services and population health research. The first competition under this Fund is aimed at building on or enhancing hospital infrastructure projects that were successful in the CFI’s 2004 Innovation Fund competition. As with other funds, the CFI will provide up to 40% of the eligible costs.

A complete list of the projects approved by the CFI for this announcement is available here.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created in 1997 by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the ability of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that will benefit Canadians.

For more information:

Douglas Lauriault
Director, Public Affairs
Canada Foundation for Innovation
(613) 996-3193
douglas.lauriault@innovation.ca

Adèle Blanchard
Office of Minister Dosanjh
(613) 957-0200

Stéphanie Leblanc 
Office of the Honourable David L. Emerson
Minister of Industry 
(613) 995-9001