June 7, 2000

News Release
Health Minister launches Canadian Institutes of Health Research

OTTAWA - Allan Rock, Minister of Health, today launched the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and announced Dr. Alan Bernstein, the first President, and the new Governing Council. The Minister also announced more than $65 million in programs to build capacity and encourage health research in Canada.

"The launch of CIHR is an historic event for the health research community in Canada, and for all Canadians," said Minister Rock. "CIHR is a highly innovative and integrative approach to health research. Its emphasis on partnerships with the voluntary health care sector, other government agencies and industry will be a model to be emulated around the world. Thematic institutes linking the findings and studies of researchers from coast to coast will allow us to focus on research challenges and opportunities relevant to all Canadians."

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, first announced in the 1999 federal budget, replaces the Medical Research Council of Canada. Along with a doubling of the research budget over three years, CIHR will create a series of virtual institutes linking investigators from all four areas of health research — biomedical research, clinical research, health systems and services research, and population health research — to better address the health needs and priorities of Canadians.

Dr. Alan Bernstein, the inaugural President of CIHR, is the former Director of the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and an internationally- recognized researcher, teacher and scientific leader. Along with Dr. Bernstein the members of the first Governing Council include:

Dr. Denise Alcock, Dean of the Health Sciences Faculty at the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Stephanie Atkinson, Director of the Nutrition and Metabolism Research Laboratory of the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University.

Dr. Ruth Collins-Nakai, professor of paediatric cardiology at the University of Alberta and President of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.

Dr. Alastair Cribb, Director of the Laboratory of Comparative Pharmacogenetics at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Dr. Jean Davignon, Director of the Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosis Laboratory at the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal (ICRM).

Dr. Gary B. Glavin, Associate Vice-President of Research at the University of Manitoba.

Dr. Philippe Gros, professor of biochemistry at McGill University.

Ms. Mavis Hurley, Deputy Minister of the Premier’s Health Quality Council in New Brunswick.

Sister Nuala Kenny, MD, founding Chair of the Department of Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Kevin M. W. Keough, Vice-President of Research and International Relations for Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Dr. Malcolm King, President of the Canadian Thoracic Society, Chair of the University of Alberta’s Aboriginal Advisory Council.

Steven Lewis, former CEO of both the Saskatchewan Health Services Utilization and Research Commission and the Saskatchewan Health Research Board.

Dr. Victor Ling, Assistant Dean and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Pathology at the University of British Columbia.

Eric M. Maldoff, partner in the law firm of Heenan Blaikie in Montreal.

Dr. Yves Morin, of Quebec, Vice-Chair of the Science Advisory Board to Health Canada’s Health Protection Branch.

Dr. Louise Nadeau, professor of psychology at the Université de Montréal.

Dr. David Naylor, Dean of University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. Joseph Rotman, CEO and founder of Clairvest Group, a Toronto merchant bank.

David Dodge, Deputy Minister of Health Canada since 1998 (ex-officio).

"CIHR is an initiative that has its roots in the health research community," said Minister Rock. "The mandate of CIHR represents an entirely new way of conducting health research. Designed to retain and recruit our best and brightest researchers, it will create excellence that will help this country compete on the global stage. CIHR will open the door for Canadians to live longer and healthier lives."

The more than $65 million in research funds will help train and support both new and seasoned researchers. It will create opportunities for new research in fields such as health services utilization and life span development as well as traditional areas.

Included are:

• $58 million over three to five years for the first personnel awards under CIHR. This will fund studentships, fellowships and salaries for nearly 400 researchers from 22 universities across Canada.
• $6.7 million over three to five years for the capacity-building Health Career Awards Program co-funded by CIHR, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Health Canada’s National Health Research and Development Program (NHRDP). This includes $ 4.2 million for 32 Postdoctoral Fellowships and five Senior Research Fellowships and $ 1.75 million in salary awards over five years for 15 Investigators and 10 Senior Investigators. Four Investigators will also receive more than $800,000 over five years in operating funds to support research ranging from reproduction law and ethics to health and aging.
• A joint $1.2-million partnership between CIHR and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund to support 309 undergraduate studentships for three months to one year in 16 institutions across the country.

The Minister also unveiled a new annual research scholarship embodying the legacy of partnership and hope that characterized the Interim Governing Council (IGC) of CIHR. In partnership with the National Cancer Institute of Canada, CIHR will co-fund the Dorothy J. Lamont Scientist Award, a five-year scholarship for young researchers in the field of cancer control. The award recognizes the enormous contribution of Dorothy Lamont, former CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute and Vice-Chair of the IGC.

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Faye Kert
Deputy Director, Communications
CIHR
Tel. : (613) 946-0927

Public inquiries:
(613) 957-2991