Strengthening the foundation of Canada's health research enterprise

Finally, the Forum itself would illustrate to governments and the public the importance the health research community places on working collaboratively to resolve the most pressing issues affecting the advancement of health research across the country. [...] In the past several years, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its commitment to health research through a series of significant investments, including the following: • The creation of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); • The establishment of the Canada Research Chairs Program; • The creation of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI); • The creation of Genome Canada; • Th [...] Page 6 of 79 Strengthening the Foundation of Canada’s Health Research Enterprise: A Backgrounder Equally important, the health research community has a new sense of optimism about the prospects for the future of health research in Canada. [...] The data collected on the performers of health research in Canada raise the following critical questions: • Does the current trend of flowing funds to the performers allow for optimal use of the research investment? [...] In light of the importance Canadians place on improving their health care system and quality of life, it is both timely and essential for the health research community to examine some of the larger external and internal policy questions that help governments, the public and the broader health research community to draw the important link between health research and health care, health and the econ