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Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Map
Agency overview
FormedJune 7, 2000; 25 years ago (2000-06-07)
Preceding agency
  • Medical Research Council of Canada
JurisdictionGovernment of Canada
Headquarters234 Laurier Ave West Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9 Canada
45°25′11.148″N 75°41′46.9422″W / 45.41976333°N 75.696372833°W / 45.41976333; -75.696372833
Employees330 (approximately)
Annual budgetCA$ 1.3 billion (2023-24; Expenses)
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Paul Hébert, President
Child agency
  • 13 Institutes
Websitewww.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR; French: Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada; IRSC) is a federal agency responsible for funding health and medical research in Canada.[1][2] Comprising 13 institutes, it was formed on June 7, 2000 and is the successor to the Medical Research Council of Canada.[3][4]

CIHR supports more than 15,000 researchers and trainees[5] through grants, fellowships, scholarships, and other funding, as part of the federal government's investment in health research. Paul C. Hébert is the current Presdient.[6][7][8] CIHR's budget for 2023-2024 was CA$1.3 billion[9] and the number of employees (FTE) was 327.[10]

Along with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the CIHR forms the major source of federal government funding to post-secondary research. They are collectively referred to as the "Tri-Council"[11] or "Tri-Agency".[12]

History

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The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the major federal agency responsible for funding health research in Canada. It was established by an Act of Parliament in April 2000 to create new knowledge according to internationally accepted scientific standards and translate this into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products, and a stronger Canadian health care system. It replaced the Medical Research Council of Canada, which had overseen Canadian medical research since 1969. CIHR reports to Parliament through the Minister of Health.[13][14]

The Strategic Plan for the period 2021–2031 "establishes the context that will allow Canadian health research to be internationally recognized as inclusive, collaborative, transparent, culturally safe, and focused on real world impact."[15] Five priority areas were identified:

  1. Advance research excellence in all its diversity
  2. Strengthen Canadian health research capacity
  3. Accelerate the self-determination of Indigenous peoples in health research
  4. Pursue health equity through research
  5. Integrate evidence in health decisions

Presidents

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  • Alan Bernstein, Founding President (2000-2007)[4]
    • Pierre Chartrand, Acting President (2008)
  • Alain Beaudet (2008-2016)[16][17][18]
    • Roderick McInnes, Acting President (2017-2018)
  • Michael Strong (2018-2025)[19]
  • Paul C. Hébert, appointed in January 2025 for a five-year term[6][7][8]

Governance

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The CIHR Act outlines a framework for the organizational establishment of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), its governance infrastructure, responsibilities of the President and Governing Council and establishment of the Institutes.[20]

CIHR consists of 13 institutes,[21] each headed by a Scientific Director and assisted by an Institute Advisory Board.

CIHR is led by its President. Overall strategic directions are set by its Governing Council, which has a mandate to oversee the direction and management of the property, business and affairs of CIHR. Day-to-day management of CIHR is led by the Executive Team.

The Science Council (SC) is a management committee that develops, implements and reports on CIHR's research and knowledge translation strategy, in accordance with the CIHR Act and the overarching strategic directions set out by Governing Council. This includes approving funding for some research and knowledge translation initiatives.

Institutes

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The 13 CIHR institutes work together to shape a national health research agenda for Canada.[21] They bring together researchers, health professionals, and policy-makers from voluntary health organizations, provincial government agencies, international research organizations, and industry and patient groups from across the country with a shared interest in improving the health of Canadians. A major goal of the institutes is to forge relationships across disciplines to stimulate integrative, multifaceted research agendas that respond to society's health priorities while adhering to the highest ethical standards. They fund health research within these four pillars:[22]

  1. Biomedical research[23][24]
  2. Clinical research[25]
  3. Health services research[26][27]
  4. Social, cultural, environmental and population health research[28]

Institutes are "virtual" and fund research across Canada. Each focuses on a specific area of research:[29][30]

  • Institute of Aging[31]
  • Institute of Cancer Research[32]
  • Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health[33]
  • Institute of Gender and Health[34]
  • Institute of Genetics[35]
  • Institute of Health Services and Policy Research[36]
  • Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health[37]
  • Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health[38]
  • Institute of Infection and Immunity[39]
  • Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis[40]
  • Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction[41]
  • Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes[42]
  • Institute of Population and Public Health[43]

COVID-19 and vaccines

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In June 2020, CIHR provided $109 million in funding to 139 research teams across Canada for COVID-19 research.[44] Over the coming months and years, CIHR provided additional funding for COVID-19 research, totaling $430 million by June 2022.[45] CIHR also worked with domestic and global partners to fund research and ensure the alignment and coordination of Canada's research with the international response.[46]

On February 16, 2021, CIHR launched the CIHR-CEPI Leadership Award for Excellence in Vaccine Research for Infectious Diseases of Epidemic Potential, co-administered with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).[47] The results were announced in April 2023 along with a $100 million investment from Global Affairs Canada to support CEPI's new five-year strategic plan to accelerate the development of vaccines.[48][49][50][51][52]

Controversies

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A 2014 reform to the peer review process and the introduction of the Foundation Grant program lead to the demand from approximately 1000 researchers to reverse what was called a "radical" change.[53] The Minister of Health Jane Philpott, then asked that the issue be addressed[54] and the process was reversed in 2019.[55]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Major funders to share study data for public health". Reuters. January 10, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)". McGill University.
  3. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (March 27, 2025). "CIHR at 25 - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "CIHR Replaces Medical Research Council Canada". www.science.org. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  5. ^ "Infographic: Funding world-class research for a healthier future". Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Government of Canada. November 9, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Government of Canada appoints new President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research". www.canada.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (September 7, 2008). "President – Biography - CIHR". www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Payne, Elizabeth (January 19, 2025). "New health research group president targets areas of greatest impact". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  9. ^ "Annual Report" (PDF). CIHR Annual Report. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  10. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (December 17, 2024). "Canadian Institutes of Health Research's 2023-24 Departmental Results Report - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
  11. ^ Government of Canada, Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (April 1, 2019). "Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans – TCPS 2 (2018)". ethics.gc.ca. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  12. ^ Government of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (December 18, 2019). "NSERC - Inter-Agency, Tri-Agency Financial Administration". www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  13. ^ "Canadian Institutes of Health Research". thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  14. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (March 17, 2003). "Welcome to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  15. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (February 23, 2021). "CIHR Strategic Plan 2021-2031 - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  16. ^ Ben Hirschler (October 11, 2007). "More collaboration needed after HIV vaccine flop". Reuters. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  17. ^ "Embattled head of Canadian Institutes of Health Research to step down". ottawacitizen. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  18. ^ Research, Canadian Institutes of Health (July 10, 2015). "Dr. Alain Beaudet". www.canada.ca. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  19. ^ "Minister of Health announces Dr. Michael J. Strong as new President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research". Government of Canada. June 20, 2018.
  20. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (January 12, 2008). "Organizational structure - CIHR". www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  21. ^ a b "Getting Funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR)". Association for Behavior Analysis International.
  22. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (November 9, 2022). "What is health research? - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  23. ^ Richard F Wintle (August 24, 2012). "The unsung heroes behind those big genomics breakthroughs". The Guardian.
  24. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (November 9, 2022). "Infographic: What is biomedical Research? - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  25. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (November 9, 2022). "Infographic: What is clinical Research? - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  26. ^ David Cooksey (2006). "A review of UK health research funding (page 30)" (PDF). BBC.
  27. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (November 9, 2022). "Infographic: What is health Services Research? - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  28. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (November 9, 2022). "Infographic: What is Social, Cultural, Environmental, and Population Health Research? - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  29. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (March 27, 2025). "CIHR at 25 - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  30. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (August 24, 2016). "About the Institutes - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  31. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 30, 2003). "Institute of Aging - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  32. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 12, 2003). "Institute of Cancer Research - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  33. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 30, 2003). "Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  34. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 30, 2003). "Institute of Gender and Health - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  35. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 16, 2003). "Institute of Genetics - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  36. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 23, 2003). "Institute of Health Services and Policy Research - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  37. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 30, 2003). "Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  38. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 30, 2003). "Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  39. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 22, 2003). "Institute of Infection and Immunity - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  40. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 20, 2003). "Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  41. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 29, 2003). "Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  42. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 22, 2003). "Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  43. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (May 23, 2003). "Institute of Population and Public Health - CIHR". cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  44. ^ Raquel Fletcher (June 26, 2020). "Quebec researchers already starting coronavirus studies after receiving grants - Montreal | Globalnews.ca". Global News.
  45. ^ "CIHR COVID-19 Investments: By the Numbers". Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Government of Canada. June 10, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  46. ^ "COVID-19 Research". Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Government of Canada. March 20, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  47. ^ Canadian Institutes of Health Research (January 18, 2021). "Pre-announcement: CIHR-CEPI Leadership Award for Excellence in Vaccine Research for Infectious Diseases of Epidemic Potential - CIHR". Government of Canada. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  48. ^ "International partnership supports vaccine research to prevent future outbreaks". Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Government of Canada. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  49. ^ "Leadership Awards for Excellence in Vaccine Research". Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Government of Canada. April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  50. ^ "International partnership supports vaccine research to prevent future outbreaks". CEPI - Latest news. CEPI. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  51. ^ "Saskatoon scientist receives $400K for 'universal' coronavirus vaccine research". CTV News Saskatoon. CTV News. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  52. ^ "Rady Faculty scientist receives CIHR/CEPI Leadership Award for Excellence in Vaccine Research". UM News. University of Manitoba. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  53. ^ Webster, Paul Christopher (March 17, 2015). "Peer review conflicts of interest surface at CIHR". CMAJ. 187 (5): 313–313. doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-4999. ISSN 0820-3946. PMID 25691785.
  54. ^ "Update: Canada's health funder agrees to meet with researchers outraged by peer-review changes". www.science.org. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  55. ^ Government of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (April 15, 2019). "Message from the President: Final decision on the Foundation Grant program - CIHR". m.cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
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