Canadian Consortium for Research

Canadian Consortium for Research
Name	Canadian Consortium for Research
Formation	2019
Type	Consortium
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Region served	Canada

Canadian Consortium for Research is a national alliance of Canadian institutions, agencies, and stakeholders focused on coordinating scholarly, scientific, and applied research initiatives across provinces and territories. Founded to align efforts among universities, hospitals, research institutes, and funding bodies, the consortium engages with federal and provincial entities, charitable foundations, and international partners to influence policy, allocate resources, and develop large-scale collaborations.

History

The consortium emerged amid debates involving Tri-Agencies (Canada), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and academic leaders from University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, Université de Montréal, and McMaster University. Early discussions included representatives from Canadian Association of University Teachers, Universities Canada, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, and provincial ministries such as Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Ministry of Health (Nova Scotia). Its formation coincided with initiatives by Pan-Canadian Health Organizations, dialogues with Canadian Institutes for Advanced Research, and international comparisons involving National Institutes of Health, European Research Council, Australian Research Council, and Wellcome Trust. Founding meetings referenced precedents like Canada Foundation for Innovation, Genome Canada, Mitacs, and consultations with policy bodies including Privy Council Office (Canada), Parliament of Canada, Senate of Canada, and analysts from Fraser Institute and Conference Board of Canada.

Mission and Objectives

The consortium’s mission aligns with strategic goals articulated by Policy Horizons Canada, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and stakeholder groups such as CivicAction, Canadian Red Cross, and Indigenous Services Canada. Objectives include strengthening capacity across networks represented by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Montreal Heart Institute, BC Cancer Agency, and academic centres like Queen's University, University of Alberta, Dalhousie University, and University of Calgary. It seeks synergies with funders such as Canada Research Chairs, Mitacs, Social Research and Demonstration Corporation, and philanthropic partners like Terry Fox Foundation and Canadian Cancer Society.

Membership and Structure

Membership encompasses leaders from institutions including Hospital for Sick Children, St. Michael's Hospital, Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Institut de recherche en santé publique de Montréal, Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation, and provincial research networks like Alberta Innovates, Innovacorp, and Nova Scotia Health Authority. Governance draws on models from Council of Canadian Academies, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute Advisory Board, and board practices of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Ontario Health. Executive leadership includes roles comparable to presidents and vice-chancellors from Simon Fraser University, Western University, York University, and operational staff with experience at Statistics Canada, Health Canada, and Public Health Agency of Canada. Advisory committees mirror expert panels convened by National Research Council (Canada), Canadian Medical Association, and Canadian Nurses Association to connect with stakeholders such as Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Assembly of First Nations, and Métis National Council.

Activities and Programs

Programs include large-scale collaborative grants modeled after Canada Excellence Research Chairs, translational initiatives similar to PRECARN, and knowledge mobilization efforts like those of Knowledge Translation Canada and Canadian Institute for Health Information. Activities span multi-institution consortia with partners such as Broad Institute, McLaughlin Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, and community organizations like United Way Centraide Canada and Canadian Mental Health Association. The consortium organizes conferences and workshops with entities such as Canadian Science Policy Centre, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Science, and international forums including G7 Research Ministers' Meeting and UNESCO. Training programs collaborate with Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, Canadian Physiotherapy Association, and industry partners such as Biotechnology Innovation Organization and multinational corporations with Canadian operations.

Policy and Advocacy

Policy work engages with legislative and regulatory stakeholders like House of Commons of Canada, Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Health Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to influence protocols modeled on frameworks from World Health Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and European Commission. Advocacy campaigns have referenced reports by Broadbent Institute, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Institute for Research on Public Policy, and Munk School of Global Affairs. The consortium has made submissions to consultations involving Canada Health Act, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, and agencies such as Patented Medicine Prices Review Board and Canadian Food Inspection Agency, working with legal experts from institutions like Osgoode Hall Law School and Université de Sherbrooke Faculty of Law.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include contributions from provincial innovation hubs like Saskatchewan Research Council, federal programs such as Strategic Innovation Fund, philanthropic endowments including Mitacs Foundation and private donors modeled on Bensadoun Family Foundation, and collaborative funding from international partners including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and European Research Council. Strategic partnerships have been formed with research infrastructures such as Compute Canada, CANARIE, Canadian Light Source, and biobanks affiliated with BC BioLibrary and Canadian Tissue Repository Network, as well as industry alliances with firms like LuminUltra Technologies and pharmaceutical affiliates operating in Canada. Grant administration interfaces with Canada Foundation for Innovation, HealthCharities Coalition of Canada, and procurement frameworks linked to Shared Services Canada.

Category:Research organizations in Canada