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Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome - A world-class health research enterprise that creates, disseminates and applies new knowledge across all areas of health research.

CIHR supports health research in order to improve the health of Canadians and to deliver more effective health care services to Canadians. Supporting health research that leads to this outcome may be through: creating health knowledge which leads to the development of new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease; ensuring Canada has top quality health researchers who can conduct innovative, as well as responsive, health research; commercializing health research discoveries; or advancing the introduction of effective health policies, practices, procedures, products and services.

CIHR uses a peer review process to identify exemplary projects and individuals that merit funding. In 2012-13, it is estimated that approximately 3,000 peer reviewers will provide their time, without remuneration, and will serve on approximately 220 peer review committees to review approximately 17,000 applications. Without the voluntary support from this community of experts, CIHR would not have the necessary financial and human resources to review and fund the same amount of quality health research.

Program Activity 1.1: Health Knowledge

This program activity supports the creation of new knowledge across all areas of health research to improve health and the health care system. This is achieved by managing CIHR's open competition and related peer review processes based on internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence.

Financial Resources ($ millions)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
$451.0 $458.5 $462.4
Human Resources (FTEs)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
81 81 81


Program Activity Expected Results Performance Indicators Targets
*This target, originally reported as maintain or increase CIHR total number and average dollar value of grants funded, was changed to ensure consistency and ease in interpreting results.
Health research advances knowledge.
  1. Outputs and impacts of CIHR- funded research.
  1. Maintain or increase the number of publications from CIHR-supported research
  2. Maintain or increase Knowledge Translation activities of CIHR-funded researchers
  3. Maintain or increase CIHR expenditures in funding programs*
Planning Highlights

The Open Research Grants Program provides operating funds to support research proposals in all areas of health research. This program also encompasses the funding of randomized controlled trials which supports experiments to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of interventions in health, health services, or population health. In 2012-13, CIHR intends to launch competitions with application deadlines in September and March which will result in approximately 800 new multi-year grants for the best research ideas. Approximately 4,000 on-going multi-year grants are supported during the year.

CIHR has made considerable progress in its process to design a new Open Suite of Programs and Peer Review system. In 2012-13, feedback from the research community at large will be integrated into CIHR's implementation of the reforms. The redesigns will ensure the long-term sustainability of CIHR's contribution to the Canadian health research enterprise, remove barriers, and enable researchers from all themes to improve CIHR's ability to deliver on its mandate.

Program Activity 1.2: Health Researchers

This program activity aims to build health research capacity to improve health and the health care system by supporting the training and careers of the best health researchers selected through a competitive peer review process based on internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence.

Financial Resources ($ millions)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
$195.0 $189.8 $187.7
Human Resources (FTEs)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
33 33 33


Program Activity Expected Results Performance Indicators Targets
*This performance indicator, originally reported as Number, share and types of graduate trainees in Canada compared to international levels, was changed due to the unavailability of data on the share and types of graduate trainees.
A strong and talented health research community with the capacity to undertake health research. A. Number of graduate trainees in Canada compared to international levels*. i. Maintain or increase international ranking.
B. Number and fields of investigators and trainees funded. ii. Maintain number and diversity (by theme and Institute domain) of trainees funded.
Planning Highlights

CIHR offers Salary Support and Training Support Programs. The Salary Support Program provides support to help new health researchers develop their careers and devote more time to initiating and conducting health research. The Training Support Programs provide support and special recognition to master, doctorate, post-doctorate or post-health professional degree students who are training in health research areas in Canada or abroad. There is intense competition globally for talent and CIHR's programs are designed to attract and keep the brightest minds in Canada throughout their research careers.

CIHR also supports health researchers by offering the following five Tri-Council programs:

  • The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRC) aims to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising researchers. CIHR provides two levels of awards that are allocated to universities and research institutes who recruit researchers into the "Chair" positions. The CRC Program provides long term funding to outstanding researchers.
  • The Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program (CERC) aims to support Canadian universities in their efforts to build on Canada's growing reputation as a global leader in research and innovation.
  • The Canada Graduate Scholarship Program (CGS) supports the development of future health researchers at both the master's and doctoral levels in all fields in Canada. This program is expected to increase Canada's capacity for innovation by providing exceptional full-time Master's and Doctoral students with the financial security they need to fully concentrate on their studies and engage in cutting-edge research.
  • The Vanier CGS Program enables Canada to build world-class research capacity by attracting and retaining the best doctoral students both nationally and internationally.
  • The Banting Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program will help post-doctoral researchers develop their leadership potential and position them for success as research leaders, positively contributing to Canada's economic, social and research-based growth through a research-intensive career.

Program Activity 1.3: Health Research Commercialization

This program activity supports and facilitates the commercialization of health research to improve health and the health care system. This is achieved by managing funding competitions to provide grants, in partnership with the private sector (where relevant); and by building and strengthening the capacity of Canadian health researchers to engage in the research and development (R&D) and commercialization process.

Financial Resources ($ millions)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
$42.0 $45.0 $46.5
Human Resources (FTEs)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
7 7 7


Program Activity Expected Results Performance Indicators Targets

* This target, originally reported as maintain or increase CIHR total number and average dollar value of grants funded, was changed to ensure consistency and ease in interpreting results.

** This target, originally reported as maintain or increase number of patents, licenses, copyrights, centres; new products or processes; policies influenced or created; influence on health delivery, was changed due to the unavailability of consistent reporting data.The original target will be reconsidered upon the full implementation of CIHR's end-of-grant reporting system.

Commercial activity – products (patents and intellectual property), companies and employment generated. A. Health research is commercialized more effectively.

i. Maintain or increase CIHR expenditures in funding programs*

ii. Evidence of commercialization outcomes, such as: patents, licenses, copyrights, centres; new products or processes; policies influenced or created; and/or influence on health delivery**

B. Strong linkages and partnerships created between universities, governments, industry, and other users.

iii. Maintain or increase dollar amount of CIHR partner investments

iv. Evidence of successful linkages and partnerships created as a result of the NCE Program

Planning Highlights

The Health Research Commercialization programs are a suite of funding initiatives that aim to support the creation of new knowledge, practices, products and services and to facilitate the commercialization of this knowledge. This is done by funding R&D and commercialization projects (such as proof of principle and industry partnered projects) which encourage collaboration between academia and the private, public and/or not-for-profit sectors in the promotion and support of the commercial transfer of knowledge and technology resulting from health research.

In alignment with the Federal Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy, CIHR is working with NSERC on the development of a new joint commercialization funding program to replace the current CIHR Proof of Principle (POP) and the NSERC Idea to Innovation (I2I) programs. This new program will be administered at NSERC.

The Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) program, part of the commercialization suite of programs, is a joint program with NSERC currently administered at NSERC. In 2012, the administration of the CHRP program will move to CIHR.

The Networks of Centres of Excellence Programs (NCE) is delivered in collaboration with the other two granting councils, through the NCE Secretariat. They support partnering centres of research excellence with industry capacity and resources, and strategic investment to turn Canadian research and entrepreneurial talent into economic and social benefits for Canada. The NCE programs are national in scope, multi-disciplinary and involve multi-sectoral partnerships between academia, industry, government and the not-for-profit sector (non-governmental organizations). The NCE supports the best NCE applications in the area of health research.

Program Activity 1.4: Health and Health Services Advances

Through this program activity, CIHR targets its investment in health research to address gaps in key research areas and communities or to capitalize on areas of Canadian strength. CIHR identifies priorities and provides directed support to respond to the health and health care system challenges that matter to Canadians.

Financial Resources ($ millions)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
$260.9 $254.5 $250.9
Human Resources (FTEs)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
106 106 106


Program Activity Expected Results Performance Indicators Targets

* This target, originally reported as maintain or increase CIHR total number and average dollar value of grants funded, was changed to ensure consistency and ease in interpreting results.

Note: The target Maintain or increase number of publications from CIHR-funded research for Performance Indicator A was removed due to the unavailability of consistent reporting data for this Program Activity. The target will be reconsidered upon the full implementation of CIHR's end-of-grant reporting system.

Translation and use of health research takes place as a result of effective funding programs. A. Outputs and impacts of CIHR funded research.

i. Maintain or increase CIHR expenditures in funding programs*

ii. Maintain or increase KT activities of CIHR-funded researchers

B. Institute leadership within the research community. iii. Evidence of Institutes identifying and responding to national and international health threats and opportunities
Planning Highlights

As part of the implementation of its Strategic Plan, in 2010-11, CIHR launched a process to attain greater focus and impact from its strategic investments, CIHR's Signature Initiatives. This process involved environmental scanning and evaluation to identify needs and opportunities where additional research could make a difference and produce measurable results. In 2012-13, CIHR will continue implementation of the following Signature Initiatives:

  • Canadian Epigenetics, Environment and Health Research Consortium: This initiative will ensure that Canada plays a leadership role in the field of epigenetics, which has the potential to transform the ability to read and subsequently manipulate functional states of a genome within specific cell types.
  • Inflammation in Chronic Disease: This initiative aims to develop a unified Canadian strategy on inflammation research that will support the discovery and validation of common biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and inflammatory mechanisms amongst chronic diseases, as well as develop prevention and treatment approaches.
  • Community-Based Primary Health Care: This initiative will make strategic investments in community-based primary health care research and the translation of research knowledge into practice and policy.
  • Personalized Medicine: This initiative aims to capitalize on Canadian health researchers' strengths in identifying disease-related genes and biomarkers and in translational research in order to integrate evidenced-based medicine and precision diagnostics into clinical practice.
  • Pathways to Health Equity for Aboriginal Peoples: This initiative aims to increase the capacity of Aboriginal communities to act as partners in the conception, oversight and application of high quality research to reduce the health disparities among Aboriginal Peoples
  • International Collaborative Research Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease (ICRSAD): This initiative will help Canadian researchers engage in large scale international Alzheimer's research and provide Canadians with rapid access to the latest preventive, diagnostic and treatment approaches to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
  • Evidence Informed Healthcare Renewal: This initiative aims to provide timely and high-quality evidence to inform policy debate and decision making to how best to finance, sustain and govern provincial, territorial and federal healthcare systems.
  • Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR): This is a bold new strategy to improve health outcomes through evidence-informed care. The targeted investment will be used to establish national clinical research networks in such domains as mental health and primary care as well as the "Support for People and Patient-Oriented Research and Trials" (SUPPORT) units.

In addition to its Signature Initiatives, CIHR makes important investments in health research, with careful consideration to where Canada can capitalize on areas of strength and excellence, and build research capacity in new fields of health research. Priorities are identifiedin consultation with stakeholders from government, health care, patient and community groups, researchers, and industry. Current priorities include:

  • research to advance diagnostics and therapies for Canadians living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS);
  • research dedicated to finding an HIV vaccine, addressing complex co-morbid health conditions for people living with HIV/AIDS and other areas of HIV prevention, treatment and care;
  • research to increase knowledge of post-market drug safety and effectiveness to inform decisions and increased capacity in Canada to address priority research on post-market drug safety and effectiveness; and
  • research to battle chronic non-communicable diseases with a particular focus on the needs of low and middle income countries and populations.

CIHR's Knowledge Translation program consists of a suite of funding opportunities that aim to support the synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge in any area of health research. This program supports the science of KT, capacity development in KT science, end-of-grant KT activities and integrated KT-collaborative research, which involves researchers and knowledge users working together to address relevant research questions and to exchange and apply knowledge to solve health and health care system problems.

Program Activity 1.5: Internal Services

Internal Services are groups of activities and resources that apply across the organization to support the needs of programs and to meet other corporate obligations of CIHR. These services include such functional areas as Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology and Administration Management Services, Strategic Policy, Internal Audit, Evaluation and Risk Management, Communications and Public Outreach, and Corporate Governance.

Financial Resources ($ millions)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
$29.0 $29.0 $29.0

Human Resources (FTEs)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
191 191 191

Planning Highlights

CIHR plans to continue to restrain operating expenditures. For example, CIHR will continue to increase its use of virtual peer review committees which decrease hospitality and travel expenditures. In addition, CIHR plans to reduce the numbers of Vice Presidents from four to three.

In 2011-12, CIHR underwent its second international review by a prestigious eleven member blue ribbon panel. The panel presented its report to CIHR's Governing Council in June 2011. CIHR's Executive management has reviewed the panel's report which included 16 recommendations in five overarching areas and has developed an action plan. CIHR will actively monitor progress against this action plan over the next three years.

CIHR will continue to work proactively with all relevant partners to integrate and coordinate current and future funding processes. Increased interagency collaboration is a priority. In addition, CIHR will work with federal, provincial, territorial and international partners to develop strategies to harmonize data sets and databases, data sharing and linkages.

CIHR will also continue to focus on building a culture of ethical research by promoting and assisting in the discussion and application of ethical principles to health research by implementing the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans 2nd edition (TCPS2)  and the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct Of Research.