2022–23 Departmental Results Report: United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

Food Security and Climate Change in the Canadian North

The overall goal of the Initiative is to support research that will provide a deeper understanding of food security and climate change in the Canadian North, with a focus on Indigenous (i.e., First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) populations, and to support the development of effective approaches, programs, and policies to address this issue.

This Strategy contributed to advancing:

Global target 2.4: “By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.”

Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI)

HeLTI builds upon both the diverse research capacity and wealth of existing data sets in Canada, while using a unique set of coordinated linked international intervention cohorts to focus the powerful development origins of health and disease (DOHaD) approach specifically on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) both in Canada and in countries where the burden is greatest.

The goals of HeLTI are to:

1. Generate evidence that will inform national policy and decision-making for the improvement of health and the prevention of NCDs.

2. Position Canada as a global leader in the DOHaD field.

The initiative contributes to Global target 3.4:

“By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.”

Canadian Longitudinal Study (CSLA) on Aging

Continued implementation of the approved CLSA protocol including data collection for more than 50,000 participants for the period of 2021 to 2027. This six-year period will allow the team to collect data for the third follow-up (2021–2024) and the fourth follow-up (2024–2027).

CIHR established a Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies (CRPPHE) with the goal of protecting the health of all Canadians by developing and mobilizing health research for pandemic and health emergency preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery.

CRPPHE will directly engage and collaborate with key stakeholders, particularly those that bear the greatest burdens from pandemics and health threats, in the understanding, design and implementation of effective and equitable prevention, response and preparedness research, and knowledge mobilization activities.

The strategy through CRPPHE contributes to advancing Global target 3d:

“Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.”

Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) target 3.6 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages - Ambition - Canadians have healthy and satisfying lives).

CRPPHE in partnership with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded research projects ($24M Women Rise initiative) to support post-COVID recovery in low- and middle-income countries.

CRPPHE also funded research in response to health emergencies or recovery (e.g., COVID-19, mpox) and to build Canadian capacity in pandemic preparedness and response. Equity and gender considerations are core in all the Research Center work.

Equity Strategy

Launched in 2016, CIHR’s Equity Strategy aims to identify and address potential inequities in CIHR’s funding system, including in access to training and career support grants for students and trainees.

Dimensions Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Canada

Launched in 2019 by the three federal research granting agencies, Dimensions aims to foster transformational change within the research community at Canadian post-secondary institutions by publicly recognizing institutions for their efforts in advancing EDI.

EDI Institutional Capacity Building Grants

This Tri-Agency pilot funding opportunity was designed to support post-secondary research institutions in identifying and eliminating systemic barriers that impede career advancement, recruitment, and retention of underrepresented and/or disadvantaged groups.

These initiatives contribute to advancing CIF ambition:

“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

Global target 4.5: “By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and children in vulnerable situations.”

Tri-Agency Results:

Dimensions includes four stages of recognition intended to reflect the journey of carrying out EDI work in the research environment and achieving success. In 2023, 10 post-secondary institutions were awarded recognition for their work. The recipients are part of a cohort of 17 Canadian postsecondary institutions that co-developed Dimensions in 2018 and 2019. Preliminary findings from an evaluation of Dimensions indicates that it has had a significant positive impact by legitimizing EDI work of research institutions, creating dedicated EDI positions, and internal communities of practice.

Two rounds of competitions were implemented during the 5-year pilot period of the EDI Institutional Capacity-Building Grant, awarding a total of 27 two-year grants to small institutions, for a total of $10.1M in funding. In 2022, results of the program evaluation indicated the grant was well designed and delivered and had an impact for small research institutions who often do not have sufficient resources to dedicate to EDI initiatives. Funds were used to create dedicated EDI positions, engage with underrepresented groups, embed EDI into recruitment, hiring, and retainment practices, and increase the use of EDI data to inform decisions.

CIHR Results:

In alignment with CIHR’s Equity Strategy and the 2018–2025 Tri-agency EDI Action Plan, CIHR launched an expanded version of the Tri-Agency Self-identification Questionnaire for applicants and peer reviewers. This expanded questionnaire captures information on eight identity dimensions and will help CIHR better understand where systemic barriers exist and to design equitable and inclusive programs that support the full and fair participation of all members of the health research community.

In 2022, CIHR launched the Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award to support post-doctoral researchers, clinicians, and research associates from underrepresented groups in furthering research faculty careers in Canada.

CIHR published its Accessibility Plan 2023–2026 in December 2022. The Plan aims to identify, improve, and prevent instances of ableism and accessibility barriers within both CIHR’s workplace and its funding system.

National Women’s Health Research Initiative (NWHRI)

The NWHRI will advance a coordinated research program that addresses under-researched and high-priority areas of women’s health and will ensure new evidence improves women’s and gender-diverse people’s care and health outcomes.

It will also promote an intersectional lens to research and care to tackle persistent gaps for all women, including for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women, women with disabilities, and members of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) communities. The Initiative will transform women's health research and practices in Canada by producing and implementing a community-based approach, committed to the principles of EDI, and Indigenous Rights.

This initiative contributes to Global target 5.2:

Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.”

Further, this initiative contributes to global target 5.6: “Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.”

CIHR REDI Early Career Transition Award

This transition award is intended to facilitate the transition of promising researchers from underrepresented groups in Canada into independent research faculty positions. The first launch of the REDI Awards focuses on individuals who self-identify as Black or racialized women.

The REDI Awards contributes to Global target 5.5:

“Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, or public life.”

This initiative contributes to advancing:

Global target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.”

Global target 1.5: “By 2030, build resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.”

Healthy Cities Research Initiative (HCRI)

Urban environments have the potential to become engines of good health and health equity. Governments and communities can harness this potential by promoting physical activity, healthy eating, social connectivity, economic opportunity, and injury prevention, and access to health services, clean air, nutritious food, and green space. HCRI will help CIHR understand which solutions will work best to achieve these outcomes – as well as how cities can put these solutions into action – in ways that will be impactful, sustainable, and equitable.

The initiative contributes to CIF 11:

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

HCRI established six Healthy Cities Implementation Science Research Teams ($500,000 per year for up to six years, for a total of $3M per grant).

In partnership with IDRC, HCRI participated in the recently launched Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) Urban Environments Call ($400,000 per year for up to five (5) years, for a total of $2M).

Food Security and Climate Change in the Canadian North

The overall goal of the Initiative is to support research that will provide a deeper understanding of food security and climate change in the Canadian North, with a focus on Indigenous (i.e., First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) populations, and to support the development of effective approaches, programs, and policies to address this issue.

The Food Security Initiative contributes to advancing CIF ambition for SDG 13.2:

“Canadians are well-equipped and resilient to face the effects of Climate change.”

Research Network on Lyme Disease (LD)

The Network is a pan-Canadian interdisciplinary research network that provides national capacity to conduct integrated, multidisciplinary, evaluative, and discovery research related to the emerging threat of LD in Canada. The overall goal of the Network is to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of LD in Canada.

The Network on Lyme Disease contributes to advancing Global target 13.3:

“Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.”