$554 million awarded to Canadian research hospitals
Last Updated: Thursday, August 21, 2008 | 7:33 PM ET
CBC News
Research-based hospitals across Canada gained $554 million in federal funding Thursday to attract and keep world-class researchers.
"This investment in Canada's research hospitals will result in new insights into the causes of illness, new approaches to prevention and treatment, improved health-care delivery systems, and ultimately, in an improved quality of life for all Canadians," Dr. Eliot Phillipson, president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, said in a release.
Montreal's McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre received nearly $100 million in funding, the largest infrastructure investment the CFI has made.
"Our researchers are currently spread out over more than 65 separate labs located in 50- to 100-year-old buildings that impose severe constraints on their activities," said Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, director of the research institute of the MUHC.
"Given the world-class achievements of our scientists and clinicians in these poor conditions, one can only dream of the discoveries that will emerge from a modern facility that is designed to encourage the interdisciplinary collaborations and synergies that are the basis for true scientific innovation."
The $554,480,880 investment includes:
- $426,544,529 awarded under the Large-Scale Institutional Endeavours component of the Research Hospital Fund.
- $127,936,351 to assist institutions with the operation and maintenance costs associated with the infrastructure projects being funded.
Toronto's University Health Network was awarded $119.9 million, including $92.3 million toward construction projects at the Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto Western Research Institute, Ontario Cancer Institute and Toronto General Research Institute.
The institutes in Toronto will use the funding for new equipment for clinical studies, stem cells, medical imaging, drug discovery programs and other research fields.
Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador received an $11-million grant to go toward a new building dedicated to human genetics research.
Hamilton General Hospital and Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health were awarded grants earlier this week.
