Backgrounder
This project relates directly to the recommendations of Canada's Economic Strategy Table on Health and Biosciences and aligns with both Western Economic Diversification Canada's (WD) and FedDev Ontario's focus on innovation and ecosystem development, specifically within the life sciences industry.
WD will invest $3.5 million to establish the CAN Health West Network. The Saskatchewan Health Authority is the lead proponent, and the initiative will include four other health care providers: Alberta Health Services, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, and Vancouver Coastal Health.
FedDev Ontario will invest $3.5 million to establish the CAN Health Ontario Network. Led by Trillium Health Partners, the initiative will include six other health care providers: Bruyère, Grand River Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Prism Eye Institute, SE Health Care, Sinai Health System, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University Health Network; and Unity Health Toronto.
The CAN Health Network will work with high-growth Canadian SMEs to pilot and commercialize new technologies, while providing a dedicated market for participating health care providers to procure leading-edge health care solutions. Establishing this network will result in improved, shared procurement processes being adopted not only by the participating health care providers but also by hospitals across Canada. The success of these initial investments will guide future funding decisions.
This initiative will provide a range of benefits including:
- New health innovations introduced into the marketplace
- Highly qualified positions created and maintained
- Business expenditures in research and development
- Revenue generation for high-growth firms
- SMEs assisted in gaining market access
- New technologies adopted by multiple health care providers through the new shared procurement process
About Saskatchewan Health Authority
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) employs more than 40,000 people and is responsible for the planning, organization, delivery and evaluation of the health services system for the entire province of Saskatchewan. The SHA is committed to playing a leadership role in the CAN Health West Network where it hopes to break down geographic boundaries and service silos to provide more consistent and coordinated health care services across western Canada.
About Trillium Health Partners
Established in 2011, Trillium Health Partners encompasses three hospital sites: Mississauga Hospital, Credit Valley Hospital and Queensway Health Centre. In total, the three hospitals receive over 1.6 million visits per year from across the Peel and Toronto West region, making Trillium the largest community-based, academically affiliated hospital in Canada. Trillium leverages its vast network and large population base to identify best practices in developing an integrated approach to delivering health care across Ontario.
