ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Canadian Institutes of Health Research

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The Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Health

Section I - Overview

Minister's Message
President's Message
Management Representation Statement
Summary Information
CIHR Operating Environment

Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Analysis by Program Activity

Section III - Supplementary Information

Organizational Information
Departmental links to the Government of Canada Outcomes
Table 1: Departmental Planned Spending and Full Time Equivalents
Table 2: Voted and Statutory Items listed in Main Estimates
Table 3: Services Received Without Charge
Table 4: Sources of Non-Respendable Revenue
Table 5: Details on Transfer Payments Programs
Table 6: Internal Audits and Evaluations

Section IV - Other Items of Interest

Section I - Overview

Minister's Message

It is my pleasure to present to my parliamentary colleagues, and all Canadians, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's (CIHR) Report on Plans and Priorities for the fiscal year 2007-2008.

As an important member of the Government of Canada's Health Portfolio, CIHR supports over 10,000 health researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and other health organizations and research centres across Canada. This kind of support, in turn, enables these centres to attract investment, industry partners, international partners and highly qualified resources. Canada's ability to attract and retain talented, knowledgeable and innovative personnel plays an important role in increasing our competitive advantage. These world-class researchers are leading our search for improved treatment, and ultimately cures, for such diseases as cancer and Alzheimer's, as well as responding to the unique needs of such populations as seniors, children and Aboriginal peoples.

CIHR's Report on Plans and Priorities presents a detailed picture of results-based planning and budgeting for the year ahead and beyond. In the coming fiscal year, CIHR will continue to focus on these objectives which, in turn, will help the Government of Canada meet its broader objectives.

As an example, CIHR will play a major role in helping the Government of Canada achieve goals set out in Advantage Canada: Building a Strong Economy for Canadians, a long-term, national economic plan released in November 2006 and designed to make Canada a true world economic leader. CIHR will contribute to this plan by helping target investments in Research & Development to areas in which Canada has the potential to be a world leader, and developing initiatives that build on the country's scientific strengths such as Canada's Clinical Research Initiative being developed in collaboration with the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the provinces, health charities and industry. In addition, CIHR has a strong track record of graduate support to equip the next generation of knowledge workers. And CIHR is helping strengthen links between universities and the private sector, through programs such as the Proof of Principle and Science to Business, to enhance commercialization of Canadian ideas and knowledge, which is a key component of Advantage Canada.

The ability to build meaningful partnerships, to help shape and articulate and mobilize world-class research activities and the capacity to help transform this research into action are all qualities that have helped distinguish CIHR and will continue to play a role as the organization continues to evolve. The Government of Canada relies on these qualities as it strives to serve the health needs of Canadians in a way that is both accountable and grounded in evidence. CIHR-funded research contributes to sound health policy, improvements to the health-care system and increased productivity.

Tony Clement
Minister of Health

President's Message

The past year provided an opportunity to evaluate the accomplishments of CIHR's first five years and determine future directions to ensure continued excellence and relevance of health research in Canada. As part of this process, CIHR underwent a rigorous review of its activities conducted by a well-respected and renowned 27-member International Review Panel (IRP). The IRP Report voiced strong confirmation of the directions that CIHR has established and optimism about the quality of research that will be delivered as a result.

CIHR's core priority is to improve the health of Canadians through research. To achieve this priority, we have focused on several key results and performance measures. Examples include: new understanding of disease; new or improved diagnostics; attracting and retaining new talent; informing and strengthening public policy with evidence-based research results; and, adding economic value through the creation of successful new companies or licensing deals.

For example, CIHR funding of research by UBC researcher Dr. Brett Finlay helped develop a unique vaccine for E. coli for use with cattle. The technology, transferred to Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. recently received preliminary federal approval to begin selling the vaccine in Canada. And, in the past year, Neuromed, recently signed the largest ever biotech deal in Canadian history. This agreement between Neuromed Inc. and Merck is worth potentially $475 million and will focus on commercializing molecules developed by Neuromed to fight chronic pain, work that required 11 years of prior CIHR-funded research by company founder and UBC professor, Dr. Terry Snutch.

Federal funding has enabled CIHR to expand, strengthen and deepen the essential base of scientific excellence in Canada to produce more of the kinds of success stories described above.

As we move into 2007-2008, CIHR will continue its focus on excellence, especially in our peer review system, and measures to increase accountability. CIHR's efforts will persist in knowledge translation and commercialization of research discoveries. Moreover, CIHR will keep on making strategic investments in health research to respond to national priorities such as; pandemic preparedness, wait times, indoor air quality, health and the environment, obesity, and mental health.

CIHR looks forward to continued hard work and investment in each of these areas to help deliver to Canadians the full measure of benefit from health research.

Dr. Alan Bernstein, O.C., FRSC
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the TBS guidance;
It is based on the department's Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Dr. Alan Bernstein, O.C., FRSC
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Summary Information

Raison d'être

The mandate of CIHR is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system (Bill C-13, April 13, 2000).

To accomplish this, CIHR provides a range of programs and activities that are designed to support outstanding research - both investigator-driven and strategic, to build health research capacity, and to promote knowledge translation in accordance with CIHR's mandate and strategic directions. CIHR funds more than 10,000 health researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and other health organizations and research centres across the country who conduct research in the following areas: biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and the health of populations, societal and cultural dimensions of health and environmental influences on health. Together, these activities will position Canada as a world leader in the creation and use of health knowledge for the betterment of Canadians and people everywhere.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$869.5	$877.4	$864.0

Human Resources:¹

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
406	406	406

Departmental Priorities:

Priority	Type	Programs	Planned Spending (in millions)
Priority	Type	Programs	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
Strategic Outcome: Outstanding Research - Best health research supported to create health knowledge responding to opportunities and priorities
Strategic Priority #1: Research Advance health knowledge, through excellent and ethical research, across disciplines, sectors, and geography.	Ongoing	1.1. Fund Health Research	$493.5	$500.7	$487.6
Strategic Outcome: Outstanding Researchers in Innovative Environments - Strong health research community able to undertake outstanding research
Strategic Priority #2: Researchers Develop and sustain Canada's health researchers in vibrant, innovative and stable research environments.	Ongoing	2.1. Fund Health Researchers and Trainees 2.2. Fund research resources, collaboration and other grants to strengthen the health research community 2.3. Develop and support a strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority setting 2.4. Inform research, clinical practice and public policy on ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to health and health research	$308.0	$308.7	$308.4
Strategic Outcome: Transforming Health Research into Action - Health research adopted into practice, programs and policies for a productive health system; and stimulation of economic development through discovery and innovation
Strategic Priority #3: Knowledge Translation Catalyze health innovation in order to strengthen health and the health care system and contribute to the growth of Canada's economy.	Ongoing	3.1. Support activities on knowledge translation, exchange, use and strategies to strengthen the health system 3.2. Support national efforts to capture the economic value for Canada of health research advances made at Canadian institutions	$68.0	$68.0	$68.0

Management Priorities
In December 2006, CIHR's senior management cadre, including representatives from the 13 Institutes, developed three-year operational priorities (2007-2008 to 2009-2010) to guide business planning across the organization. These priorities and the related key activities will be reviewed annually:

Continue to improve CIHR's health research programs and peer review system;
Improve CIHR's service delivery and streamline processes;
Strengthen accountability, transparency and communications; and
Foster a motivated, committed and productive workforce.

All references to human resources are for Full Time Equivalents (FTEs), unless otherwise noted.

CIHR Operating Environment

1. Approach to Health Research
CIHR is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's vision is to position Canada as a world leader in the creation and use of new knowledge through health research that benefits the health of Canadians and the global community.

International Model
In June 2006, the International Review Panel responsible for CIHR's first 5-year review delivered its final report which applauded CIHR's accomplishments to date and noted that internationally CIHR is the new model for health research. It also identified areas where further action could be undertaken in relation to governance and management; research programs and peer review; knowledge translation; ethics; evaluation; communications; and Canada's research landscape. CIHR's initiatives in these areas are addressed in Section II and IV of this document.

A Problem-Based Multidisciplinary Approach

CIHR Institutes

Aboriginal Peoples’ Health
Aging
Cancer Research
Circulatory and Respiratory Health
Gender and Health
Genetics
Health Services and Policy Research
Human Development, Child and Youth Health
Infection and Immunity
Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes
Population and Public Health

Through its 13 Institutes, CIHR is creating new opportunities for Canadian health researchers to produce results that matter to Canadians and the rest of the world. CIHR uses a problem-based, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to health research. The majority of its funded research is investigator-driven, while funding is also directed towards specific strategic initiatives that respond to health challenges that are of high priority to Canadians.

CIHR's approach is enabled by its structure - unique in the world- that brings together researchers from across disciplinary and geographic boundaries through its 13 Institutes. Each Institute addresses a health research theme that is of importance to Canadians.

In total, CIHR funds more than 10,000 health researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and other health organizations and research centres across the country. It supports health research that meets the highest international standards of excellence and ethics in the following areas: biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and the health of populations, societal and cultural dimensions of health and environmental influences on health.

A Key Role in the Health Portfolio
The Minister of Health, through the work of the Health Portfolio, is responsible for maintaining and improving the health of Canadians. The Portfolio consists of Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board and the newly formed Assisted Human Reproduction Canada. Each member of the Portfolio prepares its own Report on Plans and Priorities.

The Health Portfolio consists of approximately 11,400 employees and an annual budget of over $4.5 billion.

Health Portfolio

2. CIHR's Core Business
CIHR activities include the funding, coordination and promotion of health research through open competitions, strategic initiatives, and knowledge translation. CIHR also participates with other federal agencies in a number of programs, including the Networks of Centres of Excellence program, Canada Research Chairs, and Canada Graduate Scholarships.

CIHR invests a significant portion of its budget on research grants and personnel support awards in "open" competitions, enabling individual researchers or groups of investigators to identify research areas that they consider to be of importance. The remainder of the CIHR budget is invested in "strategic" research, that is, research on specific topics identified by CIHR's Institutes following broad consultation.

CIHR provides a range of career and training programs to support health researchers across all disciplines, building capacity in those areas where needs are identified. It develops and supports innovative training programs that promote a multidisciplinary approach to understanding health and disease. CIHR also contributes to improved research ethics policies and practices in Canada and internationally.

CIHR has established many new initiatives in the past seven years, almost all in partnership with others, to realize the potential of research to improve the health of Canadians, strengthen Canada's health care system, and contribute to our knowledge-based economy. They include:

programs to assist researchers in translating their discoveries to applications in the marketplace, and to engage communities across Canada in health research;
strategic initiatives that address emerging health threats and other important issues of concern to Canadians, such as obesity, cancer and mental health; and
innovative training initiatives that will support the next generation of health researchers and provide them with the training they need in a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment.

Knowledge Translation
A key part of CIHR's mandate, knowledge translation (KT) is the synthesis, exchange and ethically-sound application of knowledge to accelerate the capture of the benefits of research for Canadians through improved health, more effective services and products, and a strengthened health care system. This is accomplished through funding of Knowledge Translation research and activities; facilitation and management of partnerships that can accelerate Knowledge Translation; and development of measurement, analysis and evaluation policies, frameworks and tools to assess the outcomes and impacts of CIHR-funded research.

Commercialization
Health-related companies, including biotech companies, are responsible for more than $20 billion in revenues each year. CIHR has developed a coherent suite of programs to help move research discoveries from the academic setting to the marketplace. CIHR's new Commercialization and Innovation Strategy builds on work done to date, and fills gaps identified in moving discovery to the marketplace.

World Class Research Through CIHR's Peer Review Process
Applications for support from CIHR undergo rigorous peer review on a competitive basis by committees of experts in the field. These experts examine proposals with respect to their significance in advancing knowledge and promoting the health of Canadians. They also assess them on the basis of innovation and feasibility of technical approach. The qualifications and track record of the researchers and the availability of the resources and expertise necessary for the proposed studies are also examined. Through a process of consensus, the committee arrives at a numerical rating for each proposal. As a result, only those that meet internationally accepted standards of excellence are funded.

There are now more than 100 CIHR peer review committees and the peer review process involves over 2,300 volunteer expert reviewers each year, from Canada and abroad. The committees make recommendations for funding on the merits of applications.

3. CIHR's Partnerships - Leveraging our Impact
Partnerships have played a central role in the success of CIHR since its inception. By pooling resources, we have been able to fund more research teams in areas of shared strategic importance spanning a wide range of health challenges. CIHR engages partners along the entire spectrum of health research, from setting research priorities, through funding research, and eventually to translating the resulting knowledge into action.

Partnerships are developed primarily by Institutes to address the research themes they have identified, in collaboration with their partners, but can also involve CIHR-wide programs. Examples include partnerships involving industry, the Regional Partnership Program, and the Clinical Research Initiative.

CIHR's impact would be significantly reduced in the absence of partnerships, a fact which holds true for any player in the health research field. In the six years that CIHR has been in existence, we have established more than 400 partnership agreements with over 300 organizations. Over the same period, these kinds of partnerships have resulted in over $500 million in additional funding for CIHR-led health research projects. However, the value of partnerships extends beyond that of a financial transaction. Non-financial contributions can include access to professional networks, areas of expertise, shared tools and documentation, and in-kind resources.

Through strategic partnerships, CIHR is leveraging support for government priority areas. Here are two examples:

Partnership Example - Partnering for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

Recognizing the need to develop a coordinated and focused research effort and to build research capacity in pandemic influenza in Canada, the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity has worked with its partners to establish the Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative (PPSRI). The mandate of the PPSRI is to identify strategic research priorities and support pandemic preparedness research. The initiative is supported by the federal government which announced in May 2006 that it would provide $21.5 million over five years to support pandemic influenza research.

Work to be done through the PPSRI includes identifying current gaps in knowledge and supporting research training, operating grants, teams and multidisciplinary approaches to pandemic preparedness. The ultimate goal is that the new knowledge will allow Canada and other countries around the world to prevent or mitigate an influenza pandemic.

CIHR has launched four pandemic preparedness research initiatives to address the strategic priority areas in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Rx&D Health Research Foundation, the International Development Research Centre, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases, and the related Networks of Centres of Excellence.

Partnership Example - Partnering to Strengthen Clinical Research

CIHR and Canada's research-based pharmaceutical companies (Rx&D) renewed an on-going partnership in early 2007 to help Canadian patients by making Canada the destination of choice for clinical trials. The CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program will invest new funding over the coming years on clinical trials related to creating more effective treatments and improving patients' quality of life.

Over the past five years, the CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program has invested over $320 million in valuable research projects at universities and teaching hospitals across Canada, making this public-private research agreement one of the largest in the country.

The objective of the program will continue to focus on building clinical research support through personnel awards such as CIHR-Rx&D Research Chairs and operating support programs, including research grants and clinical trials.

Furthermore, the program will encourage the sharing of best practices in clinical research, leading to better training of investigators and more comprehensive clinical trials. Activities such as this reflect an ongoing commitment to research and the creation of new and innovative ideas, ideas critical to improved health and Canada's competitiveness in the global knowledge-based economy.

CIHR engages many types of organizations in partnerships including voluntary organizations, the private sector, the public sector and others, in or outside Canada, with complementary research interests. The following is a list representative of CIHR partners from all sectors.

Examples of Current CIHR Partners: Working Together for the Health of Canadians²

Federal Departments/Agencies	Provincial Departments/Agencies
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Canada Foundation for Innovation Canadian Blood Services Canadian Food Inspection Agency Canadian Health Services Research Foundation Canadian Institute for Health Information Canadian International Development Agency Department of National Defence Environment Canada Genome Canada Health Canada International Development Research Centre National Research Council National Secretariat on Homelessness Natural Sciences and Engineering Council Public Health Agency of Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Statistics Canada	Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec Government of Saskatchewan (Innovation and Science Fund) Manitoba Health Medical Research Fund of New Brunswick Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (BC) Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation Ontario Innovation Trust Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Ontario Research & Development Challenge Fund PEI, through the Regional Partnerships Program Provincial/Territorial Deputy Ministers of Health Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation
Voluntary Organizations	Industry
ALS Society of Canada Alzheimer Society of Canada The Arthritis Society Canadian Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Foundation Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance Canadian Cancer Society Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation Canadian Diabetes Association Canadian Digestive Health Foundation Canadian Fanconi Anemia Research Fund Canadian Hypertension Society Canadian Institute for Relief of Pain and Disability Canadian Lung Association Canadian Medical Association CNIB E.A. Baker Foundation Dystonia Medical Research Foundation of Canada Health Charities Coalition of Canada Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation The Kidney Foundation of Canada Muscular Dystrophy Canada NeuroScience Canada Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation Ontario Prader-Willi Syndrome Society	Canada's research-based pharmaceutical companies (Rx&D) Canadian biotechnology companies National agri-food organizations
	International
	Australia Research Council Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (U.S.) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France) CNPq (Brazil) CONICET (Argentina) Human Frontier Science Program (France) Indian Council for Medical Research Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (France) International Agency for Research on Cancer (France) Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Max Planck Institute (Germany) Medical Research Council (U.K.) National Institute of Health of Mexico National Institutes of Health (U.S.) National Natural Science Foundation of China Ministry of Education of China The National Research Council (Italy) New Zealand Health Research Council Veterans Administration (U.S.) Wellcome Trust (U.K.)

2. This list is representative of CIHR partners. CIHR values all its partners; however, space limitations prevent the listing of all partner organizations.

4. International Collaborations
From its inception in 2000, CIHR has been active internationally, with over 150 collaborations with non-Canadian organizations, the majority led by Institutes. On the whole, CIHR's support for international collaboration constitutes approximately 5% of its annual grants and awards budget expenditures. Examples of funding programs and activities with international partners include:

Various CIHR Institutes have been active in establishing collaborations with counterpart organizations in China (neuroscience, maternal and child health, cardiovascular disease, genetics, diabetes and obesity, infection and immunity, and aging), Japan (neuroscience, maternal child and youth health, aging), Germany and Italy (genomics), Mexico (tuberculosis, influenza), Australia and New Zealand (Aboriginal peoples' health), the U.S. (mental health, heart/lung/blood), and India (chronic and life-style diseases);
CIHR in partnership with Health Canada, the International Development Research Centre, and the Canadian International Development Agency, are developing the Global Health Research Initiative, a novel initiative to increase Canada's involvement in addressing the health research needs in the developing world;
CIHR participates in seven international scientific exchange programs, which are intended to foster collaboration between independent investigators in Canada and those from Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Italy and Japan;
CIHR is a lead partner in the Canada-HOPE Scholarship Program. This program enables promising scientists and clinicians from low and middle income countries to be mentored by prominent Canadian researchers and to be exposed to some of the best science, laboratories, and training environments in Canada;
CIHR is a major contributor to Heads of International Research Organizations (HIRO), the informal group of equivalent health research funding agencies in countries including the U.S. (NIH), U.K. (MRC), France (INSERM), Germany (Max Planck), China (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and Australia (NHMRC); and
CIHR contributes to the 31-nation Human Frontiers Science Program (HFSP), both in terms of funding and the participation as a member of the HFSP Board of Trustees;

5. Moving Forward: Blueprint for Health Research and Innovation
In January 2004, CIHR launched its first strategic plan: Investing in Canada's Future: CIHR's Blueprint for Health Research and Innovation. Blueprint builds on CIHR's early years, charting a path for the next phase of growth and setting out its future direction. The plan sets out five key areas where CIHR will focus over the period 2003-2004 to 2007-2008:

strengthen Canada's health research communities;
address emerging health challenges and develop national research platforms and initiatives;
develop and support a balanced research agenda that includes research on disease mechanisms, disease prevention and cure, and health promotion;
harness research to improve the health status of vulnerable populations; and
support health innovations that contribute to a more productive health system and prosperous economy.

In 2007-2008, CIHR will revisit and revise its strategic plan through national consultations with its partners and health research stakeholders.

6. Managing Risks and Challenges
CIHR is continuously assessing opportunities, challenges and risks at three levels: strategic, programmatic and administrative. For environmental scanning and response development at a strategic level, each of the thirteen Institutes has an Advisory Board that provides a wide variety of perspectives on health and health research issues. These boards identify threats to the health of Canadians, or opportunities for rapid advances in health knowledge, and develop strategic research initiatives in response. At the programmatic level, CIHR assesses the opportunities and risks associated with different types of research and designs appropriate research funding mechanisms. At the administrative level, staff regularly assess opportunities and threats. Responses are considered and approved by management committees.

Research takes time and a sustained investment. A large portion of the CIHR budget is committed to grants and awards that extend over three to five years. CIHR is continually challenged by the need to provide this longer term funding while maintaining its capacity to fund new projects.

CIHR is also challenged by increasing application pressure. During a time that the CIHR budget more than doubled, application pressure increased so much that success rates in major competitions actually dropped. More and more highly recommended applications must be turned away because funds are not available. Going forward, it will be important to ensure a stable source of funds to respond to this increased demand. Otherwise, Canadian researchers unable to obtain research operating grants here may move to countries where grants are available.

Specific risks and challenges related to each Strategic Outcome are identified in Section II of this document.

Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Analysis by Program Activity

This section summarizes and identifies CIHR's planned programs and activities within each of its three strategic outcome areas.

1. Strategic Outcome: Outstanding Research
CIHR supports the development of new knowledge through health research across all disciplines that are relevant to health. Throughout 2007-2008 and beyond, CIHR will continue to support outstanding health research in order to create health knowledge responding to opportunities and priorities.

1.1. Program Activity: Fund Health Research

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$493.5	$500.7	$487.6

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
230	232	229

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds to facilitate and enable the conduct of outstanding health research including collaborative programs in investigator-framed and Institute-framed initiatives.

Expected Results

Effective and efficient funding programs that enable ethical health research, responding to opportunities and priorities.

Indicators

Success of CIHR-funded research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels.
Extent to which Institutes have appropriately influenced the research, policy and/or practice agendas in their communities.

Link to Priority

Priority #1: Research - Advance health knowledge, through excellent and ethical research, across disciplines, sectors, and geography.

Description of Key Programs and Services
CIHR supports the development of new knowledge through health research across all disciplines that are relevant to health. In order to effectively fund this research, CIHR provides grants for both investigator-initiated and strategic research through competitions and requests for applications (RFAs) in conjunction with many partners.

Funding Excellence in Health Research
Research driven by the creativity of individuals and teams lies at the heart of Canada's health research enterprise. CIHR encourages and promotes excellence in research, as judged by peers, recognizing that innovative research drives progress and ensures a continuous flow of fresh insights. Over the next three years, CIHR will reinforce its commitment to research excellence through directing approximately 70% of its base budget to grants and awards in support of investigator-initiated research programs that address significant questions in biomedical and clinical research as well as in the areas of health systems and population and public health research. CIHR is committing approximately 30% of its grants and awards base budget to its various strategic research initiatives.

Funding Excellence in Health Research: CIHR's Open Operating Grants Program
The Open Operating Grants Program represents CIHR's single largest investment, with a 2007-2008 program budget accounting for more than half of CIHR's grants and awards budget. This "untargeted" or "unstructured" research support program encourages Canadian health researchers to pursue their very best ideas, define and pursue the mode of research best suited to advance those ideas, and to pursue the opportunities most likely to maximize the impact of their work. This program recognizes the reality that the pursuit of excellence in research, as judged by peers, is a powerful source of inspiration. This program is an important part of CIHR's mandate and has been applauded by governments and research funding agencies worldwide. In 2007-2008 CIHR will continue to reinforce its long-term commitment to the Open Operating Grants Program through maintaining a program budget of at least $347 million making improvements to the peer review process that supports it, and improving multi-year planning to ensure that new ideas and new researchers are given the opportunity to flourish with each annual competition cycle.

Supporting Strategic Research through Institutes
CIHR's broad-based approach brings together researchers across disciplinary and geographic boundaries through its 13 Institutes, each of which addresses an area of health research that is of importance to Canadians. Each Institute is headed by a Scientific Director who is a leader in their field, and is guided by an Institute Advisory Board comprising volunteers from the health research community.

Each Institute has worked closely with its partners, including other research funders, those who carry out the research, and those who use its findings, to develop strategic plans which identify research priority themes. These themes are highly relevant to government priorities such as: Aboriginal health; access to quality health care; health and the environment; and solidifying Canada's place in the world.

Examples of the Institute's strategic research themes and funded research in 2007-2008 include:

Institute	Select examples of strategic research themes
Aboriginal Peoples' Health	Aboriginal Health Determinants Chronic Disease and Indigenous Peoples Health Services and Aboriginal Peoples
Aging	Mobility in Aging Cognitive Impairment in Aging Determinants of Healthy and Successful Aging
Cancer Research	Access to Quality Cancer Care Colorectal Cancer Screening
Circulatory and Respiratory Health	Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes Clinical Imaging Clinical Research Initiative
Gender and Health	Gender and Health Across the Lifespan Access and Equity for Vulnerable Populations Gender and Global Health
Genetics	Proteomics & Bioinformatics Genes to Genomic Medicine
Health Services and Policy Research	Sustainable Financing & Funding in Health Care Addressing Health Care and Health Policy Challenges
Human Development, Child and Youth Health	Child Health Indicators Pediatric Rehabilitation
Infection and Immunity	Pandemic Preparedness Research Antibiotic Resistance
Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis	Physical Activity, Mobility and Health Tissue Injury, Repair Replacement Pain, Disability Chronic Diseases
Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction	Co-morbidity and co-occurrence of brain disorders with other health problems Research in Addiction
Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes	Intervention research on healthy living and chronic disease programs Measures, prevention, and/or treatment of obesity and healthy body weight
Population and Public Health	Population-level intervention research to improve the evidence base underlying policies and programs intended to protect, promote and improve the public's health; health disparities; strengthening public health research capacity; global health research

Developing National Research Platforms and Initiatives
CIHR's Strategic Plan, Blueprint, calls upon the organization to develop national research platforms and initiatives. CIHR's Governing Council has identified a number of partnered, long-term strategic initiatives to pursue in order to address Canada's health research priorities. These include:

The Global Health Research Initiative which will support research to inform practical solutions to address the health and health system problems of low- and middle-income countries. (in conjunction with Canadian International Development Agency, International Development Research Centre and Health Canada);
The Clinical Research Initiative (CRI) will strengthen Clinical Research in Canada in order to accelerate the translation of clinical research discoveries into improved and cost-effective approaches to maintaining health and treating illness, and to provide evidence for sound health policies and an efficient health care system. (planned in conjunction with Canadian Foundation for Innovation);
The Regenerative Medicine and Nanotechnology Initiative which will harness the full potential of a number of new technologies, and examine their impact on society and the health care system (in conjunction with Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, National Research Council Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation and others); and
The Canadian Lifelong Health Initiative (CLHI) is a groundbreaking set of large cohort studies targeting birth, chronic disease and aging, that will track the health of thousands of Canadians over many years and generate new knowledge of how environmental, social, life-style, genetic, and behavioural factors affect health across the lifespan.

The scale to which these three initiatives are implemented is contingent on the availability of finances and contributing partners.

Risks and Challenges
In delivering results related to Strategic Outcome #1, Outstanding Research, CIHR faces the following challenges:

Making allocation decisions in a situation where the number of high quality proposals far exceeds the amount of available funding;
Responding to the unprecedented expansion of health research capacity across Canada;
Ensuring that new investigators who are at the beginning of their careers receive the support they need to establish their research programs;
Supporting a broad spectrum of research areas of importance to Canadians; and
Achieving the right balance between number of projects funded and size of individual grants.

The risk of not adequately addressing these challenges is that we may fall short of providing the strong and diverse research base that is needed for maintaining and improving health and health care in Canada.

CIHR addresses these challenges and mitigates these risks with the following strategies:

Conducting a rigorous, competitive granting process in which applications for funding are evaluated by experts from Canada and around the world;
Informing the research community of funding opportunities through Institute Advisory Boards, delegates in each University and a regular e-bulletin for researchers;
Regularly considering the balance between the number of grants and awards and the average amount of funding; and
Launching strategic research initiatives, primarily through the 13 Institutes, that encompass the full spectrum of health issues.

2. Strategic Outcome: Outstanding Researchers in Innovative Environments

CIHR is committed to strengthening Canada's health research communities by continuing to broaden, deepen and sustain health research excellence. CIHR will continue to support interdisciplinary and multisectoral teams of researchers. CIHR will ensure that it supports an appropriate balance and mix of health researchers to realize its mandate and strategic objectives. CIHR recognizes the importance of new investigators to the Canadian health research enterprise. Throughout 2007-2008 and beyond, CIHR will work to ensure a strong Canadian health research community that is able to undertake outstanding research.

2.1. Program Activity: Fund Health Researchers and Trainees.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$203.6	$204.3	$204.0

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
95	95	95

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for both salary awards to enable health researchers to devote more time to their research, as well as competitions for training awards to develop future health researchers.

Expected Results

Effective and efficient funding programs that ensure a supply of highly qualified health researchers and trainees are available to conduct outstanding research.

Indicators

Success of CIHR-funded salary and training programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels.
Level and success of Institute activity in creating opportunities for capacity development based on successful initial and ongoing identification and targeting of research domains in need of capacity development.

Link to Priority

Priority #2: Researchers - Develop and sustain Canada's health researchers in vibrant, innovative and stable research environments.

Description of Key Programs and Services
CIHR provides various training and salary programs, to support and nurture Canada's health research community. Other activities include CIHR's participation in the Canada Research Chairs and Canada Graduate Scholarships programs. CIHR will continue to evaluate and simplify its numerous program tools to become more efficient in program delivery and make it easier for researchers to access the support they need.

Training the Next Generation of Researchers
Training the next generation of researchers is crucial to the future of health research in Canada. Demographic trends indicate an increasing need for young researchers. In turn, the health care system depends on research for continual improvements. Trainees not only replenish the ranks of independent investigators, but also help to fill the needs of industry for high quality personnel (HQP), and provide health professionals, financial managers, and policy decision-makers with a research background.

CIHR's regular training awards support more than 2,400 individuals, including undergraduates, masters and doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows. CIHR's single largest source of support for research training continues to be its regular research grant programs. With the growth in number and size of these in recent years, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of trainees supported from grants held by researchers, with the current total being more than 4,700. CIHR will continue to explore ways of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs.

Cutting edge discoveries are made at the intersection of research disciplines. CIHR encourages and supports training programs that prepare young researchers to work effectively with a team of colleagues from various disciplines able to focus multiple talents on a single health issue. CIHR took a bold step in 2001 in an effort to improve the health research training environment and increase health research capacity by launching the Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (STIHR). STIHR provides funding to innovative, interdisciplinary training programs and currently supports more than 1,000 trainees at different levels through training centres across the country. The consensus for the need for this type of training is shown by the large number of external partners that were part of the STIHR launch. CIHR will continue funding this innovative program and at the same time evaluating its effectiveness. For example, in 2007-2008, the STIHR program evaluation will be completed.

Clinician-investigators in all the health professions are a key element in the transfer of new knowledge to applications in the health care system, and CIHR's Clinical Research Initiative is helping to ensure that those clinicians with a commitment to research have an opportunity to pursue their interests. CIHR will continue to increase capacity in clinical research by providing additional training and salary awards to clinician-investigators through dedicated funding.

Supporting Research Careers
One of CIHR's core objectives is to provide leadership in building capacity within Canada's health research community. This is done through the training and development of researchers, and by fostering the development and ongoing support of scientific careers in health research. In 2005, CIHR formed a Task Force on Career Support to advise its Governing Council on an appropriate niche for CIHR in the area of salary support. Following delivery of the final Task Force report, CIHR designed a revised portfolio of career support programs through broad consultation with all stakeholders. The new portfolio addresses the issues raised by the Task Force, including program sustainability. Roll-out of the newly designed programs, intended to complement support provided through the Canada Research Chairs program, will begin as funding becomes available.

In addition to providing trainees and independent investigators with salary support, CIHR is committed to helping them develop the skills they require to succeed in the modern research environment. Several Institutes provide their trainees and new investigators interdisciplinary networking opportunities as well as workshops on topics such as building and managing a research team, how to write effective grant proposals, and time management.

Building Research Capacity in Universities
In collaboration with the federal funding agencies (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) CIHR will continue to invest in research capacity building through the Canada Research Chairs program and the Canada Graduate Scholarships program in 2007-2008 and beyond. For example, CIHR will lead for the tri-agency evaluation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships program, which supports both masters and doctoral students. This evaluation will be completed in 2007-2008.

Institute-led Capacity Building
A key role of CIHR's Institutes is capacity building. Several initiatives will continue in 2007-2008 and beyond, including:

The Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health will support a collaborative Network Environment for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR) through development of centres across Canada that will be dedicated to improving First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples' health through community-based and scientifically excellent research. The NEAHR centres will sustain and evolve the existing eight Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environments (ACADRE) centres to facilitate the development of Aboriginal capacity in health research;
Through the Capacity for Applied and Developmental Research and Evaluation in Health Services and Nursing (CADRE) Program, the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research, in partnership with the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, will continue to fund research chairs, regional training centres, postdoctoral fellowships, and career reorientation awards to develop increased capacity in applied health services and policy research, including nursing management and organization issues; and
The Institute of Cancer Research has developed the Emerging Team Grant for Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and will establish new teams of investigators to undertake research in the field of cancer screening that will lead to a reduction in colorectal cancer mortality in Canada, as well as training and establishing new investigators in the area of population-based colorectal cancer screening.

2.2. Program Activity: Fund research resources, collaboration and other grants to strengthen the health research community.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$70.0	$70.0	$70.0

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
33	32	33

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds for research-enabling activities, such as networking, provision of new equipment, databases and/or specialized resources. Encourage participation and involvement of stakeholders in the public and private sectors through collaborative, enabling programs and competitions.

Expected Results

Effective and efficient partnerships and funding programs that lead to a dynamic research environment and enable outstanding research.

Indicators

Success of CIHR-funded research resources and collaboration programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels.
Expenditure levels and distribution.
Level of Institute leadership, activity and success in strengthening research infrastructure/environment.

Link to Priority

Priority #2: Researchers - Develop and sustain Canada's health researchers in vibrant, innovative and stable research environments.

Description of Key Programs and Services
CIHR contributes funding to a number of team-related programs as part of its strategy to strengthen the research environment and enable outstanding research.

Advancing Multidisciplinary Research
In 2004, CIHR introduced the Team Grant program. It is designed to bring together researchers from across multiple disciplines in order to harness their collective expertise to solve complex, multi-facetted, health challenges. In 2007-2008, through the second annual call for proposals CIHR will fund approximately 10 new teams focused on resolving health issues of high importance to Canadians. A third annual competition is underway with bi-annual competitions planned thereafter. In addition to the open or "untargeted" team grant program, targeted competitions for teams and emerging teams continue to be launched to encourage researchers to join together into unique teams to focus on resolving some of the most difficult and complex problems, including health and the environment, mental health and cancer

Advancing Research that is Relevant to Official Language Minority Communities
CIHR is committed to supporting health research related issues facing official language minority communities (OLMC) and thus has included the OLMC initiative as one of the CIHR multi-Institute strategic initiatives. Furthermore, CIHR's financial support for the next three fiscal years will result in increased funding opportunities for research projects focusing on health issues pertinent to OLMC in Canada. In compliance with the Official Languages Act, CIHR will continue to collaborate with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and its representatives by having an official observer present at all consultative committee meetings. Plans for 2007-2008 include further defining the domain of OLMC as it relates to health, funding research in three major relevant research areas identified by the members of official language minority communities. Furthermore, CIHR plans to create a network of researchers while promoting training of new investigators and addressing knowledge translation issues relevant to OLMC communities. Plans for 2007-2008 also include the creation of partnerships with other government and non-governmental organizations to maximize funding of OLMC research activities in Canada.

Regional Partnerships Program (RPP)
CIHR's Regional Partnerships Program (RPP) promotes health research in provinces that traditionally are not considered as being major centres of health research in Canada. CIHR, together with partners in these regions, will co-fund applications submitted to CIHR which are shown to be fundable through CIHR's peer review process, but are below the funding capacity of various CIHR competitions. CIHR's current commitment to the program is $4 million per annum. In response to a program evaluation conducted in 2005, a project has been initiated to update and renew the program objectives, eligibility criteria and partnership framework. It is anticipated that the revised program will be announced in the summer of 2007.

Institute-led collaboration
A key role of CIHR's Institutes is collaboration within and across their research communities. Several initiatives will continue in 2007-2008 and beyond, including:

The Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health has developed the New Frontiers Program, which supports workshops, consensus conferences, opportunities for research collaboration and similar activities that lead to the identification of research priorities and the development of successful new research proposals. Recent focus is on clinical imaging, and the cardiovascular complications of diabetes.
The Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis has developed a National Research Partnership in Inflammatory Joint Diseases (IJD) with its partners (Canadian Arthritis Network, The Arthritis Society and the Institute in infection and Immunity) to integrate different research disciplines and thereby build and create multidisciplinary, inter-institutional and trans-provincial research teams in IJD. This program provides researchers with a building block for future research applications, and creates training environments to meet future research capacity requirements in IJD.
The Institute of Aging has developed the Cognitive Impairment in Aging (CIA) partnership, a collaboration among more than 15 voluntary, public and private sector organizations with expertise in this area. Through the networking of researchers, this initiative will support research aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation for older people with cognitive impairment. In 2007-2008, the CIA Partnership will fund an innovative Research to Action Program In Dementia (RAPID) initiative.

2.3. Program Activity: Develop and support a strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority setting.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$28.1	$28.1	$28.1

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
13	13	13

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Plan, launch and manage both Institute Support Grants that enable Institute activities such as the development of strategic health research priorities and development of alliances, as well as competitions and programs for grant funds for both national and international partnered programs.

Expected Results

National and international health research agendas are formulated and implemented.

Indicators

Success of CIHR-funded partnership research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels.
Number, diversity and scope of linkages, exchanges, alliances and partnerships with other organizations including health policy-makers at all levels of government (especially provincial governments) compared to baseline. Includes willingness of stakeholders to support research in Institute domains and number and size of funding flows through jointly-funded partnership programs where relevant.

Link to Priority

Priority #2: Researchers - Develop and sustain Canada's health researchers in vibrant, innovative and stable research environments.

Description of Key Programs and Services
CIHR continues to work towards the development of innovative national and international partnerships to increase the quality and quantity of research, as well as to provide operational support, tools and resources to the Institutes to work with their partners in a consistent and transparent manner.

Building and Cultivating Partnerships for Health Research
Partnerships are increasingly the way that health research stakeholders do business, and they are a key to CIHR's success in achieving its vision for the future. Since its inception, CIHR has developed strategic partnerships with a range of organizations, including other federal government departments and agencies, provincial research funding agencies and relevant provincial and territorial departments, health charities, professional associations, other non-governmental organizations, and industry. CIHR's partners help set research priorities, share best practices in research and peer review, build research capacity, leverage knowledge translation efforts and make more effective use of resources for research. CIHR will continue to expand its partnership base by reaching out to stakeholders to ensure it responds to the needs of the health research community.

Enhancing International Collaboration
Canadians learned first-hand from the SARS outbreak that disease knows no borders. This has underlined the importance of a global perspective in collectively addressing health priorities through research, policy and collective action. CIHR has developed an International Framework that aims to stimulate and facilitate effective Canadian international involvement in health research. The Framework identifies five priorities areas to guide CIHR in its pivotal contributions to the international advancement of health research. The five priority areas are: research; talent; global health; safety and security; and organizational best practices. CIHR will continue to build international partnerships and alliances to support international research collaborations and training schemes over the next three to five years to ensure that Canada is on the leading edge of health research developments.

Institute Support Grants
CIHR provides each of its 13 Institutes with a $1 million support grant annually to facilitate and develop national research networks that link researchers. These grants also engage other stakeholders across the country in pursuit of common health research objectives. The Institutes will continue to seek out opportunities to form alliances and networks over the next three years, and will continue to form international partnerships that address the research agendas they have established with their communities.

Stakeholder and Partnership Forum
The President's Voluntary Health Sector Committee is an important tool to strengthen and build the relationship between CIHR and voluntary sector partners, including the health charities. The Forum of Health Research Funders is a new initiative.The goal of this forum is to discuss issues of common concern, share information on best practices, communicate new initiatives and identify opportunities for potential collaboration.

2.4. Program Activity: Inform research, clinical practice and public policy on ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to health and health research.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$6.3	$6.3	$6.3

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
3	3	3

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Undertake consultations to enable inclusive dialogue across sectors, disciplines and communities to lead to greater public engagement, improved knowledge and understanding of the ethical, legal and social issues in the context of health and health research. As well, plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds to create new knowledge and provide grant funds that enable effective insights pertaining to the ethical, legal and social issues in the context of health and health research.

Expected Results

Uptake and application of ethics knowledge as an integral part of decision-making in health practice, research and policy.

Indicators

Success of CIHR's ELSI activities, for example, changes in the number of ethics-related incidents that arise from health practice, research, and policies.
Number of publications resulting from ELSI research.
Number of public policies influenced by ELSI principles.
Opinions of health researchers, and policy-makers regarding their success in uptake and application of new ethical knowledge.

Link to Priority

Priority #2: Researchers - Develop and sustain Canada's health researchers in vibrant, innovative and stable research environments.

Description of Key Programs and Services
CIHR funds research on ELSI related to health and health research. In addition, CIHR engages in inclusive dialogue across sectors, disciplines and communities and pursues public engagement to improve knowledge and understanding of ELSI in the context of health and health research.

Promoting Research on ELSI Related to Health and Health Research
CIHR and multiple partners promote research on cross-cutting ELSI as an integral part of the national health research agenda. In 2007-2008, CIHR will provide a research fund of approximately $1.5 million to serve as a minimum base amount to support strategic initiatives in this area. CIHR will also support additional research in this area through its open funding competitions, and a number of Institute-sponsored initiatives. By providing this fund, CIHR has signaled a commitment to build capacity among investigators who are poised to conduct research and translate new knowledge in strategically important research areas related to ELSI. Ultimately, this CIHR initiative will further its mandate to promote, assist and undertake research that meets the highest international scientific standards of excellence and ethics, and enhance Canada's reputation for producing cutting-edge research in ELSI.

Contributing to Broader Health Policy Debate
CIHR is committed to promoting health research that meets the highest international standards of excellence and ethics. CIHR works collaboratively with many partners to develop the highest ethical standards for health research and to see to their application in practice. This includes funding the Canadian Council on Animal Care, in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the National Council on Ethics of Human Research in partnership with Health Canada. In addition, CIHR will continue to build on the work done to date in relevant public policy areas:

The launch of the initial implementation phase for CIHR's Best Practices for Protecting Privacy in Health Research, along with ongoing contribution to policy and legislative initiatives at the federal and national level relevant to health research and privacy issues;
The implementation of a national policy respecting the appropriate use of placebos in randomized controlled trials;
The development of conflict of interest guidelines for CIHR-funded institutions and the broader community; and
The launch of national ethics guidelines for research involving Aboriginal peoples.

Addressing Allegations of Non-Compliance with Research Policies
CIHR's Research Integrity Committee (RIC), which has been in place since February 2005, is mandated to address allegations of non-compliance with CIHR research policies, decide on the most appropriate courses of action, according to the CIHR Procedure for Addressing Allegations of Non-Compliance with Research Policies. Membership on the RIC includes individuals external to CIHR, and CIHR staff. The CIHR's Ethics Office serves as the secretariat to RIC.

Risks and Challenges
In delivering results related to Strategic Outcome #2, Outstanding Researchers in Innovative Environments, CIHR is presented with the following challenge:

Given the surge in retirements among researchers and increasing demand for researchers around the world, Canada faces potential shortages in research personnel.

The risk of not adequately addressing this challenge is that we may lack the intellectual capital to conduct the research needed to support improvements in the health of Canadians and their health care system. A shortage of personnel for conducting research, and for developing research findings into new health products and services, also places Canadian economic competitiveness at risk.

To mitigate this risk, CIHR has made research capacity development a priority and has launched strategic health research training programs to address capacity gaps.

3. Strategic Outcome: Transforming Health Research into Action

CIHR's knowledge translation strategy aims to accelerate the transformation of research results into health benefits for Canadians and an improved health care system. This includes funding knowledge translation research, exchange and synthesis activities and building knowledge translation networks. CIHR also plays a role in helping to move promising new research breakthroughs toward potential commercial applications. Throughout 2007-2008 and beyond, CIHR will work to ensure that relevant health research is adopted into practice, programs and policies for a productive health system, and to stimulate economic development through discovery and innovation.

3.1. Program Activity: Support activities on knowledge translation, exchange, use and strategies to strengthen the health system.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$40.7	$40.7	$40.7

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
19	19	19

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Implement strategies to enable the effective dissemination, exchange, synthesis and application of health research results that will lead to improvements in the Canadian health system. As well, plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds designed to create new knowledge, strengthen Canadian capacity and networks, and together with our partners undertake effective research and knowledge translation of health research.

Expected Results

Effective dissemination, exchange, synthesis and application of research results take place to create new knowledge, strengthen Canadian capacity and networks, and together with our partners, enable effective research and knowledge translation of health research.

Indicators

Success of CIHR-funded research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels.
Increased number, scope and diversity of knowledge translation activities supported by CIHR (and its partners where relevant) or resulting from CIHR activities (for example, synthesis papers, briefs, participation in policy task forces) compared to baseline.
Identification of and initial communication with key knowledge translation stakeholders, followed by increased number of inputs (driven by research evidence) to stakeholders' decision processes.

Link to Priority

Priority #3: Knowledge Translation - Catalyze health innovation in order to strengthen health and the health care system and contribute to the growth of Canada's economy.

Description of Key Programs and Services
CIHR supports dissemination and use of research knowledge through funding research on knowledge translation and developing tools, programs and strategies.

Knowledge Translation
A key part of CIHR's mandate, knowledge translation (KT) is about knowledge to action: turning the knowledge gained through health research into improved health for Canadians, more effective services and products, and a strengthened health system. CIHR's KT Strategy is designed to further expand and increase its ongoing efforts in this area. The strategy is a multi-year plan based on Blueprint, and identifies planned activities in the following four areas:

Supporting research on KT concepts and processes;
Contributing to building networks of researchers and end-users;
Improving capability to support KT research at CIHR and with partners; and
Supporting and recognizing KT excellence.

KT efforts at CIHR aim to fund KT research, facilitate partnerships which accelerate KT, and evaluate KT efforts by assessing impact. In order to strengthen health and the health care system and contribute to the growth of Canada's economy, CIHR will build on its first KT strategic plan with revisions planned for 2008 and beyond. Throughout 2007-2008, CIHR will fund KT research and KT researchers; support journalism and biomedical communications students seeking to interpret new knowledge and disseminate findings to a variety of audiences; fund teams of researchers and decision makers working together to explore new ways of delivering health care efficiently; and fund research syntheses. CIHR will also fund Knowledge to Action grants and the KT Award, and a KT Casebook will be developed. In addition, CIHR institutes, in various strategic initiatives, will fund KT through engagement of end-users in the research endeavour.

Helping Canada Innovate
CIHR will continue to administer $27.5 million annually in the Networks of Centres of Excellence Program, in collaboration with Industry Canada and the federal granting councils (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada). Networks of Centres of Excellence are unique partnerships among universities, industry, government and not-for-profit organizations aimed at turning Canadian research and entrepreneurial talent into economic and social benefits for all Canadians. These nation-wide, multidisciplinary and multisectoral research partnerships connect excellent research with industrial know-how and strategic investment. In 2007-2008, an international advisory committee will provide advice on the niche, future directions, and opportunities for the program. The committee will bring an international perspective that will serve to enhance ongoing discussions about the future of the program.

3.2. Program Activity: Support national efforts to capture the economic value for Canada of health research advances made at Canadian institutions.

Financial Resources: (in millions)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
$27.3	$27.3	$27.3

Human Resources:

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
13	13	13

Program Summary:

Program Activity Description

Implement strategies to enable the effective development and commercialization of health research that will lead to a better quality of life for Canadians through improvements in the Canadian health system, products and economy. As well, plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds to create and transfer new knowledge, strengthen Canadian capacity and networks, and undertake effective commercialization of health research.

Expected Results

Mobilizing research to improve health services, products, a strengthened healthcare system and the economy.

Indicators

Success of CIHR-funded research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels.
Number and nature of patents, spin-off companies and licenses for intellectual property (IP) generated from CIHR-funded research.

Link to Priority

Priority #3: Knowledge Translation - Catalyze health innovation in order to strengthen health and the health care system and contribute to the growth of Canada's economy.

Description of Key Programs and Services
Commercialization is an integral part of CIHR's mandate. CIHR provides various funding programs in support of implementation of its commercialization and innovation strategy, which are focused in four areas: research, talent, capital and linkages. CIHR's strategy focuses on the early stages of commercialization, where there is a growing gap between a promising initial concept and its exploitation for health and economic advantage. CIHR's initiatives encourage and better enable universities and teaching hospitals to interact with partners from the public and private sectors that do late-stage development and ultimately deliver the benefits of health research. More information on the strategy can be found at: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/30162.html.

Mobilizing Research
Through this strategy, CIHR will recruit the private sector and implement new national platforms and initiatives to support clinical research, technology and drug development programs. The clinical research related programs will develop centres, platforms and expertise in specialized areas of clinical research. Technology programs and drug development programs will promote and facilitate the advancement of new research tools and techniques, and identify promising drug compounds discovered in academia respectively. In 2007-2008, focus groups comprised of health innovation strategic investors, with expertise in the translation of strategic health research initiatives, will evaluate the latest trends and work with CIHR to develop and reprofile initiatives where necessary to maximize the effectiveness and impact of commercial translation of CIHR derived innovations.

Developing People and Careers
In 2007-2008 CIHR will continue to build on its successful pilot designed to enhance the capacity of people who possess scientific, managerial and entrepreneurial skills within the Canadian health innovation landscape. More specifically, CIHR offers initiatives such as the Science to Business (S2B) program to engage Canadian business schools at universities in providing support for qualified PhDs in health research to enroll in MBA programs with a focus on health sciences and biotechnology. Similar initiatives offer MBA and research trainees work placements to develop skills in commercialization management and intellectual property mobilization. CIHR will develop complementary skill building initiatives further addressing this critical element to the establishment of a thriving health industry

Capital - Facilitating Growth
CIHR will continue its successful Proof of Principle (PoP) program, designed to advance discoveries/inventions towards commercializable technologies, through 2007-2008 and beyond. Given that this program reduces risk, CIHR expects the private sector to assume an increasing share of related costs as product discoveries and innovations proceed through the complex development process. In addition, CIHR will help innovation by strengthening the abilities of research institutions to manage the intellectual property of their health research discoveries through the Intellectual Property Mobilization (IPM) program, and by increasing awareness among current and future stakeholders of the commercialization potential of health research.

Building Partnerships
CIHR will continue its efforts promoting linkages within and between the private sector, finance and health research communities. Partnerships within these sectors facilitate strategic collaborative projects and strengthen capacity and impact of all elements of the Commercialization Strategy. Successful programs that demonstrate the value of these linkages include:

The CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program with Canada's research based pharmaceutical companies enhancing research opportunities in Canada's research institutions and development of health research personnel stimulating jobs and growth in the Canadian economy; and
The CIHR/Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Research Program with Canada's developing biopharmaceutical community encourages and strengthens the health research programs of start-ups, university spin-offs, and SMEs, and strengthens intellectual property (IP) portfolios in partnership with Canadian biotech companies.

Conscious of the issues that may arise from the academic/industry interface and the potential for ethical conflict between profit and the public good, CIHR will be leading an industry/university effort to review and propose standards for ethical conduct of projects in the commercialization and innovation arena.

Partnerships are not limited to the private sector. Successful development of heath innovations requires multidisciplinary collaborations. CIHR will further develop its successful collaborations with federal and provincial organizations (such as the CIHR/NSERC Collaborative Health Research Program, and medical device consortiums respectively).

Risks and Challenges
In achieving results in Strategic Outcome #3, Transforming Health Research into Action, CIHR is challenged by the need to work with a multitude of players involved in the process of innovation and the relative shortage of Canadians specialized in knowledge translation. The risk of inadequately addressing these challenges is that Canadians would not benefit as fully or as quickly as they should from the new knowledge produced through research.

CIHR is responding to these challenges and risks through:

Reports that synthesize research findings, symposia that bring researchers and policy makers together and collaboration with stakeholders in the development of research funding initiatives;
Recognizing KT activities in its evaluation processes for grants and awards, for example, by beginning to require that plans for dissemination and exchange of research findings are components of applications for funding;
Increasing support for programs that have a strong KT component, i.e., a direct application to health practices, policies or commercialization of health research findings;
Supporting research into the art and science of knowledge translation; and
Developing innovative funding schemes and partnerships that focus on KT.

Section III - Supplementary Information

Organizational Information

Accountability
CIHR is a departmental corporation with one business line - to achieve excellence in the creation of new knowledge, through research, and its translation into improved health for Canadians, through improved health products and services and a strengthened health care system.

Minister: The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, is responsible for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

President: Dr. Alan Bernstein reports to the Minister, and has three Vice-Presidents, a Chief Financial Officer, a Director of Ethics, and 13 Institute Scientific Directors who report to him.

Senior Management:

Christine Fitzgerald, Executive Vice-President
Dr. Pierre Chartrand, Vice-President, Research
Dr. Ian D. Graham, Vice President, Knowledge Translation
James Roberge, Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Burleigh Trevor-Deutsch, Director, Ethics Office

Institute Scientific Directors:

Dr. Jeff Reading	Aboriginal Peoples' Health
Dr. Anne Martin-Matthews	Aging
Dr. Philip Branton	Cancer Research
Dr. Peter Liu	Circulatory and Respiratory Health
Dr. Miriam Stewart	Gender and Health
Dr. Roderick R. McInnes	Genetics
Dr. Colleen M. Flood	Health Services and Policy Research
Dr. Michael Kramer	Human Development, Child and Youth Health
Dr. Bhagirath Singh	Infection and Immunity
Dr. Jane Aubin	Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
Dr. Rémi Quirion	Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Dr. Diane Finegood	Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes
Dr. John Frank	Population and Public Health

The host institution of each Institute is provided with an Institute Support Grant each year. Persons employed by the Institute, including the Scientific Director, are employees of the host institution and not employees of CIHR. Each Institute is served by an Institute Advisory Board that consists of volunteers from the Institute's respective research communities. Institute Advisory Boards are an essential mechanism for strengthening CIHR's link with the larger research community, and for providing guidance and direction on research priorities.

Governing Council
The organization's open and transparent stewardship is the responsibility of Governing Council, which is chaired by CIHR's President and comprised of the Deputy Minister of Health and 18 volunteer Canadians who have been appointed by Order in Council to renewable three-year terms. Council members represent a wide range of relevant backgrounds and disciplines, reflecting CIHR's broad mandate and vision.

Departmental links to the Government of Canada Outcomes

($ millions)	Budgetary				Non-Budgetary
Program Activity	Operating	Grants	Gross	Net	Total Main Estimates	Adjustments (planned spending not in Main Estimates)	Total Planned Spending 2007-2008
*1. Strategic Outcome: Outstanding Research*
1.1 Fund health research	24.8	468.7	493.5	493.5	493.5	-	493.5
2. Strategic Outcome: Outstanding Researchers in Innovative Environments
2.1 Fund health researchers and trainees	8.1	195.5	203.6	203.6	203.6	-	203.5
2.2 Fund research resources, collaboration and other grants to strengthen the health research community	2.7	67.3	70.0	70.0	70.0	-	70.0
2.3 Develop and support strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority-setting	4.3	23.8	28.1	28.1	28.1	-	28.1
2.4 Inform research, clinical practice and public policy on ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to health and health research	2.5	3.8	6.3	6.3	6.3	-	6.3
3. Strategic Outcome: Transforming Health Research into Action
3.1 Support activities on knowledge translation, exchange, use and strategies to strengthen the health system	3.0	37.7	40.7	40.7	40.7	-	40.7
3.2 Support national efforts to capture the economic value for Canada of health research advances made at Canadian Institutions	1.7	25.6	27.3	27.3	27.3	-	27.3
Total	47.1	822.4	869.5	869.5	869.5	-	869.5

Program Activities # 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 3.2 contribute to the achievement of the Government of Canada's "An Innovative and Knowledge-Based Economy" outcome area.
Program Activities # 2.4 and 3.1 contribute to the achievement of the Government of Canada's "Healthy Canadians" outcome area.

Table 1: Departmental Planned Spending and Full Time Equivalents

(in millions $)	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Fund health research	444.6	493.5	500.7	487.6
Fund health researchers and trainees	217.5	203.6	204.3	204.0
Fund research resources, collaboration and other grants to strengthen the health research community	68.2	70.0	70.0	70.0
Develop and support strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority-setting	28.1	28.1	28.1	28.1
Inform research, clinical practice and public policy on ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to health and health research	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3
Support activities on knowledge translation, exchange, use and strategies to strengthen the health system	40.7	40.7	40.7	40.7
Support national efforts to capture the economic value for Canada of health research advances made at Canadian Institutions	27.3	27.3	27.3	27.3
Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)	832.7	869.5	877.4	864.0
Non-Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)	0	0	0	0
	832.7	869.5	877.4	864.0
Less: Respendable revenue	0	0	0	0
Total Main Estimates	832.7	869.5	877.4	864.0
Adjustments:
Supplementary Estimates:
Permanent budget increase as per Federal Budget	17.0	-	-	-
Fabry's Disease and Expensive Drugs	10.9	-	-	-
Funding for "Pandemic Preparedness"	2.5	-	-	-
Operating budget carry-forward - 2005-06	1.9	-	-	-
Transfer from PHAC for "Hepatitis C"	1.3	-	-	-
Transfer from PHAC for "Public Health Master's Awards and Doctoral Research Awards"	0.3	-	-	-
Transfer from PHAC and HC-FNIHB to fund health services and population health research relevant to the surveillance of diabetes	0.3	-	-	-
Procurement savings	(0.3)
Transfer of funds to IDRC for Teasdale-Corti	(2.7)
Total Adjustments	31.2	0	0	0
Total Planned Spending	863.9	869.5	877.4	864.0
Less: Non-Respendable revenue	(2.8)	(2.8)	(2.8)	(2.8)
Plus: Cost of services received without charge	5.4	5.5	5.4	5.4
Net cost of Program	866.5	872.2	880.0	866.6
Full Time Equivalents	362	406	406	406

Table 2: Voted and Statutory Items listed in Main Estimates

($ millions)
Vote or Statutory Item	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2007-2008 Main Estimates	2006-2007 Main Estimates
15	Operating expenditures	42.4	41.3
20	Grants	822.5	786.8
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	4.6	4.6
	Total Department or Agency	869.5	832.7

Table 3: Services Received Without Charge

($ millions)	2007-2008
Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada	3.4
Contributions covering employers' share of employees' insurance premiums and expenditures paid by Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (excluding revolving funds)	2.0
Salary and associated expenditures of legal services provided by the Department of Justice Canada	0.06
Total 2007-2008 Services received without charge	5.5

Table 4: Sources of Non-Respendable Revenue

($ millions) *Canadian Institutes of Health Research* Program Activity	Forecast Revenue 2006-2007	Planned Revenue 2007-2008	Planned Revenue 2008-2009	Planned Revenue 2009-2010
Fund health research Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5

Fund health researchers and trainees Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8

Fund research resources, collaboration and other grants to strengthen the health research community Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2

Develop and support strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority-settings Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1

Inform research, clinical practice and public policy on ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) related to health and health research Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Support activities on knowledge translation, exchange, use and strategies to strengthen the health system Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1

Support national effort to capture the economic value for Canada of health research advances made at Canadian institutions Refunds of Previous Years' Expenditures	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1

Total Non-Respendable Revenue	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.8

Table 5: Details on Transfer Payments Programs

Details on Transfer Payments Programs for Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 1.1 Fund health research
Program Activity Description: Plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds to facilitate and enable the conduct of outstanding health research including collaborative programs in investigator-framed and Institute-framed initiatives.
Expected Results: Effective and efficient funding programs that enable ethical health research, responding to opportunities and priorities. Indicators: Success of CIHR-funded research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels. Extent to which Institutes have appropriately influenced the research, policy and/or practice agendas in their communities.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	445.7	468.7	475.8	463.1
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	445.7	468.7	475.8	463.1
Planned Audits and Evaluations As part or CIHR's 2007-08 Evaluation Plan, an Evaluation Framework is being developed for CIHR's largest funding program (the Operating Grants Program). An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 2.1 Fund health researchers and trainees
Program Activity Description: Plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for both salary awards to enable health researchers to devote more time to their research, as well as competitions for training awards to develop future health researchers.
Expected Results: Effective and efficient funding programs that ensure a supply of highly qualified health researchers and trainees are available to conduct outstanding research. Indicators: Success of CIHR-funded salary and training programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels. Level and success of Institute activity in creating opportunities for capacity development based on successful initial and ongoing identification and targeting of research domains in need of capacity development.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	198.4	185.0	185.6	185.3
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	198.4	185.0	185.6	185.3
Planned Audits and Evaluations The 2007-08 Evaluation Plan includes the evaluation of the Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research Program and the Canada Graduate Scholarships Program. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Canada Graduate Scholarships
Start Date: 2003/2004	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 2.1 Fund health researchers and trainees
Program Activity Description: Manage competitions and programs for financial support to develop future health researchers (at both Masters and Doctoral levels).
Expected Results: Appropriate investments that provide incentive for superior health research students to enroll in and complete health related Masters and PhD programs. Indicators: Proportion of fundable applications received by CIHR that are funded
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	10.5	10.5	10.5	10.5
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	10.5	10.5	10.5	10.5
Planned Audits and Evaluations An evaluation framework for this program was completed in 2006-07; the evaluation will be conducted in 2007-08. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 2.2 Fund research resources, collaboration and other grants to strengthen the health research community
Program Activity Description: Plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds for research-enabling activities, such as networking, provision of new equipment, databases and/or specialized resources. Encourage participation and involvement of stakeholders in the public and private sectors through collaborative, enabling programs and competitions.
Expected Results: Effective and efficient partnerships and funding programs that lead to a dynamic research environment and enable outstanding research. Indicators: Success of CIHR-funded research resources and collaboration programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels. Expenditure levels and distribution. Level of Institute leadership, activity and success in strengthening research infrastructure/environment.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	70.4	67.3	67.3	67.3
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	70.4	67.3	67.3	67.3
Planned Audits and Evaluations The 2007-08 Evaluation Plan includes the evaluation of the Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research Program and the Canada Graduate Scholarships Program. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 2.3 Develop and support strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority-setting
Program Activity Description: Plan, launch and manage both Institute Support Grants that enable Institute activities such as the development of strategic health research priorities and development of alliances, as well as competitions and programs for grant funds for both national and international partnered programs.
Expected Results: National and international health research agendas are formulated and implemented. Indicators: Success of CIHR-funded partnership research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels. Number, diversity and scope of linkages, exchanges, alliances and partnerships with other organizations including health policy-makers at all levels of government (especially provincial governments) compared to baseline. Includes willingness of stakeholders to support research in Institute domains and number and size of funding flows through jointly-funded partnership programs where relevant.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	10.8	10.8	10.8	10.8
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	10.8	10.8	10.8	10.8
Planned Audits and Evaluations An evaluation on CIHR's Regional Partnership Program was completed in May 2006 and a follow-up report will be conducted in May 2007. No further evaluations are planned in this area for 2007-08. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Institute Support Grants
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 2.3 Develop and support strong health research community through national and international alliances and priority-setting
Program Activity Description: Manage Institute Support Grants that enable Institute activities such as the development of strategic health research priorities and development of alliances
Expected Results: Effective domestic and international health research agendas as well as alliances and partnerships in areas related to the mandate of each Institute. Indicators: Evidence of Institute's emerging leadership within the Canadian research and research user community, including examples of Institute innovation in identifying and responding to National health threats and opportunities.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	13.0	13.0	13.0	13.0
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	13.0	13.0	13.0	13.0
Planned Audits and Evaluations Evaluations of each of the 13 Institutes were completed in 2005-06. In addition, the External Review of CIHR, conducted by an International Panel in February 2006, was finalized in 2006-07. It included a comprehensive review and evaluation of CIHR's thirteen Institutes. An update of the Institute Support Grant RMAF and RBAF was completed in the 2006-07 fiscal year. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 2.4 Inform research, clinical practice and public policy on ethical, legal and social issues related to health and health research
Program Activity Description: Undertake consultations to enable inclusive dialogue across sectors, disciplines and communities to lead to greater public engagement, improved knowledge and understanding of the ethical, legal and social issues in the context of health and health research. As well, plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds to create new knowledge and provide grant funds that enable effective insights pertaining to the ethical, legal and social issues in the context of health and health research.
Expected Results: Uptake and application of ethics knowledge as an integral part of decision-making in health practice, research and policy. Indicators: Success of CIHR's ELSI activities, for example, changes in the number of ethics-related incidents that arise from health practice, research, and policies. Number of publications resulting from ELSI research. Number of public policies influenced by ELSI principles. Opinions of health researchers, and policy-makers regarding their success in uptake and application of new ethical knowledge
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-20010
Total Grants	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.8
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.8
Planned Audits and Evaluations No evaluations are planned in this area for 2007-08. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 3.1 Support activities on knowledge translation, exchange, use and strategies to strengthen the health system
Program Activity Description: Implement strategies to enable the effective dissemination, exchange, synthesis and application of health research results that will lead to improvements in the Canadian health system. As well, plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds designed to create new knowledge, strengthen Canadian capacity and networks, and together with our partners undertake effective research and knowledge translation of health research.
Expected Results: Effective dissemination, exchange, synthesis and application of research results take place to create new knowledge, strengthen Canadian capacity and networks, and together with our partners, enable effective research and knowledge translation of health research. Indicators: Success of CIHR-funded research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels. Increased number, scope and diversity of knowledge translation activities supported by CIHR (and its partners where relevant) or resulting from CIHR activities (for example, synthesis papers, briefs, participation in policy task forces) compared to baseline. Identification of and initial communication with key knowledge translation stakeholders, followed by increased number of inputs (driven by research evidence) to stakeholders' decision processes.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	37.7	37.7	37.7	37.7
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	37.7	37.7	37.7	37.7
Planned Audits and Evaluations No evaluations are planned in this area for 2007-08. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants for research projects and personnel support
Start Date: October 2000	End Date: N/A
Program Activity: 3.2 Support national efforts to capture the economic value for Canada of health research advances made at Canadian institutions
Program Activity Description: Implement strategies to enable the effective development and commercialization of health research that will lead to a better quality of life for Canadians through improvements in the Canadian health system, products and economy. As well, plan, launch and manage competitions and programs for grant funds to create and transfer new knowledge, strengthen Canadian capacity and networks, and undertake effective commercialization of health research.
Expected Results: Mobilizing research to improve health services, products, a strengthened healthcare system and the economy. Indicators: Success of CIHR-funded research programs including results, awareness and satisfaction levels. Number and nature of patents, spin-off companies and licenses for intellectual property (IP) generated from CIHR-funded research.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010
Total Grants	25.6	25.6	25.6	25.6
Total Contributions	-	-	-	-
Total Other Types of Transfer Payments	-	-	-	-
Total PA	25.6	25.6	25.6	25.6
Planned Audits and Evaluations A Results based Management and Accountability Framework (RMAF) was developed in 2006-07 for CIHR's commercialization and innovation strategy. An audit of this program is not part of the 2007-08 Audit Plan. The Audit Plan is developed annually and finalized upon approval by Governing Council's Standing Committee on Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Audit.

Over the next three years, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research will manage the following transfer payment programs in excess of $5 million:

2007-08

Grants for research projects and personnel support
Institute Support Grants
Canada Graduate Scholarships

2008-09

Grants for research projects and personnel support
Institute Support Grants
Canada Graduate Scholarships

2009-10

Grants for research projects and personnel support
Institute Support Grants
Canada Graduate Scholarships

For further information on the above-mentioned transfer payment programs see http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/estime.asp.

Table 6: Internal Audits and Evaluations

The following table identifies a list of planned evaluations and audits at CIHR for 2007-2008.

Planned Internal Audit or Evaluation	Estimated Start Date	Estimated Completion Date
Evaluation of the Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research	in progress	October 2007
Evaluation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships Program (4^th year review)	April 2007	March 2008
Summative Evaluation of the Interdisciplinary Health Research Teams and Community Alliances in Health Research Programs	June 2007	March 2008
Evaluation of the Strategic Health Opportunities Partnership Program	March 2007	October 2007
Evaluation Framework for the Operating Grants Program	June 2007	October 2007
Evaluation Framework for the CIHR/Rx&D program	in progress	March 2007
Evaluation framework for Obesity and Healthy Body Weights	May 2007	November 2007
Audit of the adequacy and effectiveness of CIHR's controls for ensuring the integrity and implementation of ethics practices and policies in research funded by CIHR	June 2007	December 2007

For more information and electronic reports on evaluations and internal audits see: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/153.html and http://www.irsc.gc.ca/e/29208.html.

Section IV - Other Items of Interest

1. Organizational Excellence

CIHR achieves program delivery excellence and impressive research results by continually strengthening its internal organization and fostering a dedicated, well-informed workforce. The organization's leadership, responsible management, continuous-improvement practices, and high-quality work environment demonstrate an ongoing commitment to organizational excellence. CIHR maintains an operational budget of approximately $47 million for 2007-2008, while ensuring that at least 94% of its total parliamentary appropriations go directly to support health research and researchers in Canada.

Description of Key Activities
CIHR's operating budget is allocated to three portfolios - Research, Knowledge Translation, and Corporate Affairs - to ensure smooth program design and delivery, and effective functioning of the organization.

International Review Panel Report (IRP)
The CIHR Act specifies that every five years CIHR undertake a comprehensive review to evaluate its overall progress and that of each Institute towards meeting its mandate. CIHR carried out the first-ever External Review in early 2006, and the International External Review Panel's report was released in June 2006. The Panel applauded CIHR for what has been accomplished to date, and included important observations on the future directions CIHR might consider in the next stage of its evolution. In addition to the work mentioned in the following paragraphs, CIHR is creating a single Research and Knowledge Translation Committee to account for all research-related decision-making within CIHR, including allocation of the budget. This new committee will combine the work of the existing Standing Committee for Oversight of Grants and Awards Competitions (SCOGAC) and Research Priorities and Planning Committee (RPPC) into one body.

Enhancing Effectiveness of Peer Review
CIHR has faced a significant and sustained increase in the volume and breadth of grant applications, thus straining the peer review process - the method used to determine the most promising researchers and research proposals to fund. This continuing strain was acknowledged in the International Review Panel Report. In 2007-2008, CIHR will develop a three-year plan to guide further innovations in peer review. As this plan is drafted, CIHR will continue implementation of electronic submission and processing of applications. Access to electronic versions of applications, peer reviews and funding decisions will continue to open up new possibilities for improvement to our peer review process.

Evaluating our Performance
In 2007-2008, CIHR will continue to evaluate performance through production of the Departmental Performance Report and several program evaluations, in addition to reporting on progress in following up on suggestions of the International Review Panel report, which is available on the CIHR website at http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/31680.html. CIHR is also increasing resources and enhancing governance of performance measurement and evaluation in these important areas.

Building a Better and Simpler CIHR
CIHR continues its efforts to simplify programming structure while still meeting the need for different program vehicles to support different objectives. CIHR is implementing new approaches to communicating funding opportunities - approaches that are easier to understand and are both regular and predictable for the research community. Significant steps toward simplifying its portfolio of funding programs have been taken by combining several programs with similar objectives. Over the next four years, CIHR will continue this systematic review of our programming and will continue to consolidate programs where appropriate. All program re-design required to streamline CIHR's funding opportunities is guided by consultation with the research community. The intended result continues to be a simple, well-designed portfolio of funding programs that is flexible enough to accommodate all approaches to health research.

Utilizing Technology to Enhance Service Delivery
CIHR is committed to easing the administrative burden on researchers, to enable them to spend more time on research. To help address this, ResearchNet, a CIHR-led partnership, is being developed. This tool will make it easier for researchers to access Canadian research opportunities, to apply with electronic applications, and to access the latest research funding information. This is done through one central point of entry to all research funding opportunities, regardless of their source. CIHR has developed two e-business applications on ResearchNet for the electronic submission of applications and electronic peer review. In 2006-2007, CIHR developed a funding opportunities database which will be released in 2007-2008, and continued to expand the use of its electronic applications and peer review to other CIHR programs. In 2007-2008, CIHR will pilot a tool for researchers to submit a final report of their research outcomes from CIHR funding. In addition, CIHR continues to participate in the Common CV, which is used to apply to multiple funding agencies through a single electronic resume. Currently, there are more than 47,000 researchers using the Common CV, which is supported by fifteen provincial, federal and not-for-profit agencies, including Canada Foundation for Innovation, Genome Canada, Networks for Centres of Excellence and the Killam Program at Canada Council for the Arts.

Improving Reporting of Research Results and Impacts
CIHR will continue development of a strategy to improve the reporting of CIHR-funded research results and impacts. Components of the strategy, which is being implemented over several years, include: finalizing a framework and indicators for measuring the value of investments in health research; development of an end-of-grant reporting tool which will have researchers provide data to CIHR on the results and impacts of their research from which CIHR will report and enhance communications about research results and overall impacts; and a policy to share the results and products of CIHR-funded research.

Advancing Modern Management Practices
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) conducted a Management Accountability Framework (MAF) assessment of CIHR in the fall of 2006. The results of the assessment will be made available in 2007-2008. CIHR will have the opportunity to comment on the assessment and take appropriate action in 2007-2008 to build on the results.

A Committed Workforce
Fostering a committed, motivated and productive workforce is a priority for CIHR. The recently approved Human Resources Strategy identifies recruitment, learning and development, official languages, diversity, workplace well-being, performance management and compensation as priorities. In 2007-2008 CIHR will implement the first year of a three-year action plan to address the key issues in each of these priority areas. CIHR has established a goal to become a Top 100 Employer and will implement world-class programs and services in human resources to improve our workplace and workforce. In 2007, CIHR will launch a Leadership Development Program designed to facilitate personal development and succession within our organization, and a 360 degree feedback exercise to underscore the importance of the effective management of people.

Institute Transitions
To mitigate issues of corporate knowledge loss and administrative burden, CIHR has established a schedule for periodic rotation of Institute Scientific Directors. An Institute transition involves the winding down of an Institute at its host university or hospital and moving to the location of the new Scientific Director. Specifically in 2007-2008, CIHR will ensure a smooth transition of corporate memory and activities for the scheduled transition and relocation of the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH).

2. Key Reference Documents and Internet Addresses

Key Reference Documents

Investing in Canada's Future: CIHR's Blueprint for Health Research and Innovation 2003-2004 to 2007-2008, CIHR's Strategic Plan:
http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/20266.html
Various CIHR Annual Reports:
http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/153.html
CIHR Institutes - More information, including Institute Strategic Plans and Annual Reports, is available through CIHR's web site:
http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/9466.html

Internet Addresses

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Home Page	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/193.html
Aboriginal Peoples' Health	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/8668.html
Aging	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/8671.html
Cancer Research	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/12506.html
Circulatory and Respiratory Health	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/8663.html
Gender and Health	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/8673.html
Genetics	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13147.html
Health Services and Policy Research	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13733.html
Human Development, Child and Youth Health	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/8688.html
Infection & Immunity	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13533.html
Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13217.html
Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/8602.html
Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13521.html
Population and Public Health	http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13777.html

ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Archived Content

Section I - Overview

Minister's Message

President's Message

Management Representation Statement

Summary Information

CIHR Operating Environment

Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Analysis by Program Activity

Section III - Supplementary Information

Organizational Information

Departmental links to the Government of Canada Outcomes

Table 1: Departmental Planned Spending and Full Time Equivalents

Table 2: Voted and Statutory Items listed in Main Estimates

Table 3: Services Received Without Charge

Table 4: Sources of Non-Respendable Revenue

Table 5: Details on Transfer Payments Programs

Details on Transfer Payments Programs for Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Table 6: Internal Audits and Evaluations

Section IV - Other Items of Interest

1. Organizational Excellence

2. Key Reference Documents and Internet Addresses

ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Canadian Institutes of Health Research