Toronto – In 2019, the Government of Canada released Canada’s first national dementia strategy to address the significant and growing impact of dementia on people in Canada. With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and other organizations, researchers across Canada are providing evidence to support the three national objectives of the strategy: to prevent dementia, advance new therapies and find a cure, and improve the quality of life of people living with dementia and their caregivers.
Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced a new collaborative initiative that will further strengthen and advance dementia research in Canada. With leadership from the CIHR Institute of Aging, the Dementia Research and Innovation Funders Alliance will bring together representatives of the brain health and dementia research funding community in Canada to align future research investments.
The Alliance held its inaugural meeting in Toronto today with representatives from the brain health and dementia research community and leaders from CIHR and the Alliance’s other founding members: Alzheimer Society of Canada, Brain Canada, Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, Healthcare Excellence Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The Alliance will provide a forum for funders and other partners in research to work together to advance dementia research, promote training, scan the current dementia research landscape, compile and analyze data of all Canadian funded dementia research, identify research gaps and needs, and mobilize knowledge gained through dementia research.
“We remain strongly committed to working with our partners across Canada to support Canadians living with diagnosed dementia, their families, and caregivers. We are investing in research that will deepen our understanding of dementia and improve dementia treatment and care while also promoting brain health.” – Mark Holland, Minister of Health