Government of Canada provides more support to CAN Health Network

One-year extension in Ontario and expansion into Atlantic Canada to facilitate the adoption of Canadian healthcare solutions

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 12, 2021 /CNW/ - As the fight against COVID-19 continues it is more important than ever to support Canada's innovative and cutting edge health care companies. The federal government is committed to supporting Canadian businesses start up, scale up and access new markets to sell their made in Canada solutions around the world.

The CAN Health Network is an integrated market which reduces barriers to procurement so health-tech companies can quickly and easily bring their innovations to the healthcare sector. It serves as a platform for companies to provide solutions to meet the needs of Canadians and our healthcare organizations.

Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, announced a one-year extension of the CAN Health Network project in Ontario, with an investment of $3.25 million in Trillium Health Partners through FedDev Ontario. This builds on the government's previous $3.5 million investment in 2019, which launched the network in Ontario and supports 15 companies to bring solutions to market. With this extension, bringing total support to $6.75 million, an additional 10 companies will benefit from the Network's approach to facilitating purchases of made-in-Canada healthcare solutions by domestic healthcare centres.

Minister Ng also announced a more than $2.2-million investment for the Horizon Health Network through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to support the expansion of the CAN Health Network to Atlantic Canada. Working with the Atlantic innovation ecosystem, CAN Health will identify promising Atlantic companies to partner on commercialization projects through an open and transparent procurement process, with the objective of bringing new innovative solutions to the healthcare system that are developed in Atlantic Canada to scale across Canada and abroad.

Quotes

"Today's announcement is a great example of the innovative collaboration our economy needs in order to rebuild and recover from COVID-19. Our government is dedicated to helping businesses succeed and with investments in the CAN Health Network, which will continue to grow and help local innovative health sciences companies work directly with health care organizations, sell their technologies and grow their businesses here in Canada, and around the world."
-  The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion

"Today's investment will boost an existing network that is instrumental in helping nurture some of Canada's most promising health sciences ventures. It is initiatives like these that position us to tackle our most pressing healthcare issues and develop made-in-Canada solutions while helping us stay at the forefront of healthcare innovation."
-  The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages

"Horizon Health is leading CAN Health Network's expansion to Newfoundland and Labrador and the Maritimes. We're building a comprehensive health network for our region, and this investment brings new innovations, jobs, and growth to our health and biosciences sectors."
-  The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St.John's South – Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador

"In the last year, the CAN Health Network has supported 15 healthcare organizations across Canada adopt new technologies developed here at home to support quality patient care. With the expansion into Atlantic Canada, the Network will continue to work with some of the best and most innovative health care organizations to support Canadian companies with the commercialization and scaling of their products here at home and abroad. As a result of continued Government of Canada investment we are working with partners across the health innovation ecosystem to bring new technology to our frontline and growing the Canadian economy by supporting local businesses."
-  Dr. Dante Morra, Chair of CAN Health Network and Chief of Staff, Trillium Health Partners

Quick Facts

• The CAN Health Network currently operates in Ontario, Western and now in Atlantic Canada, with plans to expand to Quebec and the North, to build a national platform that harnesses the purchasing power of healthcare organizations.
• The Network's partners in Ontario include: Bruyère; Grand River Hospital; Hamilton Health Sciences; Prism Eye Institute; St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton; SE Health; The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids); Trillium Health Partners; Sinai Health; Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; University Health Network and Unity Health Toronto.
• The Network's partners in Atlantic Canada include: Eastern Health Authority; Health PEI; Horizon Health Network; IWK Health Centre; Medavie; Nova Scotia Health; Shannex and Vitalité Health Network.
• Through the Government of Canada's initial investment in CAN Health Network through FedDev Ontario, Trillium Health Partners supported 15 companies to commercialize eight projects through partnerships with 10 health organizations. From this initial investment, an additional six technologies are expected to be commercialized this year.
• The Government of Canada has been on the ground helping businesses weather the impacts of the pandemic, through regional development agencies. With the measures outlined in Budget 2021, FedDev Ontario and ACOA will continue to be trusted partners delivering targeted support in their respective regions.

Associated Links

Trillium Health Partners
Horizon Health Network
CAN Health Network
FedDev Ontario
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Youmy Han, Press Secretary, [e-mail], 343-551-0246; Media Relations, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, [e-mail]; Media Relations, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, [e-mail]