UHN releases national blueprint to turn Canadian discovery into economic strength

New playbook builds on federal momentum and calls for life sciences, commercialization and trusted AI to become pillars of Canada's future economy

TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2026 /CNW/ -- University Health Network (UHN) today released From Discovery to Global Supplier, a national blueprint for converting Canada's world-class research into Canadian-owned companies, high-value jobs and globally competitive industries.

The playbook arrives as the Government of Canada moves at significant pace to attract investment, improve the conditions for major projects, strengthen internal trade and advance a more resilient economy. UHN welcomes that progress. The blueprint focuses on the next opportunity: connecting Canada's economic ambition to its strengths in life sciences, research, commercialization and artificial intelligence so more Canadian discoveries are developed, scaled and manufactured here at home.

"Canada has entered a period of renewed economic ambition, and the federal government deserves credit for moving with urgency," said Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO, UHN, and author of the playbook. "The opportunity now is to connect that momentum to one of Canada's greatest strategic advantages: our capacity for discovery. We can become not only a nation that invents, but a nation that builds, scales and supplies the world."

From discovery to scale 
Canada has a long record of breakthroughs, from insulin and stem cells to artificial intelligence. Yet discoveries made here are too often financed, commercialized or scaled elsewhere. The blueprint sets out a practical pathway to retain more intellectual property, mobilize patient capital, create stronger validation and procurement pathways, and help Canadian firms reach global markets.

• Make governments and public systems disciplined first customers for Canadian innovation.
• Pair patient growth capital with intellectual-property retention and long-term domestic scale.
• Align governments, research institutions, investors and industry around shared missions, clear accountability and measurable outcomes.

Life sciences as a national economic platform
The blueprint argues that life sciences and research hospitals are a natural starting point. Research hospitals bring discovery, clinical trials, governed data, specialized talent, real-world validation and adoption pathways together in one environment. This makes them critical innovation infrastructure and a practical platform for moving discoveries from the laboratory to patients, companies and markets.

"Research hospitals sit at the intersection of scientific excellence, patient need and economic opportunity," said Dr. Brad Wouters, Executive Vice President, Science and Research, UHN. "When the right capital, partnerships and adoption pathways are in place, discoveries can improve care, create companies and generate enduring value for Canada."

Sovereignty, trust and the AI opportunity
The report identifies artificial intelligence as a defining opportunity for Canada. It argues that Canadian leadership should be built not only on technical capability, but on sovereignty and trust: secure infrastructure, responsibly governed health and research data, Canadian intellectual property, and real-world deployment through institutions that Canadians trust.

"The future of AI will be shaped by trust as much as technology," said Dr. Smith. "Canada can lead by developing AI that is responsible, secure and useful in the real world. In health care, that means pairing sovereign capability with rigorous governance, scientific evidence and public trust."

A blueprint that builds on momentum
The playbook recognizes that elements of Canada's economic agenda continue to advance. Its recommendations are intended to build on that progress and help direct national ambition toward a clear outcome: Canadian discoveries becoming Canadian-owned global suppliers.

"Economic sovereignty increasingly depends on whether a country can develop, govern and scale the technologies that will shape its future," Dr. Smith said. "Canada has the talent, institutions and ideas. This is our opportunity to turn those strengths into stronger industries, more resilient supply chains and shared prosperity, while ensuring Canadians are never again dependent on a foreign power for access to the essential medicines, medical supplies and technologies on which their health depends."

The full playbook, From Discovery to Global Supplier, is available on UHN.ca.

About the blueprint
From Discovery to Global Supplier is a UHN-led national competitiveness blueprint. It proposes practical actions to strengthen commercialization, support domestic scale-up and position Canada as a trusted global supplier in life sciences, AI and other strategic sectors. The playbook is time-stamped as current to September 25, 2026, recognizing the continuing evolution of policy.

About University Health Network
UHN is Canada's Hospital -- ranked #2 in the world, #1 in Canada. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

SOURCE University Health Network

Media contact: Leslie Whyte Zhou, Senior Communications Advisor, Media Relations, University Health Network, [email protected]