Cancer touches nearly every family in Canada. It is the leading cause of death in the country, and estimated to cost the health care system, patients, and families nearly $37.7 billion every year—from hospital care and medications to lost wages, reduced productivity, and out-of-pocket expenses. Yet up to 40% of cancer cases could be prevented through changes in lifestyle and environmental factors—a powerful reminder that prevention strategies, alongside early detection and research, can save lives and reduce the burden of cancer.
Today, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, visited UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto to announce that the Government of Canada and partners are investing over $41 million in ground-breaking cancer prevention research. This funding will support 19 teams that will work over the next five years to develop and share new approaches that support cancer prevention, reduce cancer risk, and improve early detection for some of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Canada and the world.
The funding is being provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and its partners, including the Terry Fox Research Institute, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, the Cancer Research Society, and BioCanRx. It is the single largest CIHR-led investment in cancer prevention research to date.
Researchers across Canada will explore innovative ideas with the potential to reshape how we prevent cancer—from testing whether common diabetes and weight‑loss drugs can lower the risk of breast, blood, or obesity‑related cancers, to uncovering how gut bacteria influence the development of prostate and colorectal cancer. Teams are also investigating how early stomach lesions turn cancerous, advancing the science of cancer vaccines, and developing new prevention options for women at high genetic risk of breast or ovarian cancer. One team is collaborating with researchers from Japan to better understand the links between aging and early-onset colorectal and pancreatic cancers.
Together, these projects will accelerate our progress towards a future where cancer prevention is more proactive, more personalized, and more within reach—reducing the number of Canadians who get sick, lowering health care costs, and helping more people stay healthy, active, and able to participate fully in work, family life, and their communities.
Quotes
“Preventing cancer saves lives and eases the burden on patients, families, and our health care system. Prevention demands deeper insight into risks, earlier detection, and bold investment in breakthrough research. That’s why we’re proud to partner nationally and internationally to support exceptional Canadian researchers working to help prevent cancer across the country.”
The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health
“Prevention research is essential to protecting Canadians from cancer, and collaboration is what makes it possible. That’s why CIHR, together with partners across Canada and Japan, is investing in research that advances prevention, risk reduction, and early detection. We’re eager to see how these teams will deliver new solutions that lessen the burden of cancer and strengthen the health and prosperity of Canadians.”
Dr. Paul Hébert, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
“While much cancer research rightly focuses on improving treatments and outcomes, preventing cancer and detecting it earlier can reduce suffering for everyone. Guided by Terry Fox’s legacy and mission to eradicate cancer through research, we’re proud to invest in this collaborative initiative and support bold, emerging approaches that can accelerate progress in prevention and early detection.”
Dr. Jim Woodgett, President and Scientific Director, Terry Fox Research Institute
"The most powerful way to save lives is by preventing cancer before it begins. While we've made meaningful progress in lowering cancer risk, there is still more we can do to protect the health of people in Canada. Through this life-changing partnership, we are working together to prioritize discoveries in cancer prevention that will create a healthier future for all."
Andrea Seale, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Cancer Society
“We are delighted that AMED can collaborate with CIHR on cancer prevention research through the newly selected projects. We expect collaboration between top geroscience researchers in Japan and Canada to advance this work, and hope this partnership will promote active research exchange and foster young scientists, further enhancing the talent mobility envisioned in the AMED ASPIRE program.”
Mr. Yukihiro Hisanaga, Director, Department of International Strategy, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
“Every cancer prevented means a life saved, a family protected and a future preserved. At the Cancer Research Society, we are proud to support prevention-focused research, because every discovery matters in giving Canadians the chance for a healthier future.”
Manon Pepin, President and CEO, Cancer Research Society
“BioCanRx’s mandate is to accelerate the development of transformative cancer immunotherapies for Canadian patients. The principles that underpin effective immunotherapies - particularly cancer vaccines - are central to prevention and early intervention. Through this prevention-focused initiative, BioCanRx is pleased to work alongside CIHR and other partners to advance approaches that may reduce cancer burden across the full continuum while strengthening Canada’s leadership in cancer immunotherapy innovation.”
Dr. Stéphanie Michaud, President and CEO, BioCanRx
“The timing of this announcement could not be more critical. Nearly half of all cancers continue to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, leaving patients and their caregivers to shoulder profound physical, emotional, and social challenges. This significant investment in early cancer detection research strengthens the work of scientists at UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, enabling them to accelerate breakthroughs and drive the transformative discoveries that will change outcomes.”
Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO, UHN
Quick facts
- Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, with 2 in 5 Canadians expected to develop cancer in their lifetime.
- Cancer costs patients and their families about $33,000 in their lifetime.
- 4 in 10 cancer cases could be prevented through modifiable risk factors such as diet and exercise, and reduced exposure to certain environmental hazards.
- CIHR is grateful to the generous support of its partners who made this investment possible, including contributions from: the Terry Fox Research Institute ($10M), the Canadian Cancer Society ($7M), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development ($3.5M), the Cancer Research Society ($2M) and BioCanRx ($500,000).
- Over the last 25 years, CIHR has invested nearly $4 billion in cancer research, leading to scientific breakthroughs in cancer detection, diagnosis, and therapies.
- Visit CIHR’s website to learn how CIHR-funded cancer research is improving and saving lives across the country.
Backgrounder
Contacts
Emmanuelle Ducharme
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health
emmanuelle.ducharme@hc-sc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
See full release on CIHR's website.