Genomics offers immense power and promise to improve our health, our environment and our economy. To fully realize this potential, Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem must work collaboratively and in pursuit of common goals.

This year marks exciting developments at Genome Canada. Building on more than 20 years of ecosystem-building, we are providing national leadership for a strong and inclusive genomics future in Canada. We are working to strategically harness the Canadian genomics ecosystem through high-impact challenge-driven genomics research and innovation that will deliver tangible and equitable benefits for communities across Canada.  

Springboarding from the success of our two most recent challenge-driven initiatives, CanCOGeN and All for One, we are accelerating our efforts to translate cutting-edge genomics research into solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. Genome Canada-led challenge-driven genomics initiatives and other research investments will work across the ecosystem to mobilize academic, public, private and non-profit sector partners to collectively tackle complex challenges in health, climate change and food security.

Our multi-sector and multi-stakeholder challenge-driven initiatives will be designed to explicitly connect user-driven research and data assets with downstream support for commercial deployment in strategic sectors. By convening and connecting partners across the research and innovation ecosystem, we will mobilize knowledge created in the lab by Canadian researchers out to the Canadian innovators who will realize its value and deliver real-world benefits. Integrated trainee, early career researcher and talent strategies will also help grow and diversify the genomics talent pipeline in Canada.

Through the Canadian Genomics Enterprise—a unique pan-Canadian network comprising Genome Canada and six regional Genome Centres that leverages regional strengths to meet national priorities—we are ready for the challenge of delivering genomics-enabled economic, health, social and environmental impacts for Canada—and the world.