On March 27, 2025, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) published a joint report on the future of Canada on the global health stage. To look forward to the next 20-years, the Panel reflected on Canada’s track record in the field of global health. They found that for more than a century—Canada has furthered the mission to improve the health and well-being of people worldwide. These efforts include significant funding for health development research, with the creation of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in 2000 as prime example of a systematic move towards establishing Canada as a leader in research excellence. They note, the CIHR has enabled research on important but previously neglected research areas such as Indigenous health, and gender-based analysis. One of the contributors mentioned by name, is the Global Strategy Lab’s Founder and Former Director (2014-2024); Dr. Steven Hoffman.
“The Panel defines global health as an interdisciplinary field of study, policy and practice that encompasses the health and well-being of human and other forms of life on a planetary scale” (Report of the Joint Expert Panel)
The Expert Panel commended Dr. Hoffman for strengthening Canada’s leadership in global health research during his tenure as the Scientific Director of the CIHR’s Institute of Population & Public Health (2016–2022). Dr. Hoffman shifted the needle on the CIHR’s approach to health research by promoting a complementary view of health development and global health research. During his time, Dr. Hoffman oversaw the expansion of the CIHR’s definition and scope of global health research to include areas such as globalization, health equity, neglected conditions, and transnational risks. In 2022, Dr. Hoffman also championed the integration of ‘global health research’ as a strategic priority for all CIHR institutes.
The Joint Report provides crucial insights into the evolving landscape of global health and the urgent challenges facing Canada and the world. The report is timely, given the complex “polycrisis” of issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, geopolitical instability, and rising inequality, all of which underscore the interconnectedness of global and domestic health.
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