TORONTO — University Health Network in Toronto is aiming to attract 100 early-career scientists, focusing on people whose research could fuel economic development.
The hospital network is calling its recruitment effort the Canada Leads 100 challenge, and is starting with an initial $15 million that it says will help bring in the first 50 scientists. The UHN Foundation and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation are now setting about finding matching funds.
UHN president and CEO Kevin Smith said there is an opportunity to "supercharge" the economy through investing in science and technology.
"What we're beginning today is a seminal step in a truly science-based economic diversification," he said Monday.
Canada is the birthplace of insulin, but today, the largest three producers of insulin are headquartered in Denmark, the United States and France, Smith said.
"That's the opportunity in front of us today, to ensure the next global breakthroughs not only start here in Ontario, but also benefit Canadians first, also that they can create wonderful jobs, prosperity, a stronger tax base and protect our most cherished program, our universal health-care system."
Scientists who are recruited through this new effort will get a two-year research funding commitment.
Ontario is in the midst of implementing a life sciences strategy, to attract biomanufacturers such as OmniaBio and AstraZeneca, and Premier Doug Ford said recruiting world-leading scientists is money well spent.
"The research done by these recruits will attract investment, grow the economy ... and position right here at UHN as the place where innovation and breakthroughs happen," he said.
Ford suggested the province has another ad campaign to run in the United States in the works to complement that strategy, building on Ontario ads that ran south of the border before U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs, telling Americans that the two countries are stronger together.
"We're going to go on many fronts to fight these tariffs, but one way to win big time is to get the brightest minds in the United States to come to the greatest sub-sovereign nation in the world, and that's Ontario, and we'll be running those ads," Ford said in his remarks at the UHN event.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2025.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
