In Fiscal 2024, Canada's Top 40 Research Hospitals posted another substantial gain in research spending of 10.4% over Fiscal 2023. The combined research spending of the Top 40 was $3.82 billion, up from $3.46 billion in Fiscal 2023. Research spending increased at 36 health organizations and declined at only four. The number of health researchers was 10,852, a 6.0% increase over Fiscal 2023.
Once again, University Health Network (UHN) led the national ranking, with outlays of $599.3 million, up 11.2% from Fiscal 2023. Hospital for Sick Children ranked in second spot ($311.2 million, up 1.3%), followed by McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in third ($244.8 million, down -5.2%). Provincial Health Services Authority took 4th spot ($224.2 million, up 26.2%). Hamilton Health Sciences moved up to fifth place ($205.4 million up 36.7%). Vancouver Coastal Health Authority dropped to sixth spot ($181.4 million, up 6.6%), while Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre placed seventh, moving up from ninth ($178.5 million, up 27.1%). Ottawa Hospital ($167.7 million, up 1.5%) dropped to eighth position. Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) moved into ninth spot ($150.1 million, up 13.4%) and Unity Health Toronto rounded off the top 10 spots ($136.3 million, up 22.8%).
$100 Million Club
2024 Rank
Hospital
Research Spending $000
1
University Health Network (UHN)
$599,291
2
Hospital for Sick Children
$311,228
3
McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
$244,792
4
Provincial Health Services Authority
$224,238
5
Hamilton Health Sciences
$205,449
6
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
$181,433
7
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
$178,501
8
Ottawa Hospital
$167,711
9
Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
$150,132
10
Unity Health Toronto
$136,337
11
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
$115,750
12
CHU de Québec - Université Laval
$115,561
13
London Health Sciences Centre
$107,971
14
Sinai Health
$105,793
$100 Million Club
In Fiscal 2024, 14 health organizations - up from 13 - each recorded research spending in excess of $100 million. The elite members in the $100 Million Club recorded combined research spending of $2.84 billion, up 15.5% over Fiscal 2023, and accounted for 74.5% of total national research spending, up from 73.2% of the total the year prior. New to the Club this year was Sinai Health.
Hospital research spending tiers
The top institutions by size (Large, Medium and Small) were: University Health Network (Large tier, $599.3 million, 1st place overall), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Medium tier, $115.8 million, 11th overall) and Montreal Heart Institute (Small tier, $47.7 million, 22nd overall).
Hospital research spending growth
In Fiscal 2024, 36 health organizations recorded hospital research spending growth, compared to only four where research spending decreased. Compared with the national research spending gain of 10.4%, 18 organizations recorded increases surpassing that of the national result.
Top research spending growth leaders by hospital tiers were: Hamilton Health Sciences (Large tier, up 36.7%), Trillium Health Partners (Large, up 29.0%) and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Large, up 27.1%). The Medium tier leaders included: CHU Sainte-Justine (up 19.1%), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (up 15.7%) and Sinai Health (up 14.5%). Small tier organization growth leaders were: Bruyère Health (up 23.2%), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (up 16.5%) and Douglas Mental Health University Institute (up 16.4%).
Researcher intensity
Research Infosource measures research intensity in two ways: by researcher (research spending per researcher), and by hospital (hospital research spending as a percent of total hospital spending).
In Fiscal 2024, at the national level, researcher intensity increased by 4.1% to an average of $351,600 of spending per researcher, and the national hospital intensity was 6.8%, an increase of 3.9% between Fiscal 2023 and Fiscal 2024.
At $856,900 of spending per researcher, London Health Sciences Centre led its Large hospital peers, followed by University Health Network ($775,300 per researcher) and Hospital for Sick Children ($708,900 per researcher). In the Medium hospital category, St. Joseph's Health Care London ($918,500 spending per researcher) was the most researcher-intensive institution, followed by Sinai Health ($860,100 spending per researcher) and in third spot, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health ($669,100 per researcher). In the Small category, Baycrest ($1,076,800 spending per researcher) was the most researcher-intensive institution and also led the national results. In second place in the Small category was Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital ($765,000 spending per researcher), followed in third by Bruyère Health ($623,200 spending per researcher).
Measured by hospital intensity (proportion of total hospital spending accounted for by research), Hospital for Sick Children led the Large hospital category devoting 24.4% of its total hospital spending to research, and also posted the highest portion of research spending nationally in Fiscal 2024. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (17.8%) was the leader in the Medium category. Douglas Mental Health University Institute topped the Small category (18.3%).
Spotlight on Hospital Research Activity FY2024
Hospital Research Spending
Rank
Large
$000
1
University Health Network (UHN)
$599,291
2
Hospital for Sick Children
$311,228
3
McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
$244,792
Rank
Medium
$000
1
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
$115,750
2
Sinai Health
$105,793
3
CHU Sainte-Justine
$85,857
Rank
Small
$000
1
Montreal Heart Institute
$47,659
2
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
$40,331
3
Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval
$35,730
Research Spending Growth (% Change FY2022-FY2023)
Rank
Large
%
1
Hamilton Health Sciences
36.7
2
Trillium Health Partners
29.0
3
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
27.1
Rank
Medium
%
1
CHU Sainte-Justine
19.1
2
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
15.7
3
Sinai Health
14.5
Rank
Small
%
1
Bruyère Health
23.2
2
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
16.5
3
Douglas Mental Health University Institute
16.4
Top Researcher-Intensive Organizations (Research Spending per Researcher)
Rank
Large
$000
1
London Health Sciences Centre
$856.9
2
University Health Network (UHN)
$775.3
3
Hospital for Sick Children
$708.9
Rank
Medium
$000
1
St. Joseph's Health Care London
$918.5
2
Sinai Health
$860.1
3
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
$669.1
Rank
Small
$000
1
Baycrest
$1,076.8
2
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
$765.0
3
Bruyère Health
$623.2
Top Hospital-Intensive Organizations (Research Spending as % of Total Hospital Spending)
Rank
Large
%
1
Hospital for Sick Children
24.4
2
University Health Network (UHN)
18.4
3
McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
14.2
Rank
Medium
%
1
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
17.8
2
Sinai Health
12.9
3
CHU Sainte-Justine
11.7
Rank
Small
%
1
Douglas Mental Health University Institute
18.3
2
Montreal Heart Institute
15.7
3
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
12.0
Note: Hospital size tiers are based on a rolling average of the past five years of total hospital spending:
Large = more than $1 billion; Medium = $400 million to $1 billion; Small = less than $400 million.
Provincial performance
Top 40 - Leading Provinces
Province
% of Total
Ontario (20)
59
Quebec (12)
26
British Columbia (2)
11
In Fiscal 2024, 20 Ontario health organizations on the Top 40 accounted for $2.24 billion of the total national hospital research spending, or 59% of the total (up 12.3%). Quebec's 12 institutions accounted for $989.5 million, representing 26% of the national total (up 5.3%). Two health organizations from British Columbia posted $405.7 million of research spending (up 16.6%), or 11% of the national total.
This year and next
Research spending expanded at a strong 10.4% rate last year, and the gain was widely distributed across institutions. But, health research is an international endeavor and is highly dependent on partnerships with researchers and research institutions across the world. No more so than with counterparts in the United States. With health research funding in that country in turmoil, there are bound to be repercussions in Canada and across the world next year. The best that the Canadian health research community can hope for is a stable base of support at home.
