A new national campaign – www.Vote4BrainHealth.ca – led by the Canadian Brain Research Strategy, urges policymakers to put brain health on the election agenda.
OTTAWA, March 10, 2025 /HRI Portal/ – Brain health is Canada’s next big challenge—and opportunity. One in five Canadians lives with a brain condition, making brain disorders the leading cause of disability and costing the economy tens of billions each year in healthcare and caregiving hours. At the same time, Canada is a world-renowned hub for brain research and the field is at a turning point, with breakthroughs for conditions like Alzheimer’s, depression, and stroke within reach. Coordinated national action is needed to turn isolated discoveries into solutions that benefit all Canadians.
That’s why the Canadian Brain Research Strategy (CBRS) is launching Vote for Brain Health (www.Vote4BrainHealth.ca), a national campaign calling on all federal parties to commit to prioritizing brain research and brain health in the next election. Timed with Brain Awareness Week (March 10-16), the campaign highlights the urgent need for a Canadian Brain Research Initiative—a focused national effort to ensure that Canada’s brain research leadership translates into better treatments, a stronger workforce, and a healthier future for all Canadians.
How Canadians Can Support Vote for Brain Health
Canadians are invited to speak up and make brain health an election issue. Visit Vote4BrainHealth.ca to act now:
- Sign the call to action. Contact federal candidates to urge that brain health be a priority in their platforms
Activate your network. Share the message on social media using #Vote4BrainHealth and post a photo with the printout sign: “I’m voting for brain health. Will you join me?”
A Pivotal Moment for Brain Health and Canada’s Future
Brain research is unlocking the next frontier of medicine, with new therapies transforming brain conditions once considered untreatable, like Alzheimer’s. At the same time, it is shaping the future of the economy. Just as AI is redefining industries and jobs, advances in brain science are reshaping how we work, learn, and stay healthy. As workplaces rapidly evolve, brain health is emerging as a key economic driver, with cognitive function and mental resilience more critical than ever.
A strong, coordinated federal investment in brain research will:
- Accelerate Discoveries – Smarter coordination means faster breakthroughs and more effective use of research funding.
- Transform Brain Health – Advances in prevention, treatment, and care are within reach. Coordinated investment ensures that discoveries move from the lab to the clinic, leading to improved health outcomes for Canadians.
- Support the Next Generation – Investing in young researchers ensures continuous progress in brain health innovation, creating long-term economic benefits.
“Brain health is central to Canada’s future, yet it remains largely absent from national policy discussions,” says Dr. Jennie Z. Young, Executive Director of CBRS. “With an election on the horizon, it’s time for federal leadership to step up and make brain health a priority. A Canadian Brain Research Initiative would unite and accelerate the work of our world-class scientists, ensuring that breakthroughs in brain research translate into better care, innovation, and economic growth.”
A Call for Federal Action
Vote for Brain Health urges all parties to commit to a Canadian Brain Research Initiative—a strategic investment to coordinate and accelerate Canada’s brain research efforts. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has already recommended funding a national brain research initiative in the 2025 budget, but without political will, this opportunity could be lost.
About the Canadian Brain Research Strategy (CBRS)
CBRS is a pan-Canadian movement to advance brain and mental health research through strategic coordination, policy development, and cross-sector collaboration. As a unifying initiative, CBRS brings together more than 40 of Canada’s leading neuroscience and mental health institutes and programs, along with early career researchers, Indigenous Knowledges Holders, people with lived experience of brain conditions, research funders, health charities, non-profits, and industry partners. Our work is driven by the vision of brain science as a catalyst for policy, social, health, and economic progress for Canada and the world.
Learn more about CBRS at canadianbrain.ca
Media Contact
Dr. Jennie Z. Young, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Canadian Brain Research Strategy
