Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition Newsletter: January 2026!

Virtual Grand Rounds: Spotlight on the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance: Women’s Cardiovascular Health Hub

Strengthening Collaboration to Advance Equity in Women’s Cardiovascular Health in Canada

This interactive Grand Rounds session will highlight the work of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance (CWHHA) to improve cardiovascular health for women across Canada. 

This session explores how meaningful engagement with People with Lived Experience (PWLE) and community partners can strengthen equity, trust, and impact in women’s cardiovascular health. Drawing on the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance (CWHHA) model and collaborative initiatives such as CROWNING US, participants will reflect on what works, where gaps remain, and how to move toward more inclusive, culturally responsive collaboration.

Join us on January 28 at 12 p.m. EST to learn more, ask questions and be part of an open conversation!

Tickets on sale now for Vitally Important: National Women’s Health Summit

For too long, women’s health has been underprioritized. The result? Women spend more of their lives in poor health, experience delayed diagnoses, and navigate care systems that were never built with them in mind.

That ends here — because women’s health is vital.

Vitally Important: National Women’s Health Summit brings together leading researchers, clinicians, innovators, and advocates from across the country for two days of conversation, collaboration, and action. This is where we begin rewriting the story — together.

Taking place in Toronto, March 24-25, 2026

Call to action: Community partners collaboration

On December 9, Senator Daniele Henkel introduced Bill S-243 for first reading in the Senate. The bill is scheduled for second reading on February 3, 2026, marking a pivotal moment for women’s health policy in Canada. Senator Henkel has shared her vision for the bill in a recent LinkedIn video, underscoring the urgency and opportunity.

The Women’s Health Framework is a complex, pan-Canadian campaign that creates meaningful entry points for every organization and business committed to improving outcomes for women. To support alignment and participation, they are hosting a Grassroots Advocacy and Community Engagement focused information session on January 20, 2026. The session will outline the advocacy strategy, key messages being brought to the Hill in February, and practical ways community organizations and leaders can connect their women’s health priorities to this national effort.

To RSVP, email Carmen Wyton with the subject line “Communities CTA”. 

Funding opportunity: The CIHR Advancing 2S/LGBTQI+ Health Through Research

The CIHR Advancing 2S/LGBTQI+ Health Through Research competition is still open for applications. The overall purpose of this funding opportunity is to advance, strengthen and enhance inter-disciplinary, high-impact and community-engaged health research that addresses the health priorities of 2S/LGBTQI+ individuals and communities in Canada.

Registration Deadline: February 11, 2026

Application Deadline: March 19, 2026

CIHR REDI Early Career Transition Award 2025

The REDI 2025 program offers research funding to support underrepresented trainees including postdoctoral researchers, clinicians and PhD-holding research associates in developing research independence and advancing academic careers in Canada. The program helps early-career researchers secure their first independent faculty positions and succeed in health-related research.

Funding Streams:

• Stream A: For trainees who self-identify as Black (any gender), racialized women or racialized gender-diverse people.
• Stream B: For trainees who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis scholars (any gender).

Deadline: June 26, 2026

Hub highlights

• Watch: “Aging in People Living with HIV” the latest Clinical Hub Talk from the Women-Centred HIV Care (WCHC) Hub (add link to the Hub page). In this session, Dr. Alice Zhabokritsky takes the Hub through the historical context, clinical considerations, and ongoing research regarding aging in people living with HIV. Dr. Zhabokritsky is the Co-Lead of Treatment & Management with CTN+, a health researcher, and an infectious disease physician. She brings this strong clinical experience to provide the most recent evidence on HIV and aging, tying in an ongoing study: Correlates of Health Aging in Geriatric HIV (CHANGE HIV).
• Listen: Rethinking Care Approaches to Reduce Stigma, a podcast episode with Dr. Saraswathi Vedam from the JEPS Hub and Dr. Martha Paynter, from the Impact Hub, and hosted by Avis Favaro. The conversation takes a deep dive into stigma, trauma, and respectful care. 
• Read: On Human Rights Day, PCWHC research hubs shared how they are advancing access to safe, equitable, culturally relevant and evidence-based health care as a fundamental human right. Read the thoughts of Dr. Erin Brennand, Dr. Nicole Letourneau, Dr. Saraswathi Vedam. 

Have news, events or stories to share? 

Submit your Hub updates or activities by the 15th of each month to be featured in our newsletter! Submissions can be made through our intake form or by contacting Deborah Dahan, Manager of Evidence in Action. You can also add events to our calendar at any time.

Let us know what your Hub is up to – we would love to highlight your work!

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