Thank you, Mr. Chair and the honourable members of the committee, for the opportunity to speak with you today.
As the Chair has mentioned my name is Ho Yu, and I'm an independent scientist at the brain health and imaging centre and geriatric mental health research services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, or CAMH. I am also an assistant professor in the department of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Toronto, and a member of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience, a professional organization with over 1,000 brain scientists across the country.
I am here to discuss the impact of brain health on society and the importance of research.
It's estimated that one in five Canadians experiences depression annually, and two in five young adults experience moderate-to-serious psychosocial stress. Through research, we also know that depression and anxiety are risk factors that impact older adults and contribute to dementias like Alzheimer's. This comes from not only clinical research, but basic or fundamental and translational research that untangles the complexity of the brain. In fact, disabilities from brain disorders represent the largest impediment to productivity. This alone is a major reason to tackle a problem that has only been magnified during the pandemic.
While COVID research is focused on its impact, spread and treatments, we need to consider the long-term biological and psychosocial effects from the pandemic to address the brain health needs of Canadians. Researchers have noted that individuals who are experiencing the greatest anxiety are also those who are most vulnerable to COVID, including young children and older adults.
During the pandemic, Canada invested extensively in research to ensure the safety and well-being of the people. This is an example that when resources are committed to scientific research, it can dramatically improve outcomes.
In March 2020, right before the start of the pandemic, I returned to Canada and came to CAMH, after almost two decades at Columbia University and New York University. I hope that I can represent a reverse brain drain, but this requires the support of stakeholders like you and your colleagues.
At CAMH, I have been able to maintain an innovative program in the lab, training early-career scientists, and working with my colleagues at CAMH to inform the public on brain health and aging.
From the 2021 census results, and globally, we know that one of the fastest-growing populations are the elderly. With colleagues across Canada and the world, our mission is to understand the intricacies of the brain, share our knowledge with society and hopefully abate an oncoming global health crisis of dementia.
Funding support is critical for the success of these health programs, and research is part of that integrated and comprehensive process. When we discuss translational and clinical research, we must also consider the fundamental basic science behind that. Canada has had a successful history of researchers, from fundamental science to application. Drs. Donna Strickland, Wilder Penfield, Maud Menten and Pieter Cullis are only some of the many transformational Canadian scientists. This requires funding support, so that we can maintain and continue to excel in the technology industry and maintain the tradition of science excellence in Canada.
At CAN we hope that this committee recognizes the importance of this research funding. In recent years, and especially during the pandemic, funding growth has slowed, including from the major tri-agencies, which are CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. Couple that with inflation, and we are starting to lose pace in terms of research potential. Canada has slipped to sixth among the G7 nations in terms of R and D spending to GDP.
Research investment is not only important for brain health, but it's an economic multiplier, providing not just short-term economic growth, but high-value employment and long-term financial and societal dividends from these discoveries. We also train highly qualified professionals, not just the next generation of scientists, but entrepreneurs, policy-makers and medical professionals, ensuring the medical and technological success for generations to come.
COVID hit all of Canada hard, and that includes science. Labs face hyperinflation due to supply chain issues, rising wages, especially for those early-career scientists, and higher costs for newer technology to compete and innovate.
We ask that when the government consider funding priorities, tri-council investment in research be highly valued, including a 25% short-term stimulus, and commitment to sustained annual growth of about 10% to research programs to benefit society economically and medically.
I believe that Canada research is viable. We have a difficult task ahead of us when it comes to brain health and disorders, and we must also learn from the past, both errors and successes, to ensure that scientific research is robust in this country. We look to this committee and all MPs to sustain research investments through tri-council to support generations to come.
Thank you.