Peter Gilgan Foundation Makes $5M Investment in Canadian Scientific Excellence

A new partnership between the Peter Gilgan Foundation and the Gairdner Foundation will help keep Canada’s brightest scientific minds where they can make the greatest difference – right here at home. The collaboration endows the Peter Gilgan Canada Gairdner Momentum Award, annually supporting two exceptional mid-career scientists who are shaping the future of health research in Canada.

The $5 million gift, which will be distributed to the Gairdner Foundation annually over five years, addresses a critical gap in Canada’s scientific research landscape: supporting researchers at a crucial point in their careers when they’re making vital discoveries.

This partnership builds on the Gairdner Foundation’s remarkable 65-year legacy of recognizing scientific excellence – a record that includes supporting 419 international scientists, with 98 going on to receive Nobel Prizes.

As Mary Federau, Chair of the Peter Gilgan Foundation, has said, “This is about believing in Canadian talent and celebrating our scientists.”

The award focuses on scientists who are hitting their stride – researchers who’ve established their labs and are now tackling some of health care’s biggest challenges. By recognizing and supporting these innovative thinkers, the award aims to strengthen Canada’s position as a place where scientific careers can flourish.

The first scientists to receive the Peter Gilgan Canada Gairdner Momentum Awards will be announced in Spring 2025 and celebrated at the Gairdner Awards Gala next fall.