Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (YSPOR) funding extended to 2028

Whitehorse, YT – The Yukon Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (YSPOR) has been awarded extension funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research worth $2.68M. This will allow YSPOR, which operates out of Yukon University, to continue operations until March 31, 2028.

YSPOR’s extension funding will strengthen Yukon’s health research ecosystem by investing in people, partnerships, and knowledge sharing. This includes:

• supporting Junior Researchers and students to identify and lead community-driven research projects that respond to priorities identified by Yukon communities and partners,
• providing funding opportunities, mentorship and training opportunities for people with lived and living experience, NGOs and communities to participate in and lead research,
• and building research literacy so Yukon communities can shape research that reflects their priorities.

YSPOR will also continue working with partners to better understand the health research landscape in the territory, identify gaps and emerging priorities, support research and program evaluation that informs evidence-based decision-making, and help organizations translate existing data into accessible, practical resources that support action through knowledge translation activities such as plain-language summaries, workshops, and community learning events.

“This funding really reflects the strength of the relationships behind YSPOR. Our work only happens because of the trust that communities, organizations, and people with lived and living experience have placed in us. At its heart, YSPOR is about advancing reconciliation through how we do research. Together with our partners, this funding allows us to continue to build a made-in-Yukon approach to health research that is grounded in respect, reciprocity, and shared learning, so that research truly serves communities and contributes to a healthier future for all Yukoners.”

Michelle Leach, PhD, Scientific Director, YSPOR SUPPORT Unit

“On behalf of YSPOR’s Oversight Committee, we are pleased to see this continued investment in YSPOR and the important role it plays in supporting community-driven health research in the Yukon. We see firsthand the dedication YSPOR brings to building respectful relationships and ensuring research and evaluation reflect the voices and priorities of Yukon communities. YSPOR’s Oversight Committee remains committed to supporting work that brings together different ways of knowing, such as Indigenous knowledge, lived experience, youth voices and western research approaches, so that research and evaluation continue to be done in a good way and makes a meaningful difference for Yukoners.”

Shellby Fulton, YSPOR’s Oversight Committee Co-Chair

The successful application was developed in partnership with a number of organizations who are committed to matching the investment by CIHR. Partners include Yukon Government Departments of Health and Social Services, Education and Housing, Yukon University, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, BYTE – Empowering Youth, the Yukon Chapter Canadian Evaluation Society, One Yukon Coalition, and Yukon Status Women Council.

About YSPOR

YSPOR is dedicated to improving health outcomes in the Yukon through community-driven research. We honour Indigenous ways of knowing and collaborate with Yukon First Nations. YSPOR is housed at Yukon University and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

As part of the national SPOR network, YSPOR empowers Yukoners to shape healthcare by:

• Providing funding, training, and resources such as Support for Indigenous or Community Health Initiatives;
• Developing research capacity in the Yukon through programs like our Junior Researcher initiative.
• Facilitating knowledge mobilization and putting research findings into practice, for example through our knowledge translation services.
• Fostering collaboration by hosting events like the annual YSPOR Health Summit;
• Developing and nurturing partnerships across Canada, through membership in national working groups.

About Yukon University

Yukon University is a flexible, post-secondary institution grounded in research and education relevant to the North. We prioritize the uniqueness of the North as a driving factor in all that we do to preserve, thrive and grow the Yukon, together.​ With tailored learning opportunities and programs, our 13 campuses play a critical role in delivering education throughout the Yukon.