On Jun. 29, 2020, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) COVID-19 Research Response Fund announced funding to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on newcomers to BC, urban Indigenous people, frontline health-care workers, and those in prisons or precarious housing.

The funded teams conducted their research across the province, including the University of Victoria, Thompson Rivers University, Simon Fraser University, and the BC Centre for Disease Control.

“British Columbia’s success in flattening the curve of COVID-19 infections has involved policy approaches rooted in science,” says MSFHR CEO Dr. Bev Holmes. “Providing research-based evidence to inform decision-makers has saved lives and is increasingly important as the province moves toward subsequent reopening stages.”

The MSFHR COVID-19 Research Response Fund was supported with $2 million in funding from the Province of BC with additional funding from MSFHR and partners. It is designed to address both immediate and emerging issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and provide necessary evidence for decision-makers, particularly around avoiding or mitigating future waves of transmission.

The funding competition had a rolling intake process, with all applications reviewed for both scientific excellence and relevance to one or more of five priority areas established with advice from BC’s Strategic Research Advisory Committee (SRAC). The funded projects built on BC-specific capacities and strengths, draw on available expertise and resources and include cross-institution collaborations where appropriate.