U of T researchers streamline access to Canada’s health data with new platform
May 29/2026
Answering Canada’s biggest health questions requires data from across the country but accessing and combining that data hasn’t been easy.
By Megan Fleming
A new research platform led by researchers at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) is making it easier to access and analyze crucial health data across Canada, all in one place. The approach is expected to reduce barriers for researchers, support collaboration across different data sources like cohorts and biobanks and ultimately improve the generation of evidence for the health of Canadians.
Canada already has a wealth of data collected through cohorts like CanPath, a population health platform based at DLSPH, which includes more than 350,000 participants nationwide. But privacy regulations, consent agreements and governance requirements mean that this data must remain where it was collected, making large-scale collaboration possible, but often complex and time-consuming.
DLSPH’s CanPath team
To get a sense of the scope of this challenge, picture shopping for a large meal across multiple grocery stores. Each one has what you need, but getting everything together takes careful coordination and extra effort. This new data infrastructure aims to make that process of gathering necessary components feel more like a one-stop shop or supermarket, allowing researchers to access datasets more seamlessly, without asking any institution to give up control of its data.
This new infrastructure, led through CanPath in partnership with Lifebit, a technology provider specializing in trusted research environments, provides researchers with secure access to a shared, online analysis platform. Through this environment, approved users can log in and run analyses across multiple data sources without moving the underlying data from where it is stored.
“CanPath has already done a lot of the work to bring data together in a meaningful way across the country,” says Dr. Jennifer Brooks, Executive Director of CanPath and an Associate Professor at the DLSPH. “What’s exciting about this next step is that it makes it much easier for researchers to actually use that data together while still respecting the trust, consent and oversight that participants expect.”
The system operates as a shared, cloud-based research environment where approved researchers can run analyses across multiple data sources at once. Each dataset remains at its home institution, under local control. Participating cohorts retain full authority over how their data is accessed and used, ensuring that governance and decision-making power stay with the organizations that collected it.
“It’s about reducing barriers to collaboration,” adds Dr. Victoria Kirsh, National Scientific Coordinator at CanPath and Assistant Professor at the DLSPH. “Each data source brings something unique. This makes it easier to bring those strengths together, without asking anyone to give up ownership.”
The infrastructure is designed to meet strict Canadian privacy and data residency requirements for sensitive health information. It provides a secure, shared environment where analysis can happen across sources. In essence, it functions as a “super-environment” for research, instead of building new silos or duplicating existing ones.
The first version of the infrastructure is now live and being used by CanPath’s internal research community. Researchers and trainees are beginning to test tools and workflows using a synthetic dataset, a realistic but simulated version of participant data that allows for safe experimentation and hands-on training. Building this capacity is an important step in supporting the next generation of researchers working in this space. Meanwhile, real data from CanPath’s regional cohorts is being onboarded in phases throughout the year, marking the beginning of a gradual expansion toward broader collaboration.
For researchers, the change could be significant. Instead of spending months negotiating access agreements and coordinating across institutions, they can focus more on designing studies and generating insights. The new platform also makes it easier to identify and work with the most relevant datasets for a given research question, whether across provinces or, eventually, across countries.
For the health data community in Canada, the initiative represents a move toward greater national alignment. By connecting datasets rather than isolating them, it creates opportunities for more consistent use of existing data and strengthens the case for sustainable, coordinated investment in research infrastructure.
And for Canadians, the benefits are more direct. Faster, more connected research can accelerate understanding of chronic diseases like cancer and improve how evidence is used to inform prevention, care and health policy.
“Looking ahead, this platform is built to grow as more partners, from cohorts to biobanks and research networks, come on board,” adds Dr. Brooks. “The more it grows, the more opportunities we have to connect data, support new discoveries, and ultimately improve health outcomes for Canadians.”