Yesterday, Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company with Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, and the University of Toronto (U of T), announced a new research hub at U of T’s Mississauga campus that will bring leading public health experts together to help reduce chronic illnesses across the globe.

“We are thrilled that Novo Nordisk and U of T chose Mississauga as the home for their new research network that will support our goal of creating a healthier City and world,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “In Peel Region, one in 10 residents live with diabetes, which is 40 per cent higher than the rest of Ontario. We understand there is a direct correlation between healthy citizens and the economic productivity of society. Sadly, COVID-19 has impacted vulnerable people more severely – such as those who suffer from chronic illnesses – which is why we support research in our community to help improve the health of our residents and people across the globe.”

As part of the City of Mississauga’s commitment to reduce Type 2 diabetes among residents, two webinars were hosted in 2020 and 2021 that engaged community stakeholders on how we can work together to put health at the centre of City policies to support a healthier society.

“This partnership complements the City of Mississauga’s Economic Development Strategy, which emphasizes the importance of creating initiatives that support a healthy lifestyle, as well as the Life Science Cluster Strategy, which cultivates innovation between stakeholders,” said Harold Dremin, Acting Director of Economic Development at the City of Mississauga. “Mississauga is home to many newcomers to Canada and the country’s largest community-based hospital system, which is why we offer a unique opportunity for researchers to address the root cause of rising Type 2 diabetes in a highly-diverse setting.”

Novo Nordisk and U of T invested $20 million each to establish the Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations, a network of experts that will draw on U of T’s leading public health research. The network plans to explore critical concerns related to chronic disease, research new technologies including virtual care and remote training and support and develop interventions to prevent an unsustainable rise of chronic illnesses.

“Fulfilling our company’s goal to defeat diabetes, obesity and other serious chronic diseases requires much more than innovative medicine,” said Béatrice Clerc, President of Novo Nordisk Canada. “One hundred years after the discovery of insulin, we’re proud to once again partner with U of T with the ambition of helping society to address the root causes of Type 2 diabetes and obesity.”

This network will be a partnership between the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and U of T Mississauga.

“The historic investment will build capacity for research and education at U of T. It will bring together existing expertise from across the University and our health-sector partners in Mississauga and the broader region,” said U of T President Meric Gertler. “Ultimately it heralds a new era of hope for people facing diabetes and other chronic diseases here in Canada, and around the world.”