National Healthcare Innovation Council

Advancing Innovation to Strengthen Canada’s Healthcare System

Every day, new ideas are emerging across Canada that have the power to improve care, reduce costs, and strengthen our healthcare system. But innovation doesn’t happen in isolation—it requires the right partnerships, infrastructure, and pathways to move from concept to impact.

To help make that possible, HealthPRO Canada has formed the National Healthcare Innovation Council, a collaboration that brings together leaders from all ten provinces to remove barriers that prevent great ideas from scaling.

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Council

Council Purpose

The National Healthcare Innovation Council exists to create the conditions that allow promising healthcare innovations to scale across Canada. The Council’s work focuses on:

  • Spotlighting high-potential innovations with measurable, scalable impact
  • Clarifying pathways to adoption, so proven solutions can spread across jurisdictions
  • Identifying and addressing policy, procurement, and system barriers that slow innovation uptake
  • Supporting commercialization pathways, especially for Canadian-developed technologies
  • Sharing insights and learnings that help organizations replicate success

Together, council members are building a national approach that strengthens healthcare delivery and accelerates transformation.

This group works collaboratively to identify opportunities, address system-level challenges, and champion innovations that can deliver meaningful outcomes for patients and providers. 

Council Members

Ron JohnsonRon Johnson (Inaugural Chair)
VP, Digital Health, Innovation & Research (A), CIO
NL Health Services (NL)
Meghan BellandMeghan Belland
Executive Director, Strategic Relations, Innovation and Workforce Futures
Primary Care Alberta (AB)
Hugh AmielHugh Amiel
Senior Director, Procurement & Supply Chain
University Health Network (ON)
Erin CookErin Cook
Présidente-directrice générale adjointe
CIUSSS West-Central Montreal (QC)
Derek SpinneyDerek Spinney
Vice President Corporate Services, Infrastructure & CFO
Nova Scotia Health Authority (NS)
Doris GrantDoris Grant
Managing Director
Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub (NS)
Nicole VandenborreNicole Vandenborre
Director of Operations
CAN Health Atlantic at Horizon Health Network (NB)
John BrittonJohn Britton
Director, Provincial Contracting
3sHealth (SK)
Cailin RogersCailin Rogers
Director, Public Affairs, Network Development, and Enterprise Services
CAN Health Network (National)
Jennifer SheilsJennifer Sheils
Vice President, Strategy, Transformation & Chief Innovation Officer (CIO)
Horizon Health Network (NB)
Rachael RitchieRachael Ritchie
Director, Innovation
Vancouver Coastal Health (BC)
Sara ChaputSara Chaput
Executive Director, Provincial Supply Chain
Shared Health (MB)
Ross NobleRoss Noble
Senior Director, Business Development
HealthPRO Canada (ON)
Jennifer PotvinJennifer Potvin
Vice President, Strategy & Partnerships
HealthPRO Canada (ON)

Our Commitment to Innovation

The launch of the National Healthcare Innovation Council deepens HealthPRO Canada’s commitment to supporting healthcare transformation. 

It complements our Innovation Accelerator Program, which connects forward-thinking suppliers with health systems ready to adopt solutions that make care safer, smarter, and more sustainable.

Together, the Council and the Innovation Accelerator Program form a national platform for identifying, validating, and scaling high-impact healthcare innovations. 

Learn More
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