About

Clinical Trials Ontario is a leading non-profit organization in the clinical trials community dedicated to strengthening, promoting and capitalizing on Ontario’s competitive advantages for conducting high-quality clinical trials. We work collaboratively with industry, research institutes, patients and the public and other health innovation organizations to improve the clinical trials environment and attract investment to the province, while supporting the highest ethical and quality standards. 

A Decade of Impact

In 2012, Ontario and Canada saw a decline in clinical trials activity. In response, the Government of Ontario, along with hospitals, universities, industry, research ethics boards and others came together to establish Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO) with a goal of strengthening, promoting and capitalizing on Ontario’s advantages for conducting quality clinical trials.

To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’ve published A Decade of Impact: Improving Ontario’s Clinical Trials Environment, to highlight growth in the clinical trials sector.

Mission & Priorities

Vision

Make Ontario a preferred location for global clinical trials, while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Mission

Strengthen, promote and capitalize on Ontario’s competitive advantages to conduct high-quality clinical trials.

Strategic Priorities

Streamline

Streamline processes to help make high-quality clinical trials more timely, efficient and cost-effective.

Engage

Engage with patients and the public to increase awareness, foster collaboration and improve how clinical trials are conducted.

Promote

Promote Ontario’s competitive advantages and clinical trial capacities to attract more trials and industry investment to the province.

Guiding Principles

It Takes a Community

Our achievements over the past decade are thanks to the dedicated efforts of members of the clinical trials community, and continued support from the Government of Ontario.

“This work directly benefits the future of our province and reflects the spirit of innovation and desire to overcome challenges that have always been at the heart of Ontario’s researchers. ”

— Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges & Universities

The CTO Team

Board of Directors

Raphael Hofstein

Chair
Former President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP)

Dr. Bradly Wouters

Vice-Chair & Secretary
Executive VP, Science & Research University Health Network

Bev Heim-Myers

Treasurer
Chair, Canadian Coalition for Genetic Fairness

Tina Ceroni

Clinical Trial Participant

Anne Ellis

Associate Professor and Chair, Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University

James Wilson

President, Brancorth Medical Inc.

Mark Lundie, PhD

Vice President & Global Medical Lead, Rare Endocrinology and Neurology, Pfizer Inc.

Clive Ward-Able

President, Clintell Inc.

Founding Institutions

Ontario Hospital Association

Member Representative

Melissa Prokopy

Vice President, Policy and Advocavy

Medtech Canada

Member Representative

James Wilson
President, Brancorth Medical Inc.

Innovative Medicines Canada

Member Representative

Alison Sargent

Executive Director, The Rx&D Health Research Foundation

BIOTECanada

Member Representative

Andrew Casey
President & CEO, BIOTECanada

Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine (COFM)

Member Representative

Dr. Jocelyn Côté

Vice-Dean, Research & Innovation and Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Ontario Council on University Research (OCUR)

Member Representative

Dr. Nancy Ross
Vice-Principal Research, Queen’s University