OTTAWA, April 16, 2026 — The Ottawa Heart Institute is launching Phase 2 of its One Million Canadian Hearts (1MCH) initiative, a national effort to screen one million Canadians for cardiovascular disease risk factors and transform how heart health is understood, prevented, and treated across the country.
As part of this next phase, the Ottawa Heart Institute is now offering heart disease risk factor screenings on-site to adults aged 18-years and older with no known heart disease. To learn more or book an appointment, visit 1mhearts.ca.
“We’ve seen firsthand through our heart valve mobile screening effort how powerful early detection can be, particularly for older adults,” said David Messika-Zeitoun, MD, scientific and medical director of One Million Canadian Hearts and director of the Centre for Valvular Heart Disease at the Ottawa Heart Institute. “By scaling this approach through One Million Canadian Hearts, we aim to expand screening to a broader population, with a targeted focus on cardiovascular risk factors, to meaningfully improve outcomes at the population level.”
In the coming weeks, the Heart Institute, in collaboration with community partners will extend cardiovascular risk factor screening in community settings across the region to participants younger than 65 years while continuing screenings for valvular heart disease in adults aged 65-years and older.
The first clinic of this new initiative is taking place today at the Vanier Community Service Centre (Vanier CSC). Initially offered to staff as part of a workplace wellness initiative, the program is expected to expand screening to the many francophones and new Canadians accessing its services each year.
“This screening initiative is part of our commitment to providing a healthy workplace by promoting prevention and the overall health of our team.”
- Andrée-Anne Martel, Executive Director of the Vanier CSC
“The well-being of our employees is at the heart of our priorities,” said Andrée-Anne Martel, executive director of the Vanier Community Service Centre. “This screening initiative is part of our commitment to providing a healthy workplace by promoting prevention and the overall health of our team.”
Participants identified as needing follow-up care will be referred to their primary care providers or connected with specialized programs at the Ottawa Heart Institute, including the CardioPrevent Program and the Quit Smoking Program.
Scaling up through partnership and research
Recognizing that reaching one million Canadians requires collective effort, Phase 3 of the initiative will use a “train-the-trainer” model. Partner organizations will be equipped with the tools, training, and resources needed to conduct screenings on their own.
One Million Canadian Hearts also aims to generate powerful data insights that will save lives. By uncovering who is most at risk and what factors shape cardiovascular outcomes, the program will empower Canadians to take control of their heart health while advancing research that redefines prevention and care nationwide.
For more information
Members of the public are encouraged to subscribe to the One Million Canadian Hearts newsletter to receive updates on upcoming screening opportunities in their communities and learn more about how to take charge of their heart health.
To coordinate an interview with experts at the Ottawa Heart Institute, please contact the media liaison below.
Media contact
Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca