OTTAWA, September 16, 2025 — The Ottawa Heart Institute today unveiled its 2025–2030 strategic plan, “Your Heart. Your Institute. Our Future Together,” aimed at strengthening cardiac care, research and education in Ottawa, across Canada, and around the world. The plan responds to the urgent need to tackle cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause of death, by focusing on prevention, equitable access to timely care, and innovative treatments.
“For nearly five decades, we have set the standard for excellence in cardiac care by driving innovation, delivering transformative treatments and leading the fight against cardiovascular disease,” said Rob Beanlands, MD, president and CEO of the Ottawa Heart Institute. “Our 2025–2030 strategic plan is a declaration of our dedication to pushing boundaries, embracing collaboration and harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology and AI to address the evolving needs of patients, while never losing the human touch.”
A hallmark initiative of the plan is One Million Canadian Hearts, which aims to screen one million people for cardiovascular risk factors, starting in Ottawa and growing to be a national effort. By detecting risks early and intervening swiftly, the initiative seeks to save lives and generate robust data that will guide future research and care improvements. Plans to deliver the program in partnership with primary care providers and community organizations are already underway, ensuring accessibility and equity.
"Our hub and spoke model is a key part of delivering on the goals set out in our new strategic plan. By working with community partners and primary care providers, we are making it easier for people to access screening, prevention, and cardiac care in the community, closer to home," said Erika MacPhee, RN, MHScN, the Ottawa Heart Institute’s vice-president of clinical operations.
Research remains a cornerstone of the plan, with increased investment in clinical trials, digital health and disease prevention. The Heart Institute will also explore how broader social and environmental factors, including climate change and access to care, influence heart health.
“We learn more every day about the enormous complexity of heart health,” said Katey Rayner, PhD, chief scientific officer and vice-president of research at the Ottawa Heart Institute. “Our strategic priorities for the next five years are to predict risk earlier than ever and prevent heart disease before it starts, to improve care by delivering more cutting-edge trials and research studies for our patients, and to use our rich sources of data to deliver new treatments to keep our hearts healthier than ever.”
Other hallmarks set out in the plan include expanding tele-cardiac critical care, growing the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre—Canada’s first centre of its kind—and launching a heart health education centre to support training, public education and workforce development.
Developed with input from more than 2,300 touchpoints with patients, families, clinicians, researchers and community partners, the strategy aligns with Ontario Health’s priorities to emphasize prevention, improve timely access to quality care, support vulnerable populations and use data and technology for ongoing improvement.
Read the 2025-2030 strategic plan
For more information or to schedule an interview with the Ottawa Heart Institute, please contact the liaison below.
About the Ottawa Heart Institute
Recognized as one of Canada’s most distinguished heart health centres, the Heart Institute delivers unparalleled patient care, leads globally recognized research from bench to bedside, and plays a national leadership role in heart disease prevention. Serving communities from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador, it strives to ensure care, research and education support heart health for all. The Heart Institute promise lives on: Always putting people first.
Media contact
Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca