National Research Program

About Us

Mandate:

Our mandate is to address and improve the health of people working and living in the agricultural rural ecosystem.

Agriculture is one of Canada’s most hazardous industries, each year claiming the lives of more than 100 workers and sending another 1,500 to hospital emergency rooms. There are also long-term hazards – people working in agriculture face higher rates of lung disease, certain cancers and other health problems because of exposure to toxins, moulds, hazardous chemicals and harmful micro-organisms.

The Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture is the first national centre in agricultural health and safety for research in issues affecting all Canadians. It operates through the University of Saskatchewan but its scope involves nearly 65 researchers and scientists from various disciplines who work in more than twenty institutions across Canada.

Elements:

Research Pilot Project Support

• Intended to address research gaps in one or more of the four CCHSA theme areas
• Encourage new collaborations among researchers
• Provide funds for initial meetings, communications and pilot research projects leading to the development of research proposals for submission to national granting agencies

Faculty Release Time

• A release time stipend is used for salary replacement for teaching duties in order to increase their time for CCHSA research.

Trainee Stipends

• Support Postdoctoral and PhD scholarship support through the CIHR Strategic Training Grant “Public Health and the Agricultural Rural Ecosystem” (PHARE)
• Intends to address research gaps in one or more of the four CCHSA theme areas
• Encourages interdisciplinary collaborations

Knowledge Translation

• A national newsletter entitled “Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention” has been our main KT vehicle and specific material will be developed to meet the needs of specific issues and target audiences.