The Brain Canada SGBA+ and EDI Action Plan

Through our sex and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, Brain Canada will achieve improved brain health for all through strategic efforts to enhance how we operate, and who, what and how we fund, including:

  • Advancing research on sex, gender, and intersecting factors affecting brain health;
  • Fostering meaningful engagement of more women and diverse people in research; and
  • Cultivating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization and research community.
Brain Canada SGBA+ and EDI Action Plan 2022-2025

Actions completed to date

  • Implemented a requirement for funding applicants to elaborate on the SGBA+ and EDI considerations of their research proposal, where relevant, with evidence-informed rationales.
  • Supported various grants (63% of grants awarded) focused on diverse groups*.
  • Awarded funding to research applicants (68% of awardees) falling into diverse groups*.
  • Offered partnered programs to support Indigenous and Black scholars, and Women’s Heart and Brain Health.
  • Conducted outreach activities in underrepresented provinces: Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
  • Revised the mandate of the Governance Committee to include Brain Canada’s commitments to SGBA+, EDI and sex and gender brain science.
  • Established an SGBA+ and EDI committee with team members from across departments to guide the implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of the Action Plan.
  • Committed to the 50:30 challenge.
  • Trained all staff on EDI-related topics (i.e., Humance Inclusion Path).
  • *As defined by the Dimensions Charter, diverse groups include women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

Viviane Poupon, President and CEO (Montreal)

Alison Palmer (Chair), Evaluation and Special Projects Lead (Vancouver)

Anneliese Poetz, Senior Program Manager in KM for Social Innovation (Toronto)

Jean-Martin C. Strati, Director of Finance and Operations (Montreal)

Melissa Russo, Senior Program Manager (Montreal)

Sabina Antonescu, Program Operational Lead (Toronto)

Sophie Marquis, Independent HR Consultant (Montreal)

Jillian Donnelly, Marketing & Communications Officer (Halifax)

Pamela Kanellis, Chief Research and Program Officer (Toronto)

The Action Plan

The Brain Canada SGBA+ and EDI Action Plan identifies key activities to enhance the quality and relevance of brain research in Canada by addressing sex and gender brain science and integrating sex and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts into all of Brain Canada’s work.

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