One Child Every Child

The Canada First Research Excellence Fund invests in the research strengths of postsecondary institutions so they can achieve global change. The Government of Canada is investing $125 million in the University of Calgary’s One Child Every Child initiative – one of the largest ever awarded to a university in Alberta. By bringing together researchers, community partners, health-care providers, equity-deserving groups, educators and Indigenous communities, One Child Every Child dramatically improves the lives of children across Canada and beyond.

One Child Every Child is guided by ii’ taa’poh’to’p, the UCalgary Indigenous Strategy, and walks parallel paths with Indigenous Elders and scholars to encompass the wisdom, voices and priorities of Indigenous peoples for the betterment of all. 

One Child Every Child brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, child health research institutes, education and healthcare providers, equity-deserving groups, local, national and global stakeholders to accelerate outcomes for children and their families. 

More than four decades of community support through the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation has enabled the University of Calgary to recruit and retain the most productive concentration of child health scientists in the country. In 2020, the University of Calgary became the first university in Canada to declare child health and wellness an institutional research priority.

Numerous health delivery organizations – from hospitals and rehabilitation centres to community outreach and home care providers – have joined the cause. By bringing everyone together, One Child Every Child dramatically improves the lives of children across Canada and beyond. 

UCalgary was the first in Canada to declare child health a research priority with the Child Health and Wellness Research Strategy. Building on this strategy, One Child Every Child is connected with all U15 universities, and powered by local, national and international networks. Core research partners include the University of Alberta, University of Lethbridge, and Athabasca University.