OICR’s predecessor organization, the Ontario Cancer Research Network, had made strides in connecting and supporting the province’s cancer research community. OICR was created to take the next step in breaking down barriers, uniting Ontario’s cancer research community and leading it toward clear goals: make life-changing innovations for people affected by cancer while building a healthier, stronger Ontario.

The early days were dedicated to laying a foundation. The brightest minds were recruited to the OICR community, both at our headquarters at the MaRS Centre and at our partner organizations across the province.

The young Institute also set in motion a number of projects that would transform the landscape of cancer research in Ontario and around the world, including global collaborations to collect and analyze tens of thousands of tumour samples, and unprecedented population health studies involving hundreds of thousands of Ontarians.

OICR’s maturing programs also meant a growing impact. Our long-term investments in innovative radiation therapy research helped create a new standard of care for patients with metastatic cancer, and in turn helped extend their lives. We also unlocked efficiencies in how biopsies for prostate cancers are performed, sparing patients from undue stress while saving Ontario’s health system the cost of unnecessary procedures.

OICR’s impact on the Ontario economy also continued to grow, as great ideas became thriving companies. With the launch of FACIT in 2012, OICR created Ontario’s first commercialization group specifically for the province’s cancer innovations. Together we would go onto launch companies, create highly skilled jobs, and attract historic investments to Ontario’s life sciences sector.

20 years of OICR

Raising standards across Ontario

The more OICR evolved, the more we became part of the fabric of cancer research in Ontario.

True to our original mandate, we prioritized provincial infrastructure as much as our own research projects, raising the standard of cancer science across the province to the benefit of everyone.

Our support for cancer-specific clinical trials infrastructure in Ontario and across Canada helped improve how trials are set up and how they’re run. Our accessible collection of the tumour samples — one of the largest in North America — enabled groundbreaking research in Ontario and around the world. And our first-in-Canada technologies gave Ontarians access to the highest standard of genomics services.

Even with this world-class infrastructure, cancer research in Ontario couldn’t reach its full potential if it didn’t reflect the needs of patients. In 2020, OICR formally launched a journey to embed patient partners into all functions of the Institute, and patients are now playing a critical role in shaping our research and strategy.

Twenty years can pass in the blink of an eye. But looking back at the people, milestones and innovations that have shaped the past two decades shows just how much OICR has achieved for Ontarians.

The numbers are undeniable. Thousands of publications in top-tier academic journals. Tens of thousands of Ontarian lives touched through our clinical trials. Billions of dollars injected into Ontario’s economy.

Yet these numbers only scratch the surface of OICR’s impact. The seeds we sowed 20 years ago have already borne fruit, and we are proud to be changing lives today. But those seeds have also grown roots across Ontario and around the world that will help us continue to make a real-world impact for generations to come.