Organization Profile - Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Act

The President of the CIHR shall be appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office during pleasure for a term of not more than five years. The President is eligible for reappointment.

The President is not eligible to be appointed as the Chairperson.

The President is the Chief Executive Officer of the CIHR and is responsible for its day-to-day management and direction.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the President or a vacancy in that office, the Governing Council may authorize an officer of the CIHR to act as President, but no person may act as President for a period exceeding 90 days without the approval of the Governor in Council.

There shall be a Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research consisting of not more than eighteen members, including the Chairperson; and the President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Deputy Minister of Health who are ex officio and non-voting members of the Governing Council.

Each initial member of the Governing Council shall be appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office for any term of not more than three years that will ensure, as far as possible, the expiry in any one year of the terms of office of not more than one third of the members. Subsequently appointed members shall be appointed by the Governor in Council for a three-year term.

Except for the Chairperson, the members shall be appointed to hold office during pleasure. They may be appointed to no more than two consecutive terms.

The Governor in Council shall appoint a Chairperson to hold office during pleasure for a term of not more than five years. The Chairperson is eligible for reappointment.

The Governor in Council shall appoint as members of the Governing Council women and men who are able to contribute to the achievement of the objective of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in the overall interests of Canadians. The Governor in Council shall consider appointing women and men who reflect the highest standards of scientific excellence and women and men who reflect a range of relevant backgrounds and disciplines.

The Governing Council shall elect one of its members to be a Vice-Chairperson.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the Chairperson or if the office of the Chairperson is vacant, the Vice-Chairperson has and may exercise all the powers and perform all the duties and functions of the Chairperson.