Health databases & datasets: Canada

HDB-0030

MD Select

Scott's Directories MD Select is a Canadian healthcare provider database operated by Scott's Directories containing verified information on more than 91,000 Canadian physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners, and healthcare organizations across all provinces. The platform serves pharmaceutical companies, medical device distributors, and healthcare sales teams for professional targeting and outreach through paid subscription with multiple pricing tiers. Commercial provider Paid HDB-0144

ICES (formerly Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences) - Ontario

ICES ICES is an independent health data analytics institute housing Ontario health system data collected since 1992 from healthcare interactions including hospital, primary care, and social service records. Researchers access linked administrative health data for studies in cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental health, and health equity through formal research agreements. Research database By application HDB-0145

Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)

Canadian Institute for Health Information CIHI is an independent, not-for-profit organization providing standardized health system data and indicators for Canadian provinces and territories, including hospital, pharmaceutical, and health services data. The institute publishes reports, dashboards, and data tables through its indicator library and provides secure analytical tools (Insight+) for deeper analysis of health system performance. Research database Free registration HDB-0146

Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging CLSA is a national longitudinal research platform following 51,000+ participants aged 45-85 across 20 years to examine biological, medical, psychological, social, and economic aspects of aging, disability, and disease. The study provides researchers and international collaborators access to questionnaire data, physical assessments, biomarkers, genomics, metabolomics, imaging, and linked health outcome data including COVID-19 serology. Research database By application HDB-0380

Population Data BC

University of British Columbia Population Data BC operates a collection of linked health and social data covering 5.4 million British Columbia residents, with records dating to 1985 across health care, education, early childhood development, workplace, and environmental domains. Researchers access data through a formal request and approval process, with options for secure onsite facilities and cloud-based analysis environments. Research database By application HDB-0381

Statistics Canada Health Data

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada operates a health data portal providing access to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a national health biobank with biosamples, and the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohorts (CanCHECs) for population-based linked research. Data tables and aggregated statistics are publicly available; detailed microdata access is available to credentialed researchers. Open dataset Free registration HDB-0382

Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP)

University of Manitoba MCHP operates the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository, containing approximately 100 linkable and regularly updated databases derived from Manitoba government administrative records across health, education, social services, and justice sectors. Researchers access de-identified data through a formal application process with support from MCHP's data team. Research database By application HDB-0383

CARTaGENE

CHU Sainte-Justine CARTaGENE is a population-based biobank and cohort containing biological samples and detailed health and lifestyle data from 43,000 residents of Quebec aged 40-69 at recruitment. Researchers access the platform through an application process by contacting the research team. IPD repository By application HDB-0384

Ontario Health Study

Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and partner institutions The Ontario Health Study is a longitudinal cohort of 225,000 Ontario participants with health questionnaires, biological samples (blood, urine, DNA), physical measurements, and MRI scans collected since 2010. Researchers access ready-to-use epidemiological and clinical datasets through a formal data access application process. IPD repository By application HDB-0385

Health Data Research Network Canada

Health Data Research Network Canada HDRN Canada is a pan-Canadian non-profit network facilitating multi-regional health data research, operating the Data Access Support Hub (DASH) with an inventory of over 500 searchable data assets from provincial, territorial, and pan-Canadian sources. Researchers access data through the DASH portal using a single application process that streamlines multi-jurisdictional data requests. Research database By application HDB-0419

Canadian Cancer Registry

Statistics Canada with Canadian Council of Cancer Registries Population-based registry maintained by Statistics Canada containing cancer incidence data for Canadian residents since 1992, compiled from 13 provincial and territorial cancer registries. Provides standardized and comparable incidence data on all primary cancers diagnosed in Canada, used for epidemiological research, surveillance, and health policy. Research database By application HDB-0420

Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database

Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) National database capturing administrative, clinical and demographic information on hospital discharges, including day surgery, across all Canadian provinces and territories except Quebec (which submits data directly). Provides hospital separation data including deaths, sign-outs and transfers, used for health services research, performance benchmarking, and health system planning. Open dataset By application HDB-0421

Canadian Institute for Health Information National Ambulatory Care Reporting System

Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) National system collecting data on hospital-based and community-based ambulatory care including emergency departments, day surgery, outpatient and community clinics. Facilitates standardized data collection and comparisons across Canadian jurisdictions using consistent coding standards aligned with national and international requirements. Open dataset By application HDB-0422

Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System

Public Health Agency of Canada A collaborative network of provincial and territorial surveillance systems that tracks chronic diseases by linking health insurance registration files, physician billing claims and hospital discharge abstracts. It provides national estimates of chronic disease prevalence, incidence and outcomes from administrative records, published as open data tables by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Research database Open access HDB-0423

Canadian Community Health Survey

Statistics Canada Annual cross-sectional survey collecting health-related data on Canadians ages 18 and over across all provinces and territories since 2000. Provides national and sub-provincial health data on health status, health care utilization, health determinants, and emerging health issues, supporting public health surveillance and research. Research database Free registration HDB-0424

Canadian Health Measures Survey

Statistics Canada in partnership with Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada Biennial national survey launched in 2007 combining household interviews with direct physical measurements and biosamples from -Canadians aged 1-79. Collects data on cardiovascular health, nutritional status, chronic diseases, physical activity, infectious diseases and environmental contaminants through anthropometry, blood samples, urine samples and DNA collection. Research database Free registration HDB-0425

CanPath – Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health

University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health with funding from Canadian Partnership Against Cancer A population health study comprising seven regional cohorts with enrolled participants aged 30-74 across all provinces. Follows participants longitudinally with health questionnaires, biospecimens including blood, urine, and environmental exposure samples to investigate how lifestyle, genetics and environment interact to cause chronic disease and cancer. Research database By application HDB-0426

Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium Data Portal

University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research National environmental exposure data platform generating standardized, analysis-ready environmental metrics for every Canadian postal code including air quality, green/blue spaces, neighborhood factors, and climate data. Distributes environmental datasets pre-linked to Canadian health data organizations to enable research on urban form, environmental exposures, and health outcomes. Open dataset Open access HDB-0427

Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System

Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) Provincial surveillance system integrating five health-administrative databases covering Quebec's total population since 1996 and updated annually, including hospital records, vital statistics, physician claims and pharmaceutical data. Tracks prevalence and incidence of eight chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis, mental disorders, Alzheimer's disease and related disorders using linked administrative data. Research database Credentialed HDB-0428

Health Data Nova Scotia

Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology Provincial data repository providing access to linked administrative health records in a secure, controlled environment for health services and health research. Facilitates research and innovation by providing linkable health service and population health databases to researchers while protecting Nova Scotian privacy through pseudonymization and access controls. Research database By application HDB-0429

DataNB – New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training

University of New Brunswick in partnership with Government of New Brunswick Provincial data custodian providing researchers access to linkable person-level administrative datasets from government services including health, social assistance, education, aged care and workers compensation. Operates a secure, controlled-access environment where researchers access pseudonymized data for approved research while providing data-related training in literacy, privacy, ethics, statistics and epidemiology. Research database By application HDB-0622

CCTG Tumour Tissue Data Repository (TTDR)

Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) The Tumour Tissue Data Repository of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group banks tumour tissue and blood-derived specimens collected in the group's cancer clinical trials, linked to the participants' trial data. Investigators apply with a research proposal, ethics approval and funding, and disease-site committees review requests for correlative science studies. IPD repository By application