Breakthrough T1D Network for Canada (BTNC)
The Breakthrough T1D Network for Canada: strengthening Canada’s capacity to compete and lead in regenerative medicine
The BTNC is Breakthrough T1D Canada’s plan for Canada to be a global leader in transformative cell therapies for people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and those with neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and other autoimmune conditions.
Canada is at a pivotal moment in regenerative medicine. Cell and gene therapies are moving from discovery and the lab into real-world clinical use and will have significant impact on the lives of people living with T1D.
T1D is a relentless autoimmune disease where the pancreas makes little to no insulin. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood glucose levels; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people, and an estimated 300,000 in Canada. Additionally, Canada has one of the highest rates of diagnosis in the world, and it’s unknown why.
Investment in the most promising T1D research is needed more than ever.
It is already established that regenerative medicine can produce transformative therapies for diseases like T1D. Canada has existing world-class expertise in this area that can be leveraged in order to lead in their development and delivery, retain the benefits of these therapies, and most importantly ensure Canadians gain access.
To ensure that this vital opportunity doesn’t go unaddressed, Breakthrough T1D Canada has asked the Canadian government to partner on and support the Breakthrough T1D Network for Canada (BTNC) – a national effort designed to accelerate the pace of and path to real, lasting treatments for T1D. Government investment will be matched by Breakthrough T1D donors and industry support.
The BTNC will bring together expertise and coordinate efforts across Canada to reduce duplication and accelerate T1D research and innovation. This will mean that T1D clinical trials come to Canada faster, with more trial sites across the country, and that successful therapies are developed, tested, and delivered to Canadians.
The federal government ask
To invest $62 million over five years in Budget 2026 to establish the Breakthrough T1D Network for Canada (BTNC). This federal investment will be matched by $25 million from Breakthrough T1D and a further $13 million from other partners, creating a $100 million public‑private partnership to accelerate cures and keep innovation in Canada.
Read the pre-budget submission here
Why T1D
T1D is closest to a cure among regenerative medicine targets, and multiple therapies are already in or nearing clinical trials in Canada. Canada also has unmatched experience in insulin‑producing cell transplantation and has performed the most stem-cell transplants of any country globally. This success allows Canadian healthcare network to build on the existing skills and infrastructure needed for many future therapies, not just T1D.
What the BTNC will deliver in the first five years:
- Double the number of curative T1D therapies trialed in Canada
- Support 10+ Canadian innovations to reach commercialization
- Create 120+ high‑skilled jobs
- Position Canada as a global destination for regenerative medicine
- A $100M investment could generate $575M in economic value
And accelerating a cure for T1D by just five years could avoid ~$15B CAD in potential healthcare costs.
Why Breakthrough T1D Canada
Breakthrough T1D has invested $3B globally, partnered with the Canadian government for over 15 years, and brings rigorous peer review, milestone‑based funding, and strong governance.
Canada discovered insulin. And Canada can discover the cure for T1D, while changing the future for millions of people globally.
Be part of the change. We need your voice.
Lend your support and help ensure T1D and the BTNC stays on the federal radar and becomes a reality.
How you can help
Please find below an advocacy toolkit that includes: message templates you can send to your Member of Parliament, sample social media posts, a leave-behind document about the BTNC to share following meetings, a template letter your MP can send to the Minister of Finance, as well as a Q&A.
If you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us at: advocacy@BreakthroughT1D.ca
Thank you for lending your voice and helping ensure that type 1 diabetes remains a priority on the federal agenda.
