Canada is moving toward a major expansion of data-driven healthcare, with a new national network receiving $100 million in federal support through Canada's national AI strategy.

The Vital network, led by researchers from Unity Health Toronto and the University of Toronto, builds on the GEMINI health-data platform that has already connected hospitals across Ontario.

The existing system has helped hospitals improve decision-making, with researchers reporting 50,000 fewer patient-days in hospital over the past 18 months across their network and tens of millions of dollars in savings.

Vital is designed to expand beyond Ontario. The network currently covers about 160 hospitals across Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, with plans to eventually involve hospitals across all 13 Canadian provinces and territories. Seven jurisdictions have already expressed interest.

A major goal is to make health information available much faster. Researchers are targeting access to relevant data within 24 hours, which could help hospitals respond more quickly to emerging health threats and support larger clinical trials.

The project will use a federated data model, allowing provinces to retain control of their data while researchers analyze information collectively. The network also emphasizes privacy and Indigenous data sovereignty.

If successfully expanded, Vital could give Canadian researchers and healthcare providers a powerful new tool for improving hospital efficiency, AI-powered healthcare, clinical research and equitable access to medical innovation.