CFP receives funding boost

OCTOBER 2017 – The former Ontario Chain Drug Store Association (OCDA) has donated almost $20,000 to the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy to help advance the profession of pharmacy.

The OCDA originated as an organization to address Ontario-specific business and pharmacy issues. However, after the Ontario Pharmacists Association established its Owners’ Advisory Council and the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada established its Ontario Caucus, OCDA was no longer necessary. When it folded, the organization had close to $20,000 in its bank account. OCDA Chair Deb Saltmarche and Treasurer Billy Cheung recommended donating it to CFP. “OCDA members are pleased to be able to help fund the important work of the Foundation in practice research to support the advancement of pharmacy practice, and in particular research that supports advocacy for future funding for pharmacy services,” says Saltmarche.

The timing couldn’t be better, as CFP’s Board is in the process of selecting this year’s recipients of grants from CFP’s Innovation Fund. “Our budget to support practice research grants for 2017 is $100,000. The additional $20,000 will effectively allow us to possibly increase the number of grants we support from two to three,” says Dr. Zubin Austin, Chair of the Grants Committee. CFP will announce the recipients of 2017 Innovation Fund grants in November.