The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR) has developed around a common vision: advancing rehabilitation research for the benefit of people living with physical disabilities. Since its creation, the CRIR has established itself as a centre of excellence thanks to the commitment of its members, the strength of its partners, and the continuous evolution of its governance structures.<\/p>\n
The following narrative timeline traces the major milestones in this transformation, highlighting the key moments that have shaped its identity and strengthened its mission.<\/p>\n
Also discover the key figures who have led CRIR\u2019s scientific direction since its inception.<\/p>\n
Since its planning phase in 1999, CRIR has created positions and committees to facilitate the functioning and management of research activities. More than 25 years later, these structures remain in place. To organize its scientific activities, CRIR established two key committees: the research orientation committee (COR), composed of the scientific direction, axis and thematic unit leaders, clinical research coordinators, and two representatives from the student community. The COR proposes the main research directions and advises the scientific leaders. The site coordination committee (CCS) was created to ensure coordination of human and material resources among the different research sites. The CCS brings together the scientific leaders, site administrators, the CRIR department head, and managers from member institutions.<\/p>\n
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In 2000, CRIR implemented a formal governance structure through its Board of Directors (BoD). It brought together six independent rehabilitation facilities, represented by their executive directors and respective foundations, who were key partners in research: the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital (HJR), the Montreal Rehabilitation Institute (IRM), the Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Centre (CRLB), the Raymond-Dewar Institute (IRD), the Constance-Lethbridge Rehabilitation Centre (CRCL), and the Nazareth and Louis-Braille Institute (INLB). Three universities also joined as affiliates: Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al<\/em>, McGill University, and Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec \u00e0 Montr\u00e9al<\/em> (UQAM). At that time, CRIR already included 46 researchers and 151 graduate students.<\/p>\n From the outset, CRIR collaborates with regional rehabilitation centres by partnering with three facilities: the Estrie Rehabilitation Centre (CRE), the Physical Disability Rehabilitation Centre Le Bouclier (CRDPLB) serving the Laurentians and Lanaudi\u00e8re regions, and the La Ressource Rehabilitation Centre in the Outaouais. Later, the MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre (CRMM), which serves the English-speaking population of several Quebec regions, joined as well.<\/p>\n In 2010, to strengthen the academic dimension of its mission and to support its academic designation request, the BoD evolved into a consortium of rehabilitation establishments operating a University Institute (CRIU). This marked an important milestone in recognizing CRIR\u2019s academic role. Following the 2015 health system reform, which merged several establishments, the CRIU became the University Rehabilitation Hub (PUR). This new hub brought together founding institutions into four integrated establishments now known as the Institut universitaire sur la r\u00e9adaptation en d\u00e9ficience physique de Montr\u00e9al (IURDPM)<\/span><\/em>; part of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l\u2019\u00cele-de-Montr\u00e9al<\/em>, formerly IRM, CRLB, and IRD; the Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre; part of the CIUSSS West-Central Montreal, formerly CRCL and MAB-Mackay; the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital (CISSS de Laval) and the Nazareth and Louis-Braille Institute (CISSS de la Mont\u00e9r\u00e9gie-Centre). The Physical Disability Rehabilitation Centre, formerly Le Bouclier, was divided into two entities, the CISSS des Laurentides and the CISSS de Lanaudi\u00e8re, which remain CRIR partners.<\/p>\n In 2023, a new governance agreement was signed among the founding institutions, renewing the partnership while modernizing and simplifying administrative processes under the new legal framework governing institutions. This agreement created the CRIR Governance Committee (CGC), bringing these establishments together while clarifying processes to expand the scope of research across the continuum of rehabilitation services offered within their integrated health and social services centres (CIUSSS and CISSS).<\/p>\n Together, these establishments serve clients of all ages living with various physical disabilities affecting their motor function, hearing, vision, language, or communication. This renewed governance reflects CRIR\u2019s commitment to remaining an agile and inclusive research centre, rooted in Quebec\u2019s clinical and social realities.<\/p>\n \n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n From its earliest years, CRIR benefited from strategic funding that laid the foundation for a high-performing research environment. In 2000, rehabilitation facilities and their foundations, along with the Fonds de la recherche en sant\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec<\/em> (FRSQ), the Conseil qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de la recherche sociale (CQRS), and the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) provided major financial support for the Centre\u2019s infrastructure, marking the beginning of long-term institutional backing.<\/p>\n The following year, in 2001, CRIR reached a major milestone when it received, jointly with the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), a significant grant of $9.7 million (including $5.9 million for CRIR) from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the MSSS. This funding, along with CFI start-up grants awarded to two CRIR researchers, doubled the size of research facilities and equipped laboratories with cutting-edge technologies. Specifically, $6.5 million was invested in purchasing equipment and developing new spaces across CRIR\u2019s six research sites and the Visual Perception Laboratory at the Universit\u00e9 de Montreal\u2019s School of Optometry.<\/p>\n These investments gave CRIR members access to over 2,323 m\u00b2 of facilities, including about thirty specialized laboratories, dedicated research spaces, mechanical and electronic workshops, computer rooms, meeting rooms, and offices. This financial support positioned CRIR as a state-of-the-art research centre, able to attract top-tier researchers and to train a dynamic new generation of scientists.<\/p>\n More recently, in 2017, CRIR received another major grant – $4.9 million- for the Brilliant-Rehab program (Biomedical Research and Informatics Living Laboratory for Innovative Advances of New Technologies in Community Mobility Rehabilitation). This project developed biomedical infrastructures for cutting-edge lab treatments combined with digital health solutions to improve data collection in clinical and community rehabilitation contexts. The program exemplifies CRIR\u2019s ability to innovate in response to contemporary challenges in health research.<\/p>\n Today, in 2025, CRIR continues to expand and modernize (now reaching 4,087 m\u00b2) to accommodate the constant growth of its members. Much of the research now takes place in hybrid formats (in-person and virtual), prompting a rethinking of how research spaces are shared.<\/p>\n Today, CRIR stands as one of the largest rehabilitation research centres in Canada!<\/p>\n \n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Introduction The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR) has developed around a common vision: advancing rehabilitation research for the benefit of people living with physical disabilities. Since its creation, the CRIR has established itself as a…CRIR funding: a catalyst for innovation and growth<\/h2>\n
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