Medical research was the original goal of Ontario March of Dimes, which was founded in 1951 as the Canadian Foundation of Poliomyelitis with a mandate to fund research to prevent polio. With the discovery of the Salk vaccine in the mid '50s, the main focus of our organization changed, but our understanding of the necessity of medical research remained. We continue to focus on research annually. Our awards and grants currently include:
- The Jonas Salk Award, jointly presented by March of Dimes and sanofi pasteur annually to acknowledge a Canadian scientist, physician or researcher who has made a new and outstanding contribution in science or medicine to prevent, alleviate or eliminate a physical disability.
- Paul Martin Sr. Fellowship, a three-year fellowship jointly funded by Ontario March of Dimes and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research supports either biomedical or rehabilitation research.