About Canadian Blood Services

We are Canada's Biological Lifeline.

We are the connection between donors and patients, healthcare professionals and medical researchers. We are nationally responsible for a secure system of life essentials for transfusion and transplantation that’s reliable, accessible and sustainable. Every day we work diligently to help save lives, restore health and earn the nation’s trust.


Who we are

Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization that operates independently from government. Created through a memorandum of understanding between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, we opened our doors in 1998. Our funding comes primarily from the provincial and territorial governments, and we are a registered charity that accepts financial donations.

Canadian Blood Services is one part of Canada’s broader network of healthcare systems and is the only national manufacturer of biological products funded by Canada’s provincial and territorial governments. We provide blood, plasma, as well as transfusion and stem cell registry services, on behalf of all provincial and territorial governments (excluding Quebec). Our national transplant registry for interprovincial organ sharing and related programs extends to all the provinces and territories. We have a unique relationship with Hema-Québec, the provincial blood system operator that provides products to patients and manages Quebec’s stem cell donor registry. Our two organizations work closely to share blood products in times of need, and we collaborate regularly to share information, insights, and data.

Our legacy

In November of 1997, Justice Horace Krever tabled the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada in the House of Commons. That same year federal, provincial and territorial governments enacted a memorandum of understanding that would shape a new, national blood authority for the country.

Both documents were aimed at providing direction for the future. They established key principles for the blood system, including these examples:

  • Safety of the blood supply is paramount.
  • Blood is a public resource.
  • Donors of blood and plasma should not be paid, except in rare circumstances.
  • Adequacy and security of supply of all needed blood components and plasma fractions for Canadians should be encouraged.
  • Sufficient blood should be collected so that importation from other countries is unnecessary.
  • Access to blood products, including fractionated plasma products, should be free and universal.
  • A national blood supply program should be maintained.

These documents, and the principles they contain, have provided essential guidance for Canadian Blood Services.

Our vision, mission & values

Our vision

To help every patient.

To match every need.

To serve every Canadian.

Our mission

We are Canada’s Biological Lifeline.

We are the connection between the sincere
generosity of donors and the heartfelt appreciation
of recipients, between the profound discoveries of
science and the joyful restoration of health.

As such, we are nationally responsible for a secure
system of life essentials for transfusion or transplantation
that’s reliable, accessible and sustainable.

That’s why our organization must be efficient,
our performance disciplined. We must work as one
with our colleagues and partners at all levels.

We must be prudent yet smart, rigorous yet agile, capable
yet concerned. And we must be innovative, reinventing today
so we can find better answers for tomorrow.

In a very real way, what we do affects the well-being
of all Canadians and every day we must earn their trust.
We make a difference and in that, we take great pride.

Our values

icare, integrity, collaboration, adaptability, respect, excellence


Integrity
We do the right thing, always.
We do what we say we will do.
We share information in an honest, transparent manner.
We follow policies, processes and regulations.

Collaboration
We help each other.
We engage those who are affected by our decisions.
We listen with an open mind.
We focus on solutions. 

Adaptability
We embrace change.
We keep learning.
We seek new ideas and opportunities.
We integrate better ways of working, quickly.

Respect
We treat everyone fairly.
We are considerate and courteous to everyone.
We value diversity in all its forms.
We create and nurture an environment where everyone feels included. 

Excellence
We give our best every day, in all that we do.
We take ownership of our work.
We continuously improve our processes, products and services.
We set increasingly higher standards for ourselves. 

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