The COVID-19 pandemic is having unprecedented health, social and economic impacts for Canadians. The direct and indirect consequences of COVID-19 and related public health measures have exacerbated existing health inequities. These consequences are driven and shaped by structural and intermediary determinants of health. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) Best Brains Exchanges are one-day, invitation-only meetings bringing senior policy makers together with researchers and implementation experts to discuss high priority, health-related topics of shared interest.