His current research interests include homelessness and health, risk factors and temporal patterns of addiction, and the evaluation of emergency health services.

Dr. Boivin has served on various scientific and policy committees such as the Scientific Council of the Québec Research Institute for Health and Occupational Safety (1997-2001), the Scientific Council of France's Mutuelle générale de l’éducation nationale (1999-2002), and the Advisory Board of the CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (2004-2008).
He was a consultant and examiner for the Faculty of Medicine of Kuwait (1998-2002).He is currently a member of the Québec Regional Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Fellowships Affairs of the Royal College, and the Board of Directors of the Canadian Center on Substance Abuse.