Public Health Infrastructure
The public health infrastructure in Canada is complex and varied partly due to the distribution of responsibilities between the federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments. This infrastructure is composed of an ensemble of systems including various governance structures composed of organizations with varied mandates and financing, of a workforce with multiple competencies and of institutions offering training and pursuing research. Taken together, these elements are essential for protecting and improving population health and well-being, for reducing health inequalities and for health systems viability.
In this section, you will find a series of 13 profiles describing provincial and territorial public health systems, with supplementary methodological materials. You will also find the most recent update (2018) of the Structural Profile of Public Health in Canada that offers an overview of the main governmental and paragovernmental structures responsible for public health across the various jurisdictions, as well as the latest update (2019) of the Profile’s section examining structures dedicated to the health of Indigenous peoples in Canada. These resources will help public health professionals, researchers, students, and decision makers to navigate these complex systems. They may also help inform reflection and decision making about reinforcing public health systems in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To consult our resources on Public Health Infrastructure, click on the links below:
