May 17, 2004
For Immediate Release

News Release

Government of Canada announces National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health

HALIFAX - The Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, on behalf of the Honourable Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Minister of State for Public Health, announced today that Atlantic Canada will be home to the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, one of six regional centres for collaboration on public health that will work closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada.

"Canadians' health status varies widely from region to region. It can depend on and be influenced by a number of complex factors - socio-economic status, geographic isolation, and risk behaviours such as lack of physical activity," said Minister Regan. "The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding the health of Canadians, and this means furthering our understanding of all the factors that influence our health in order to build a stronger public health system," he added.

Acting as catalysts, the National Collaborating Centres will help strengthen the capacity of the public health system by creating and fostering linkages among researchers, the public health community and other stakeholders to build on existing strengths across the country. The centres will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and help put it into practice at all levels of the public health system across Canada.

The regional centres are part of several critical initiatives to improve our public health system announced today by Minister of State for Public Health Dr. Carolyn Bennett. These include the establishment of two pillars, in Ottawa and Winnipeg, for the new Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as the appointment of an Acting Chief Public Health Officer for Canada."

The health of Canadians is the top priority of this government," said Minister Bennett. "The National Collaborating Centres for Public Health will provide national focal points for key priority areas in public health, building on established regional expertise. They will accelerate the development and implementation in public health practice of new research findings and best practices."

Specifically, the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health will work in close collaboration with researchers, the public health community, and government and non-governmental organizations in Atlantic Canada to study the role of the "social determinants of health" - factors such as physical and cultural isolation, income/socio-economic status, employment, immigration status, mental illness, and risk behaviours such as smoking and lack of physical activity.

The Government of Canada is enhancing the country's capacity to respond to infectious and chronic diseases with an initial investment of $15 million over two years for the six National Collaborating Centres for Public Health. Each centre will concentrate on a specific theme, reflective of regional expertise, that will contribute to building Canada's excellence in a range of public health specialty areas. The investment in the Atlantic region for these federal activities is approximately $2.5 million over two years.

Today's announcement builds on the commitments the Government of Canada laid out in its Speech from the Throne and in the 2004 Budget. In Atlantic Canada, federal investments to support public health improvements include $7.6 million for front-line workers and $22.8 million for new vaccine programs. As well, Budget 2004 provides funding for other federal activities in public health, such as strengthening preparedness against infectious diseases, creating emergency response teams, replenishing the national emergency stockpile system, and investing in federal laboratories and surveillance systems.

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Media Inquiries:
Denise Corra
Health Canada
(902) 426-5213

Brian Underhill
Office of Minister Regan
(613) 992-3474

Suzanne Cowan
Office of the Minister of State (Public Health)
(613) 941-8081

Public Inquiries:
(613) 957-2991