Objectives

To assist provinces/territories and health regions with the planning, development and delivery of appropriate services by making accurate, aggregate statistics available.

To assist in cluster investigations, as requested, by monitoring trends and identifying geographic areas of concern and by responding to requests for baseline, historical data.

To add to the body of knowledge on the epidemiology and the etiology of congenital anomalies by encouraging research through the availability of national, aggregate data to researchers and public health authorities.

To inform and educate the Canadian public on the range and scope of congenital anomalies by disseminating timely reports.

To evaluate the impact of preventive strategies by making aggregate statistics available to public health authorities, researchers, and public organizations.

To participate in international monitoring and research collaborations to assist in the identification of geographic areas of concern and to add to the body of knowledge on congenital anomalies (e.g. International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Monitoring Systems).