About PHAC Atlantic

PHAC Atlantic is the Atlantic Regional Office of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), a federal agency created to build an effective public health system in Canada – one that allows Canadians to achieve better health and well-being in their daily lives, while protecting them from threats to their health.

PHAC Atlantic is one of six PHAC Regions which together promote integrated action on public health throughout the country. In Atlantic Canada we collaborate with provincial governments, other federal offices, university researchers and voluntary organizations to fulfill eight key roles:

• engaging and mobilizing citizens, provincial governments and local partners;
• developing partnerships and collaborations that support long-term action on national public health priorities;
• implementing, managing and monitoring the Atlantic component of national programs;
• ensuring that PHAC programs complement and are aligned with provincial initiatives;
• leading federal agencies in preparing for and responding to health-related emergencies in Atlantic Canada;
• contributing Atlantic region knowledge to national program and policy development;
• promoting an evidence base, including surveillance, evaluations and research studies, to inform program and policy development;
• supporting continuous professional development among public health professionals.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

PHAC Atlantic’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator oversees action on public health security and emergency issues that affect Atlantic Canada. This function is an extension of the national PHAC Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response. The Coordinator works with Health Canada, other federal departments, the provinces, international organizations and the voluntary sector to identify preparedness planning priorities and to develop public health emergency response plans. PHAC Atlantic’s current priority is to improve cooperation and collaboration on emergency preparedness among federal and provincial health partners in Atlantic Canada, while respecting each jurisdiction's specific characteristics and priorities.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

PHAC Atlantic’s Children’s Team administers the following federally-funded health promotion programs in the four Atlantic provinces:

• Aboriginal Head Start
• Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program
• Community Action Program for Children

PHAC Atlantic’s Population Health Team currently administers five federal programs in the region, including both health promotion and disease prevention programs:

• Population Health Fund
• Healthy Living Fund, Regional Stream
• AIDS Community Action Program
• Canadian Diabetes Strategy
• Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Program

Within each of these programs, we provide funding and support to community-based organizations that in turn take action to improve health in their local communities. We also work to influence health-related policies and programming more broadly, through partnership and knowledge development activities aimed at enhancing capacity to take action on population health in the region as a whole.

Publications from PHAC Atlantic