Details on transfer payment programs

Table of Contents

• Transfer payment programs with total actual spending of 5 million dollars or more
  • Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada's Health Systems Program
  • Canada Brain Research Fund Program
  • Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program
  • Contribution to Canada Health Infoway
  • Contribution to Improve Health Care Quality and Patient Safety
  • Contribution to Canada's Drug Agency
  • Contribution to the Canadian Institute for Health Information
  • Contribution to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
  • Health Care Policy and Strategies Program
  • Improving Affordable Access to Prescription Drugs Program
  • Mental Health Commission of Canada's Contribution Program
  • National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases Program
  • Official Languages Health Program
  • Organs, Tissues, and Blood Program
  • Payments for Dental Benefits Pursuant to the Dental Benefit Act
  • The Shared Health Priorities Initiative
  • Substance Use and Addictions Program
  • Territorial Health Investment Fund
• Transfer payment programs with total actual spending of less than 5 million dollars
  • Chemicals Management Plan Engagement and Outreach Contribution Program
  • Environmental Health Research Contribution Program
  • Radon Outreach Contribution Program

Transfer payment programs with total actual spending of 5 million dollars or more

Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada's Health Systems Program^{Footnote 1}

Start date

January 28, 2022

End date

March 31, 2024

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada's Health Systems Program aims to address systemic racism and discrimination in Canada's health systems to advance Health Canada's overall mandate to help everyone in Canada maintain and improve their health by striving to ensure high quality health services are efficient and accessible, and by reducing health inequalities.

The objectives of the Program are to address systemic racism and discrimination and advance health equity for racialized and marginalized populations in Canada's health systems. To achieve its objectives, the Program provided support to eligible organizations through 2 distinct streams of funding:

1. Project stream: To improve the safety, accessibility, equity, quality, sustainability, and accountability of Canada's health systems, investments were made in systems-level projects that address racism and discrimination perpetrated against racialized and/or marginalized populations.
2. Engagement stream: To maintain strong and effective publicly funded health systems through the development of policies and strategies that address evolving health priorities, investments were made to build capacity within racialized and/or marginalized communities and organizations that serve racialized and/or marginalized populations to enable them to meaningfully engage on their health priorities to ensure that their priorities and perspectives are adequately considered by health-decision makers.

Results achieved

Through contribution agreements, 27 recipients received funding to undertake activities that meet Program objectives. Some highlights from projects completed in 2023-24 include:

• Health Standards Organization developed 19 standards, methods and resources to increase capacity of health system partners to provide culturally safe services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
• Ontario Native Women's Association created the Mindimooyenh Indigenous Women's Health Curriculum, a training program for health care providers to address racism and discrimination, particularly concerning Indigenous women and families' safety. Community members, including youth, elders, and knowledge keepers, were engaged to ensure alignment with community needs. Resources included training guides and tools, including a Truth and Tea video series, a Round Table video incorporating Indigenous voices, and Medicine Information Booklets.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails and knowledge transfer activities) with recipients to discuss Program progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance and financial reporting.

Canada Brain Research Fund Program

Start date

April 1, 2011

End date

March 31, 2028

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 3: Quality Health Science, Data and Evidence

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Through Budgets 2011, 2016, 2019, and a subsequent funding renewal in 2021, the Government of Canada committed up to $200 million to be matched by non-federal government donors, for the Canada Brain Research Fund Program. The Program provides funding for the Brain Canada Foundation (Brain Canada) which fundraises to match the federal contribution with donations from its private and charitable-sector donors and partners. The Government of Canada's objectives in funding the Canada Brain Research Fund are: 1) to serve as a focal point for private investment in brain research by attracting private and charitable donations to match federal funding; and 2) to support research that advances knowledge of the brain through awards to researchers.

Results achieved

Since 2020, Health Canada has provided over $66 million to Brain Canada. During this period, Brain Canada met their matching obligation, raising more than $70 million. The overall investment in brain research contributed to discoveries that inform the development of prevention, diagnostic, therapeutic, clinical, technological, and health system solutions for brain diseases and disorders.

In 2023-24, Brain Canada invested over $39 million (comprised of federal and matched funding) in research through its 4 core grant categories: team, platform, capacity building, and knowledge translation. This investment supported 22 granting competitions including Discover Grants, Proof of Concept Grants, New Investigator Operating Grants, and Competitions for Black and Indigenous scholars. Projects benefitting from Brain Canada's investment cover brain health, aging (dementia and Alzheimer's), machine-learning approaches to stroke prediction, and youth mental health.

Brain Canada also promoted knowledge translation via producing podcasts related to Canadian neuroscience research. Brain Canada's English-language Playing with Marbles covered mental health topics including depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The French-language Le cerveau, c'est moi featured recipients of the Future Leaders of Canadian Brain Research program discussing their project findings on topics such as brain mapping and neuron function.

In 2023-24, Brain Canada announced 19 recipients of its inaugural Personnel Awards for Black Scholars research competition designed to increase the number of highly qualified Black trainees in heart and/or brain research across Canada. Brain Canada also continued to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion by releasing its Sex and Gender-based Analysis Plus and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, which outlines 5 areas for enhancing Brain Canada's organizational policies and activities.

Last of Brain Canada's core activities is to convene research community stakeholders on key brain health priorities. In 2023-24, Brain Canada held 13 stakeholder events to bolster engagement, support fundraising, and to promote knowledge translation in the brain research sphere. Dementia Talks! Canada series organized by Brain Canada, focused on priority areas such as youth mental health, dementia drugs and therapies, and the links between exercise and brain health.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with Brain Canada staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program

Start date

March 21, 2019

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018-19

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The purpose of the Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program is to contribute to meeting the needs of thalidomide survivors so that they may age with dignity.

The Program objectives are to ensure that, for the remainder of their lives, eligible thalidomide survivors:

• Receive ongoing tax-free payments based on their level of disability; and
• Have transparent and timely access to the Extraordinary Medical Assistance Fund.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program provided financial support to 126 confirmed survivors. Ongoing tax-free payments were distributed to recipients and all payments were made before the end of April 2023, as per the service standard set by the third-party Program administrator.

The Program administrator managed the Extraordinary Medical Assistance Fund to assist survivors with costs related to extraordinary health support needs such as specialized surgeries, home or vehicle adaptations, and some ongoing costs such as chiropractic care, physiotherapy, and attendant services. In 2023-24, a total of 113 Extraordinary Medical Assistance Fund applications were processed and of those, 96% were approved.

The results of the annual survey of survivors for 2023-24 showed that 73% of survey respondents reported a better ability to access care, treatment, and support, and 88% said the Program is helping them age with dignity.

In 2023-24, 17 new applications were submitted at Step 1 of the 3-step probability-based medical assessment process. The application period remained open until June 2024.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2024-25.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with Epiq Class Action Services Canada Inc., a third-party administrator of the Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program, to discuss the Program progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance, and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Contribution to Canada Health Infoway

Start date

April 1, 2016

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2023-24

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that is federally funded to work with jurisdictions and other stakeholders to improve the health of Canadians by accelerating the development, adoption, and effective use of innovative digital health solutions. Since 2001, the Government of Canada has provided Infoway with over $2 billion through grants or up-front multi-year funding to focus on various priorities in digital health, such as supporting implementation of electronic health records systems.

The purpose of the 2023-24 contribution agreement was for Infoway to focus on leading the advancement of the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap to create a more connected health care system through standardized health data and digital tools, and to continue growing and expanding its national e-prescribing service, PrescribeIT. The Roadmap is intended to advance and co-develop pan-Canadian standards, beginning with primary care, to ensure health data can securely flow across the health system while protecting the privacy of Canadians. The agreement is supported by an allocation of $211 million over 3 years as confirmed in Budget 2023.

The 2023-24 contribution agreement also focused on advancing a Canadian Organ Donation and Transplantation health system with modern data technology. Budget 2019 allocated $36.5 million over 3 years with $5 million ongoing, to both Infoway and the Canadian Institute for Health Information to support this priority.

Results achieved

In October 2023, all Health Ministers (except Québec) reiterated their commitment to advancing and adopting common interoperability standards as part of a Joint Federal, Provincial and Territorial Action Plan on Health Data and Digital Health including the implementation of the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap led by Infoway with the Canadian Institute of Health Information.

Building on these commitments, Infoway continued to advance the Roadmap by collaborating with federal, provincial, and territorial governments and stakeholders to release completed standards that enable digital systems to connect with each other, including pan-Canadian specifications for adopting the International Patient Summary. This Summary gives patients access to consistent information as they move through the care system. It also gives health care providers the details they need to offer informed quality care. Infoway also collaborated with federal, provincial, and territorial governments and stakeholders to launch a collaborative with health information vendors and IT companies to engage them on connected care priorities and adopting Roadmap standards.

Infoway continued to work with federal, provincial, and territorial governments and stakeholders to operate, maintain, and grow its national electronic prescribing service, PrescribeIT. This service enables prescribers to electronically transmit prescriptions directly from an electronic medical record to the pharmacy management system of a patient's pharmacy of choice, offering safer and more efficient medication management for Canadians. PrescribeIT is live across 8 provinces and territories and has enrolled more than 16,000 prescribers and 8000 pharmacies.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: Infoway was evaluated as part of the Evaluation of Pan-Canadian Health Organizations (PCHOs) 2018-19 to 2022-23 completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: The PCHOs (including Infoway) have made individual and collective progress towards their shared goals of enhancing health system capacity, changing the behaviour of health care decision makers, and supporting improvements in health systems. For example, Infoway worked with government representatives from Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and health sector stakeholders to develop the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap – a long-term vision towards improving health information exchange and health care services. The PCHOs also demonstrated flexibility by pivoting activities to respond to the pandemic while continuing to advance longstanding initiatives. Structural changes and organizational adaptations within the PCHOs have allowed them to take steps towards addressing issues identified in the 2018 Fit for Purpose review.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with Infoway staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Contribution to Improve Health Care Quality and Patient Safety

Start date

March 31, 2021

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2020-21

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC) is an independent, not-for-profit agency funded primarily by Health Canada to provide improvement in health care quality and patient safety. This aligns with the federal government's interest in achieving an accessible, high quality, sustainable, and accountable health system adaptable to the needs of Canadians. Via its contribution agreement with Health Canada, HEC works to: find and promote innovators and innovations, drive the rapid adoption and spread of quality and safety innovations, build capabilities to enable excellence in health care, and catalyze policy change. HEC will focus its work on care of older adults with health and social needs, care that is closer to home and community with safe transitions, and pandemic recovery and resilience.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, HEC expanded its efforts on 3 key priorities which were re-imagining care with and for older adults with health and social needs, providing care closer to home and community with safe transitions, and contributing to pandemic recovery and health system resilience.

Examples of HEC's accomplishments include the launch of its Health Workforce Innovation Challenge, to promote staff retention and support health workforces, as well as the launch of the Enabling Aging in Place, focused on implementing practices that enable older adults with health and social needs to age at home with formal support.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: HEC was evaluated as part of the Evaluation of Pan-Canadian Health Organizations (PCHOs) 2018-19 to 2022-23 completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: The PCHOs have made individual and collective progress towards their shared goals of enhancing health system capacity, changing the behaviour of health care decision makers, and supporting improvements in health systems. The PCHOs also demonstrated flexibility by pivoting activities to respond to the pandemic while continuing to advance longstanding initiatives. Structural changes and organizational adaptations within the PCHOs have allowed them to take steps towards addressing issues identified in the 2018 Fit for Purpose review. For example, in 2019-20, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement announced a joint commitment to amalgamate to a new organization, Healthcare Excellence Canada, to create a single quality and safety organization with an expanded capacity to improve health care for everyone in Canada.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2026-27.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with HEC staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Contribution to Canada's Drug Agency^{Footnote 2}

Start date

April 1, 2008

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2022-23

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Canada's Drug Agency (CDA, formerly Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health) is an independent, not-for-profit agency funded by Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial governments to provide credible, impartial, and evidence-based information about the clinical/cost-effectiveness and optimal use of drugs and other health technologies to Canadian health care decision makers.

Health Canada provides financial support for CDA's core business activities, namely, pharmaceutical Reimbursement Reviews, Health Technology Assessments and Optimal Use Projects via a contribution agreement. Through these activities, CDA is able to create and disseminate evidence-based information enabling health system partners to make informed decisions on the adoption and appropriate utilization of drugs and non-drug technologies, in terms of effectiveness and cost.

Starting in 2023-24, Health Canada also provided CDA an additional $3.6 million to improve the collection and use of evidence to support decision-making in topics related to rare diseases to support the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases.

Results achieved

CDA continued to adopt a lifecycle approach to managing drugs and other health technologies. In 2023-24, CDA developed and implemented a framework for time-limited recommendations for a small number of marketed drugs. In May 2023, it published Guidance for Reporting Real-World Evidence, laying the foundation for using real-world evidence in regulatory approvals and Health Technology Assessment in Canada. CDA also implemented the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, an approach that enhanced transparency regarding evidence quality, for clinical trial evidence in reimbursement reviews.

In 2023-24, CDA's Post Market Drug Evaluation program integrated health data and real-world evidence to inform decisions on drug safety and effectiveness and other key regulatory aspects. For example, the Post Market Drug Evaluation program reviewed COVID-19 therapies and assessed current evidence on the safety and efficacy of Paxlovid, Veklury, and Actmera.

As part of the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases, CDA established a newborn screening advisory panel to build on existing work and develop pan-Canadian guidance to support newborn screening programs, which play an important role in the early diagnosis of rare diseases. CDA also launched a range of activities to improve the generation of, and access to, real world data from rare disease-based registries, including an open call for funding to support efforts to improve the quality and usability of rare disease registry data.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: CDA was evaluated as part of the Evaluation of Pan-Canadian Health Organizations (PCHOs) 2018-19 to 2022-23 completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: The PCHOs have made individual and collective progress towards their shared goals of enhancing health system capacity, changing the behaviour of health care decision makers, and supporting improvements in health systems. The PCHOs also demonstrated flexibility by pivoting activities to respond to the pandemic while continuing to advance longstanding initiatives. For example, CDA conducted evidence appraisal, rapid synthesis, and horizon scanning related to emerging therapies and products for COVID-19 to help inform discussion on the implementation of new technologies and engaged in knowledge exchange activities. Structural changes and organizational adaptations within the PCHOs have allowed them to take steps towards addressing issues identified in the 2018 Fit for Purpose review.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2026-27.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with CDA staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Contribution to the Canadian Institute for Health Information

Start date

April 1, 1999

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2017-18

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 3: Quality Health Science, Data and Evidence

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is an independent, not-for-profit organization supported by federal, provincial, and territorial governments that provides essential data and analysis on Canada's health system and the health of Canadians. CIHI was created in 1994 by the federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers of Health to address significant gaps in health information. The organization provides comparable and actionable data and information that are used to accelerate improvements in health care, health system performance, and population health across Canada. CIHI's broad range of health system databases, measurements, and standards, together with its evidence-based reports and analyses, are widely used by stakeholders in their decision-making processes. Further, CIHI protects the privacy of Canadians by ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of its health care information.

Since 1994, the Government of Canada has allocated over $1.7 billion to CIHI, including $127.7 million in 2023-24 to advance new and ongoing initiatives, such as:

• $3.7 million in March 2023 to advance pharmaceutical data activities in support of the Budget 2019 – Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office.
• $1.7 million in March 2023 to implement new priority data activities under the Budget 2019 –Drugs for Rare Diseases Strategy.
• $1.2 million in March 2023 in support of the Public Health Agency of Canada's Data Pathways for Public Health pilot project.
• $4.7 million in March 2023 to improve the Organ Donation and Transplantation data and reporting system in Canada.
• $20.0 million in August 2023 to develop and report on new shared health priority data indicators with provinces, territories, and partners, including aging with dignity indicators; to support the establishment of Health Workforce Canada and CIHI's health human resources support function; and to advance primary care data standards in support of the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap led by Canada Health Infoway.

Results achieved

As part of the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan, CIHI continued to work with provinces and territories to develop new health system indicators and collaborated with Canada Health Infoway on advancing primary care data standards in support of the Interoperability Roadmap. In 2023-24, CIHI also supported the launch of Health Workforce Canada, which was established to improve health workforce data and planning. CIHI released its Snapshot Report in August 2023, with new indicators in 4 priority areas. CIHI continued to work with provinces, territories, and data partners to ensure that future data sources can be disaggregated to allow for results to be presented according to priority populations including Indigenous Peoples. CIHI also protected the privacy of Canadians by ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the health care information provided. This work has helped to increase the indicator comparability, allowing for improved reporting on the performance and delivery of health care across Canada, and for international comparisons.

CIHI also continued to address data gaps to improve the collection and reporting of more comprehensive pan-Canadian data in areas such as organ donation and transplantation, pharmaceuticals, and public health. In 2023-24, CIHI launched several data tools including the Canadian Organ, Donation, and Transplantation data system; and a pharmaceutical data tool to improve access, care, and outcomes as well as to assist partners and physicians with resource planning. In March 2024, CIHI released a report on the Pan-Canadian Prescription Drug Data Landscape that highlighted data assets, gaps, and opportunities by jurisdiction. This comprehensive report informs future direction specific to publicly and privately funded drugs, drugs for rare diseases, cancer drugs, and drugs administered in hospital.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: CIHI was evaluated as part of the Evaluation of Pan-Canadian Health Organizations (PCHOs) 2018-19 to 2022-23 completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: The PCHOs have made individual and collective progress towards their shared goals of enhancing health system capacity, changing the behaviour of health care decision makers, and supporting improvements in health systems. The PCHOs also demonstrated flexibility by pivoting activities to respond to the pandemic while continuing to advance longstanding initiatives. For example, CIHI developed an interactive Health System Capacity Planning Tool to help decision makers understand expected health resource demands and supply shortfalls related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This tool was used in several jurisdictions to demonstrate the positive impact that public health measures could have on hospital capacity. Structural changes and organizational adaptations within the PCHOs have allowed them to take steps towards addressing issues identified in the 2018 Fit for Purpose review.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with CIHI staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Contribution to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer

Start date

April 1, 2007

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2020-21

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) is an arm's-length, not-for-profit organization that was established in 2007 by the Government of Canada. CPAC's mandate is to mobilize partners across the country to reduce the burden of cancer through coordinated, system-level change by implementing the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control.

The Strategy is an overarching framework for a comprehensive Canadian cancer control program. The work of the Strategy spans the spectrum of cancer control, from research, prevention and detection to treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care.

Developed in consultation with Canadians, including cancer experts and stakeholders, the Strategy's objectives include:

• Reducing the expected number of new cases of cancer among Canadians.
• Enhancing the quality of life of people living with cancer.
• Lessening the likelihood of Canadians dying from cancer.

CPAC is fully funded by the Government of Canada, with Budget 2016 confirming ongoing funding at $47.5 million per year.

Results achieved

Together with its partners, CPAC advanced the priorities and actions of the Strategy, prioritized health equity, and met the milestones identified for 2023-24, including:

• Released the pan-Canadian Cancer Data Strategy, developed in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society and other partners. This is the first strategy in Canada to focus on cancer-specific data challenges, which will guide efforts to enhance the collection, integration, and use of cancer data.
• Hosted the inaugural Cancer Equity Measurement Forum, where nearly 100 attendees from across Canada convened to advance health equity measurement, reporting, and Indigenous data considerations, across the cancer continuum (e.g., cancer prevention and screening, diagnosis and treatment, survivorship, palliative care, and end-of-life care).
• Supported partners in 7 jurisdictions to begin implementing 10 new Models of Care projects. To support uptake, CPAC hosted multiple knowledge translation events focused on adopting innovation to improve care.
• Co-created projects with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners across a range of self-determined priorities, building on long-term engagement with more than 25 First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, associations and organizations across all 13 provinces and territories.
• Supported an initial cohort of 10 communities and the recruitment of a second cohort to participate in the Improving Equity in Access to Palliative Care initiative in collaboration with Healthcare Excellence Canada.
• Launched Phase 2 Lung Screening and Phase 3 Human Papillomavirus Screening initiatives, accelerating momentum across jurisdictions to promote and implement culturally safer and more accessible lung and cervical screening.
• Supported the enhancement of CanPath, Canada's largest population cohort study, by recruiting participants to the new Saskatchewan cohort. Data from all provinces is available for researchers to explore how genetics, environment, lifestyle, and behaviour interact and contribute to the development of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: CPAC was evaluated as part of the Evaluation of Pan-Canadian Health Organizations (PCHOs) 2018-19 to 2022-23 completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: The PCHOs have made individual and collective progress towards their shared goals of enhancing health system capacity, changing the behaviour of health care decision makers, and supporting improvements in health systems. For example, CPAC developed a modelling platform called OncoSim, which is an evidence-based tool that allows decision makers to compare the costs and impacts of policy decisions on cancer rates, deaths, and health care costs. The PCHOs also demonstrated flexibility by pivoting activities to respond to the pandemic while continuing to advance longstanding initiatives. Structural changes and organizational adaptations within the PCHOs have allowed them to take steps towards addressing issues identified in the 2018 Fit for Purpose review.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with CPAC staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Health Care Policy and Strategies Program

Start date

September 24, 2002

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Program 3: Quality Health Science, Data and Evidence

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Health Care Policy and Strategies Program provides time-limited contribution funding for projects that aim to improve the accessibility, quality, sustainability, and accountability of Canada's health care system. The Program supports the federal government's commitment to maintain a strong and effective publicly funded health care system. The Program's 4 priority areas are: mental health care, home and community care, palliative and end-of-life care, and other federal, provincial, territorial, and emerging priorities. Through several Budget initiatives, the Program continues to support the Terry Fox Research Initiative (2019), Ovarian Cancer Canada (2019), Sexual and Reproductive Health (2021), palliative care, and medical assistance in dying (2021), and health workforce initiatives (2023).

Results achieved

Program funding supported a wide range of projects designed to ultimately contribute to improvements in the accessibility, quality, sustainability, and accountability of the health care system.

In 2023-24, Health Canada supported 14 new projects in addition to existing ongoing projects. Notably, 5 of the new projects supported health human resources through the creation of a national wellness plan and the development and implementation of tools to improve labour mobility for nurses and physicians. Further, 7 of the ongoing projects focus on improving mental health supports for underserved groups such as youth, Indigenous Peoples, and older adults. The Program also supported Health Workforce Canada, and continued to support the Terry Fox Research Initiative, Ovarian Cancer Canada, and the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund.

Examples of newly-funded projects include one that is designed to accelerate improvement to labour mobility for physicians, students, and medical residents across the country and another that focuses on improving community-based care in rural communities. Highlights of projects that concluded in 2023-24 include:

• Findings related to Canadians experiences, values, and recommendations for primary health care, including videos, academic reports, newsletters, and social media posts. Data is available on the OurCare website.
• Expanded Integrated Youth Services across the country including a web site, Federation of Integrated Youth Services to facilitate the delivery of these services.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: An Evaluation of the Health Care Policy and Strategies Program was completed in 2023-24.

Summary of findings: The Program continues to address key needs within the Canadian health care system and the Program's 4 priority areas are consistent with Government of Canada priorities, including those related to the health care system and supporting groups experiencing health inequalities. Funded projects were largely effective in generating, accessing, and sharing knowledge products. The evaluation found some evidence that target audiences were applying these products and that this had led to health care system changes, including changes to guidelines and policies, and improvements in treatment and care for patients. Key factors for program and project success were organizational readiness and project leadership within funded organizations, program flexibility, as well as Health Canada direction and support to funding recipients. The COVID-19 pandemic created some delays and challenges for projects but also led to innovation.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with staff and senior management of the various recipient groups to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the contribution agreements, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Improving Affordable Access to Prescription Drugs Program

Start date

August 11, 2021

End date

March 31, 2026

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The purpose is to expand Prince Edward Island's (PEI) public formulary and improve the affordability of its public drug plans to levels more comparable to other provinces and territories. Insights and lessons learned from this initiative may be used to inform the future implementation of national pharmacare.

Results achieved

Since December 2023, PEI has expanded access to over 100 medications to treat a variety of conditions, including cancer, heart disease, migraine, pulmonary arterial hypertension, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis, as well as medications in the treatment of mental health and addictions. In June 2023, PEI reduced co-pays to $5 for almost 60% of medications regularly used by Island residents, and increased access to the provincial High-Cost Drug Program. As of March 2024, PEI residents have saved over $2.8 million in out-of-pocket costs on more than 330,000 prescriptions under the $5 co-pay program.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No future evaluation is planned as this is time limited funding and represents funding transferred to PEI for an area that is under their jurisdiction and for which Health Canada has no decision-making role.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with the responsible PEI staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the funding agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Mental Health Commission of Canada's Contribution Program

Start date

April 1, 2017

End date

March 31, 2027

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), an arm's length, not-for-profit organization, was established in March 2007 with a 10-year mandate to improve health and social outcomes for people and their families living with mental illness. Between 2007 and 2017, Health Canada invested $130 million in the MHCC through a grant, to develop a mental health strategy for Canada, conduct an anti-stigma campaign and create a knowledge exchange centre. In 2016, the MHCC's mandate was renewed for a 10-year period, from 2017-18 to 2026-27 to advance work on mental health priorities, including linkages to substance use, suicide prevention, support for priority populations and engagement. Since 2017-18, Health Canada has been supporting MHCC's work in this regard via contribution agreement allocating $14.25 million per year for these mandated priority areas.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, the MHCC contributed to the improved mental health and well-being of Canadians, specifically in the areas of mental health and problematic substance use, suicide prevention and stigma reduction. Achievements with respect to developing national standards/guidelines included:

• Supporting 47 post-secondary institutions in using the Mental Health Action Tracker to measure progress on the implementation of the National Standard for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students. As of March 2024, the Standard has been downloaded 3,420 times from the MHCC website since its release.
• Continuing to develop a bilingual toolkit to support the national scale-up of the Health Ontario's Quality Standard for Schizophrenia.
• Developing a blueprint E-Mental Health Strategy for Canada with recommendations for provinces and territories.
• Releasing a Mental Health App Assessment Framework to assist organizations in ensuring mental health apps are of quality, effective, and safe for Canadians.

The MHCC continued to implement national and population-based initiatives by creating and promoting suicide prevention tools and working with stakeholders. Achievements in this area included:

• Completing and sharing the National Suicide Prevention Action Plan Consideration Report and Policy Recommendations Report with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• Co-creating Experiences with Suicide: African, Caribbean, and Black Communities in Canada, a resource that outlines recommendations aimed at increasing access to care, and improving service delivery for those impacted by suicide in African, Caribbean, and Black communities.
• Holding a summit and launching a national community of practice to support communities across Canada to implement the Roots of Hope, a community-based suicide prevention model. The model has been promoted at a variety of conferences including the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, and the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
• Conducting a social media campaign for World Suicide Prevention Day and International Day of People Impacted by Suicide Loss.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: MHCC was evaluated as part of the Evaluation of Pan-Canadian Health Organizations (PCHOs) 2018-19 to 2022-23 completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: The PCHOs have made individual and collective progress towards their shared goals of enhancing health system capacity, changing the behaviour of health care decision makers, and supporting improvements in health systems. The PCHOs also demonstrated flexibility by pivoting activities to respond to the pandemic while continuing to advance longstanding initiatives. Structural changes and organizational adaptations within the PCHOs have allowed them to take steps towards addressing issues identified in the 2018 Fit for Purpose review. For example, in 2020, the MHCC and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize their partnership and commitment to work collaboratively to address issues at the intersection between mental health and substance use.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2028-29.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with MHCC staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases Program

Start date

December 13, 2022

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2022-23

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The purpose of the Program is to achieve better health outcomes for patients with rare diseases by providing funding to willing jurisdictions to improve access to drugs for rare diseases, broadening rare disease treatments and services, and building national governance and data infrastructure elements. The objectives of the Program are to seek national consistency, support patient outcomes and system sustainability, collect and use evidence, and invest in innovation.

Results achieved

Health Canada continued to work with provinces and territories to develop bilateral agreements. Funding for the bilateral agreements with willing provinces and territories is for the period of April 1, 2024, until March 31, 2027, therefore no results were achieved within the reporting period.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2026-27.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada engaged provinces and territories regarding bilateral funding agreements as well as other aspects of the National Strategy, including national governance and data infrastructure components. This included how best to monitor performance and results once agreements are finalized.

Official Languages Health Program

Start date

June 18, 2003

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2023-24

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Official Languages Health Program has a budget of $201.5 million over 5 years (2023-28) in contribution funding, $39.0 million in 2023-24 and $40.6 million per year from 2024-28. The Program supports the federal government's commitment to maintain a strong and effective publicly funded health care system by ensuring that official language minority communities (OLMCs) have access to health services in the official language of their choice. Through the implementation of contribution agreements, Health Canada supports investments that improve the active offer of health services for OLMCs, through training and retention of health care providers, networking activities, and innovative projects that increase access to health services for OLMCs.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, Program funding supported organizations with the training and retention of bilingual health professionals and health networking, as well as innovative projects to implement various initiatives across Canada to improve access to health services for OLMCs, in the official language of choice.

Training and retention of bilingual health professionals: The Program supported 80 different health programs in 16 francophone universities across the country and McGill University's language training initiatives. This work resulted in 632 new graduates in 78 health training programs and 1,016 heath care professionals successfully completing McGill University's language training program.

Health Networking: The Program supported 39 community-based health networks and 12 satellites managed by 2 provincial organizations (the Société Santé en français and the Community Health and Social Services Network). Work focused on improving the active offer of health services in both official languages with a particular focus on mental health support, long-term care, and home care.

Innovative projects: In 2023-24, Health Canada launched a call to provinces and territories for proposals aimed at documenting the gap between existing and available services for OLMCs. 7 initiatives from Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon were funded. Results are expected in 2024-25.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2026-27.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with recipients to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Organs, Tissues, and Blood Program

Start date

April 1, 2000

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Program 3: Quality Health Science, Data and Evidence

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Organs, Tissues, and Blood Program provides support for safe, effective, accessible, and responsive organ, tissue and blood systems that will improve and extend the quality of the lives of Canadians while respecting federal, provincial, and territorial scopes of authority. Health Canada has provided $5 million annually to Canadian Blood Services (CBS) since 2000 to support research and development to improve the safety and supply of the Canadian blood system. This includes advancing innovation and maintaining Canadian capacity in transfusion science and medicine.

Health Canada also provides $3.58 million annually to CBS since 2008 to support the development of clinical practices and professional and public education materials as they relate to organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Budget 2021 provided $20 million over 2 years, starting in 2022-23, for the construction of up to 6 new plasma collection sites across the country. CBS is the sole recipient of the Program funding.

Results achieved

With the support of the Organs, Tissues and Blood Program, CBS established partnerships and identified and responded to emerging issues related to organ, tissue, and blood systems, in collaboration with the provinces and territories. In addition, various stakeholders, including Health Canada, used the knowledge generated by CBS to inform changes to practices and standards. This contributed to greater safety, effectiveness, accessibility, and responsiveness of the organ, tissue, and blood systems. Further, CBS generated numerous knowledge products and learning events and played a role in public education, engagement, and awareness. Efforts in 2023-24 focused on changing donation culture in Canada. Highlights include:

• Launching a blog focused on deceased donation as part of the Leave Well platform and producing an event kit for students who host organ donation awareness events at their schools.
• Producing a documentary Heart and Sole: The Dylan Kalambay Story, in collaboration with Ontario Health and Alberta Health Services.
• Producing knowledge products and learning opportunities for children, youth, students, and teachers, disseminating through the Education portal and leveraging partnerships (e.g., the Orgamites education program).

CBS also played a significant role in training highly qualified researchers studying organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Results of projects funded by CBS in 2023-24 included:

• Research on blood products^{Footnote 3}, stem cells, and transfusion medicine helped increase knowledge of transfusion medicine thus ensuring safety and sufficiency within the blood system.
• Studying donation inclusion barriers in African and South Asian communities helped ensure that patients from all communities receive the best possible treatment and care.
• Research on stem cells from cord blood focused on improving transplantation outcomes for patients with blood disorders.
• Understanding how donor age affects red blood cell quality tackled improving blood storage and patient care.

With respect to the construction of new plasma collection sites, 4 of the 6 had opened as of March 2024. Construction of the remaining 2 sites has been delayed due to construction and real estate challenges. They are anticipated to open in 2024-25.

With Health Canada's support, CBS also delivered a comprehensive National Immunoglobulin Shortages Management Plan to address potential immunoglobulin shortages. In 2023-24, the Plan was endorsed by the Provincial and Territorial Blood Liaison Committee.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2027-28.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with Canadian Blood Services' staff and senior management to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Payments for Dental Benefits Pursuant to the Dental Benefit Act

Start date

October 1, 2022

End date

June 30, 2024

Type of transfer payment

Other Transfer Payment

Type of appropriation

Statutory

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

Not applicable

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 2: Healthy People and Communities

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Canada Dental Benefit (CDB) is a tax-free, upfront payment delivered by the Canada Revenue Agency to individual Canadians under the direction of Health Canada. The CDB aims to address the negative impact poor oral health can have on quality of life during formative childhood years by helping improve access to dental care services for children and lowering dental care expenses for families earning less than $90,000 per year. Parents and guardians may be eligible if they pay for dental care for a child who does not have access to a private dental insurance plan. Up to $650 per year (to a maximum of $1,300 over 2 benefit periods) is available for eligible children under 12 years old to help pay for dental care services. These up-front payments recognize that many parents or guardians do not have the financial flexibility to wait for reimbursement.

Results achieved

Since its launch in December 2022 to March 31, 2024, over 431,000 children have been helped by the benefit through more than $400 million in benefit payments.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2029-30.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

The Canada Revenue Agency worked in partnership with Health Canada to support direct engagement of CDB applicants and recipients. Health Canada raised awareness of the CDB via promotional materials, including national advertising campaigns and communications products such as factsheets. The Department also worked with its partners to host the Canada.ca/dental webpage providing Canadian residents with clear and accessible information about the CDB, resulting in 31.3 million impressions.

The Shared Health Priorities Initiative^{Footnote 4}

Start date

November 9, 2017

End date

March 31, 2033

Type of transfer payment

Other Transfer Payment

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2022-23

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 1: Canada has modern and sustainable health care systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Through new investments outlined in Budget 2023 associated with the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan, this Program was expanded in April 2023 to support provinces and territories in addressing the following shared health priorities:

• Expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas.
• Supporting health workers and reducing backlogs for health services such as surgeries and diagnostics.
• Improving access to quality mental health, substance use, and addictions services.
• Modernizing the health care system with standardized information and digital tools so health care providers and patients have access to electronic health information.
• Helping Canadians age with dignity, closer to home, by supporting efforts to improve access to home and community care, and safe long-term care.

$25 billion over 10 years (2023-24 to 2032-33) has been earmarked to support the first 4 shared health priorities, which will be transferred to provinces and territories through the Working Together agreements. These agreements also include the remaining $2.4 billion of $5 billion from Budget 2017 to improve access to mental health and addictions services by supporting one or more of the areas of action outlined in the August 2017 Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities.

Health Canada will also provide provinces and territories with $3 billion over 5 years through Aging with Dignity agreements to help Canadians age with dignity close to home by:

• Applying standards of care in long-term care facilities.
• Helping support workforce stability, including wage top-ups and improvements to workplace conditions.

The Aging with Dignity agreements also include the remaining $2.4 billion from the Budget 2017 commitment of $6 billion over 10 years to advance the priorities associated with home and community care in the Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, the federal government signed bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories to begin delivering investments associated with the 10-year Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan. Within each of these agreements, provinces and territories have developed action plans outlining how federal funding will support health care system improvements, including targets, timelines, and commitments for annual reporting on progress.

Building on the 2017 Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities commitment to work collaboratively with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), federal, provincial, and territorial governments agreed to develop and report on common indicators. CIHI now publishes annual updates on the 12 common indicators focused on home and community care and mental health and substance use services, associated with the Common Statement.

The Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan identified an additional set of 8 common headline indicators to measure progress in the 4 shared priority areas. CIHI led a collaborative process with provinces, territories, and data partners to review and report annual progress on these headline indicators; an initial snapshot was released in August 2023.

CIHI is working with these partners to identify a broader list of common indicators, including indicators on long-term care, and is working to improve the availability of indicator data that can be sorted by population characteristics. CIHI is also working with a collective of Indigenous experts to develop indicators on cultural safety.

Overall, this will allow jurisdictions and CIHI to report on how health care is delivered across Canada, how it performs in each province and territory, and how it compares internationally.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No future evaluation is planned as this initiative is a transfer of funds to the provinces, and as per the various funding agreements, the provinces have committed to conducting evaluations to demonstrate the impact of this funding.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials have engaged regularly with provinces and territories to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance, and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance and financial reporting.

Substance Use and Addictions Program

Start date

December 4, 2014

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018-19

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 2: Health Protection and Promotion

Result 4: Canadians are protected from unsafe consumer and commercial products and substances

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 15: Tobacco Control

Program 16: Controlled Substances

Program 17: Cannabis

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) provides contribution funding to respond to drug and substance use issues. This funding is provided to other levels of government, community-led and not-for-profit organizations in Canada.

SUAP provides funding for a wide range of innovative and evidence-informed substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives across the country at the community, regional and national levels. These public education, capacity building, research, best practices, standards and service delivery initiatives target a range of substances, including opioids, stimulants, cannabis, alcohol, tobacco, and vaping products.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, Health Canada invested over $130 million in contribution funding through SUAP to support 250 projects, along with $11 million in funding to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. This funding contributes to the Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy, Canada's Tobacco Strategy, as well as the delivery of 3 of the Department's Programs: Tobacco Control, Controlled Substances, and Cannabis.

Health Canada funded many community, regional, and national organizations in areas such as stigma reduction and the intersections between substance use and mental health. For example:

• 5 projects focused on prevention, protection and/or cessation of use of tobacco and vaping products. These informed Canadians about harms and risk of tobacco and vaping products and provided them with cessation interventions for people who smoke as well as youth who vape.
• 242 projects addressed a variety of needs including improving access to harm reduction and treatment, naloxone training and distribution, identifying best practices for medication-assisted treatments, improving access to different types of treatment, identifying innovative models for opioid replacement therapy, improving the lives of people in chronic pain, and reducing harms for those who use alcohol.
• 7 projects aimed at providing public education to Canadians on cannabis and its health effects, with a focus on reaching youth and young adults, Indigenous populations, health professionals and educators, service providers, and other priority populations.

With the use of Health Canada funding, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction advanced work in key areas that address substance use issues in Canada, while also contributing to federal substance use priorities. Notable achievements include:

• Brought together more than 800 participants for its biennial Issues of Substance Conference to share and discuss innovative solutions and best practices for substance use.
• Continued to raise awareness of alcohol related harms through social media campaign Drink Less, Live More and initiated alcohol roundtables with key stakeholders and priority populations to identify where targeted knowledge products and activities are required for promotion of Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health.
• Improved awareness of emerging trends and substances through Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use bulletins, and by updating the Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms Report.
• Launched the Collaborative Insights website, providing access to resources and insights generated through joint projects with the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
• Expanded technical and behavioral competencies for Canada's substance use and mental health workforce.
• Published a peer reviewed article identifying a range of cannabis impairment tests that could supplement the Standardized Field Sobriety Test.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: An evaluation of the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy was completed in 2023-24, which included an examination of the SUAP.

Summary of Findings: The Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy helped to frame substance use as a public health issue and contributed to expanding access to harm reduction and treatment services across Canada through regulatory actions and other funded activities. Despite notable efforts, substance use related harms and deaths continue to rise at an alarming rate. The COVID-19 pandemic also exacerbated the overdose crisis. More work is needed in prevention and in better addressing the root causes of substance use, including the relationship with social determinants of health. Addressing alcohol use is a gap in the current approach to drug and substance use in Canada; and the increasing toxicity of illegal drugs and substances has been a significant ongoing issue. Despite positive collaboration between horizontal partners, there are still challenges within the governance structure that limit effective coordination.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2025-26.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with recipients to discuss progress and share information. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipient's compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Territorial Health Investment Fund

Start date

April 1, 2014

End date

March 31, 2033

Type of transfer payment

Grant

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2023-24

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 1: Health Care Systems

Result 2: Canadians have access to appropriate and effective health services

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 1: Responsive Health Care Systems

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Building on an initial investment of $70 million in contribution funding (2014-15 to 2017-18), the Territorial Health Investment Fund (THIF) was renewed as a grant program in 2017-18 with an additional $108 million over 4 years (2017-18 to 2020-21) and then extended in 2021-22 with an additional $54 million over 2 years. Budget 2023 provided a further $350 million over 10 years, starting in 2023-24, to support a 10-year renewal of the THIF. Of this funding, the Northwest Territories and Yukon were each allocated $100 million ($10 million/year), and Nunavut was allocated $150 million ($15 million/year). This funding will enable each territory to continue pursuing innovative activities in support of strong, sustainable health systems, and to offset costs associated with medical travel to support Northerners' access to required health care.

Results achieved

The THIF supported territorial efforts to innovate and transform their health care systems and ensure Northerners have access to the health care they need. Initiatives in 2023-24 included:

• Northwest Territories continued to implement culturally safe and relationship-based primary care, including ongoing Integrated Care Team modelling and expansion; worked to address its strategic health human resource needs, including advancing recruitment and retention efforts; continued to implement a System Sustainability Plan to strengthen health care service delivery in the territory; and continued to build a culturally respectful health and social services system through staff training and development.
• Yukon undertook work to transform its health system, including supporting the creation and transition to a new health authority; continued to implement its Health Human Resources Strategy; and worked on the development of a Digital Health Strategy, which includes plans to implement a new patient portal.
• Nunavut supported initiatives to expand health care delivery, including dental services, pediatric services available at the Qikiqtani General Hospital, and virtual care programming; continued to roll out its Interoperable Electronic Health Records software; supported public health initiatives including tuberculosis programming; began the roll-out of Inuit cultural safety training for physicians; and continued to implement Nunavut's paraprofessional program aimed to increase the number of Inuit participating in mental health care delivery.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: An evaluation of THIF was completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: THIF funding has enabled the territories to respond to local health needs and has been used to fund the planning, development, and execution of a variety of health services and initiatives. THIF funding flexibility enabled territories to innovate their health system and service delivery without negatively affecting existing services. THIF has been successful in achieving its short-term outcome of improving Northerners' access to health care services. It allowed territories to offer direct health care services, recruit, and train staff, and adopt new technologies to improve service delivery. Finally, THIF has enabled each territory to plan and execute initiatives to improve Indigenous health on multiple fronts, in the areas of cultural competency and anti-racism training, and the hiring of Indigenous health care professionals.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2026-27.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls and e-mails) with territories to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the grant agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress and performance, reporting.

Transfer payment programs with total actual spending of less than 5 million dollars

Chemicals Management Plan Engagement and Outreach Contribution Program

Start date

April 1, 2022

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2021-22

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 2: Health Protection and Promotion

Result 4: Canadians are protected from unsafe consumer and commercial products and substances

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 12: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The purpose of this Program is to support the capacity of people in Canada, with an emphasis on populations who may be disproportionately impacted and Indigenous Peoples, to engage in the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) and environmental health programs, allowing for a broad range of expertise and opinions to be heard and considered. The Program also supports partnerships to increase outreach to Canadians about environmental health issues, using tailored tools and messaging. This includes raising awareness of the impacts of chemicals on human health and how to reduce the risks.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, 7 projects from across Canada were funded. Achievements include:

• Building capacity within the health and environment non-governmental organizations community to participate in the CMP, including bringing forward the voices of those disproportionately impacted by chemical exposures, via co-designing an in-person bilateral meeting with CMP and providing other engagement opportunities, and increasing awareness via regular newsletters, social media posts, and a podcast. Promoting the uptake of environmental and sustainability practices in daycares including the development of learning modules for child care professionals.
• Producing an Elders' Voices book, a research brochure, and a technical report based on research undertaken by an Indigenous organization to raise awareness of microplastics in drinking water.
• Developing web content, video clips, printable instruction cards for homemade cleaning products, and kits for Indigenous and low-income health centres to encourage healthy cleaning practices.
• Helping low-income newcomers to Canada acquire the skills for safe storage of household products, proper use of chemicals in the home, and understanding chemical labels.
• Increasing young people's knowledge of everyday chemicals by developing an in-person interactive game called ChimiQuiz! based on chemicals found in everyday life for the 2023 Eureka! Festival.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: The Engagement and Outreach Contribution Program was assessed as part of the Horizontal Evaluation of the Chemicals Management Plan completed in 2023-24.

Summary of Findings: Although the Program continues to run a successful public information campaign on hazards in household products, some of CMP's information is not easily accessible or understandable for non-technical audiences. In terms of collaboration with external partners and stakeholders, CMP engages frequently and in a transparent way, but more could be done to engage in a meaningful way with Indigenous partners. Given that the Program is relatively new, limited information was available; however, it is anticipated that the Program will help address those challenges.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2028-29.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with recipient groups to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting, both formally and informally, and solicited input on engagement activities at key points in the process. Applicant and recipient consultations were structured to support the design of projects to maximize reach and impact. Health Canada also provided expertise and support throughout project delivery and performance measurement of results achieved, including engagement in the form of partnerships for outreach activities.

Environmental Health Research Contribution Program

Start date

April 1, 2023

End date

March 31, 2027

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2022-23

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 2: Health Protection and Promotion

Result 4: Canadians are protected from unsafe consumer and commercial products and substances

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 12: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The purpose of this Program is to build external capacity and research infrastructure by funding research activities on environmental pollutants, including microplastics, to improve the health and quality of life of Canadians. A specific Microplastics stream was established to fund research to better understand the potential impact of microplastics on human health, strengthen domestic research capacity, and build evidence to help drive decision-making.

Results achieved

Performance indicator:

Percentage of implicated federal decision-makers who indicate that they have more information available for consideration in evidence-based decision making related to impacts to human health or the environment from plastic pollution including microplastics (contribution program research).

Target: 70% by March 31, 2027. Results for this indicator will be reported for 2026-27.

In 2023-24, Health Canada awarded $2.1 million over 4 years to 3 universities to increase knowledge of the health impacts of microplastics, improve monitoring of human exposure to microplastics, and encourage the development of new methods, approaches, and technologies related to human health risks.

• McGill University began laboratory work to produce and characterize model micro- and nanoplastics to better understand human exposure to plastic particles and their associated additives from food.
• University of Toronto began to assess recovery of microplastics in drinking waters to assess microplastics in Canadian drinking water.
• Memorial University of Newfoundland began laboratory work to learn about micro- and nanoplastics common in indoor environments as well as updating techniques to study silicon- and fluorine-containing micro- and nanoplastics.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2026-27.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook appropriate communication (for example, meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with recipients to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.

Radon Outreach Contribution Program

Start date

April 1, 2018

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018-19

Link to the departmental result(s)

Core Responsibility 2: Health Protection and Promotion

Result 4: Canadians are protected from unsafe consumer and commercial products and substances

Result 5: Canadians make healthy choices

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Program 18: Radiation Protection

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The purpose of this Program is to protect and improve human health and well-being in Canada from the impacts of indoor radon exposure, by aiding in the education of Canadians about the importance of testing their homes, schools, and workplaces for radon and reducing radon levels where necessary.

Results achieved

In 2023-24, Health Canada funded 13 contribution agreements, 7 new agreements and 6 ongoing, to increase awareness of the risks, health impacts and mitigation strategies related to radon gas, the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

The funded projects focused on innovative ways of motivating action and behaviour change to reduce radon exposure, particularly in disproportionately impacted populations such as people in areas with high radon, people who smoke, residents of social housing, First Nations communities, children in schools and childcare facilities, young families, and lung cancer patients. Through these projects, more than 100 outreach events were completed (reaching over 10 million Canadians), more than 17,000 test kits were distributed across Canada, and 66 radon mitigation subsidies were provided to low and medium income Canadians. In addition, 25 new libraries were set up with radon monitor lending programs in Manitoba and New Brunswick.

Measures/Indicators:

Indicator 1: The 2021 Households and the Environment Survey showed that 69% of Canadians surveyed are knowledgeable about radon. Note: these are the most recent available results. This survey is conducted every 2 years; results from the 2023 survey will be available in 2025.

Indicator 2: The 2021 Households and the Environment Survey showed that 9% of Canadian homeowners surveyed had tested their homes for radon. Note: these are the most recent available results. This survey is conducted every 2 years; results from the 2023 survey will be available in 2025.

Findings of audits completed in 2023-24

Completed: No internal audits were completed in 2023-24.

Planned: No planned audits.

Findings of evaluations completed in 2023-24

Completed: No evaluation was completed in 2023-24.

Planned: The next evaluation is planned for 2024-25.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2023-24

Health Canada officials undertook numerous exchanges (meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and knowledge transfer activities) with recipient groups to discuss progress. In addition, Health Canada continued to monitor the recipients' compliance with the contribution agreement, performance and results through the analysis and follow-up of progress, performance, and financial reporting.