Supplementary Information Tables: 2012–13 Departmental Performance Report

Details on Transfer Payment Programs

• Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC)
• Assessed Contribution to the Pan American Health Organization (ACPAHO)
• Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP)
• Canadian Diabetes Strategy (CDS)
• Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)
• Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (FI)
• Healthy Living Fund (HLF)
• Innovation Strategy (IS)
• National Collaborating Centres for Public Health (NCCPH)

Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: AHSUNC (Voted)

Start Date: 1995–96

End Date: Ongoing

Description:This program builds capacity by providing funding to Aboriginal community organizations to deliver comprehensive, culturally appropriate, early childhood development programs for Aboriginal preschool children and their families living off reserve and in urban and northern communities across Canada. It engages stakeholders and supports knowledge development and exchange on promising public health practices for Aboriginal preschoolers through training, meetings and workshops. The primary goal of the program is to mitigate inequities in health and developmental outcomes for Aboriginal children in urban and northern settings by supporting early intervention strategies that cultivate a positive sense of self, a desire for learning, and opportunities to develop successfully as young people. Funded projects offer programming focused on: health promotion; nutrition; culture and language; parent and family involvement; social support; and educational activities. The program responds to a gap in culturally appropriate programming for Aboriginal children and families living in urban and northern communities. Research confirms that early childhood development programs can provide long-term benefits such as lower costs for remedial and special education, increased levels of high school completion and better employment outcomes.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health

Results Achieved: In an effort to promote supportive environments for Aboriginal children and their families the AHSUNC program provided services to approximately 4,800 children at 131 sites across the country; 55% of sites have a waiting list. The program reaches approximately 8% of eligible Aboriginal children 3–5 years living off reserve. The program has had a positive effect on school readiness skills, specifically in improving children's language, motor and academic skills. Performance results have also demonstrated effectiveness in improving cultural literacy and enhanced exposure to Aboriginal languages and cultures. Moreover, the program demonstrated positive effects on health by promoting behaviours such as children's access to daily physical activity and health services. AHSUNC sites integrated physical activity regularly in their weekly and daily programming (94%), facilitated immunization (79%), and facilitated access to dental professionals (81%), speech therapists (53%), nutritionists (56%), hearing tests (35%), vision testing (33%), and child psychologists (18%). In some communities, the program has become so integrated in the lives of participating Aboriginal children and their families that project sites have taken on a community hub function.

Comment(s) on Variance(s): Not applicable (N/A)

Audit completed or planned: The Evaluation of the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities Program was completed in 2011–12. The next evaluation is scheduled to be completed in 2016–17.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: Recipients are engaged through targeted solicitations. Funded recipients deliver comprehensive, culturally appropriate, locally controlled and designed early childhood development programs for Aboriginal pre-school children and their families living in urban and northern communities across Canada. They also support knowledge development and exchange at the community, provincial/territorial (P/T), and national levels through training, meeting and exchange opportunities.

Assessed Contribution to the Pan American Health Organization (ACPAHO)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: ACPAHO (Voted)

Start date: July 2008

End date: Ongoing

Description: Payment of Canada's annual membership fees to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The PAHO serves as the regional office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO) and functions as the health agency of the Inter-American System and the Organization of American States. PAHO's purpose is to strengthen national and local health systems, and to improve the health of the people of the Americas, in collaboration with Ministries of Health, other government and international agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, etc. The ACPAHO allows for full participation as a member of this international organization to fund Canada's share of the cost of operations of the organization as determined by the governing body, in accordance with its founding treaty and financial rules and regulations. Canada's participation in PAHO furthers the Health Portfolio's broad global health objectives and promotes the following results aimed at: protecting the health of Canadians by enhancing regional health security multilaterally and bilaterally; advancing Canada's influence and interests in the region; and contributing to the reduction of health disparities leading to greater economic stability to align with Canada's foreign policy objectives for the Americas.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved: Canada's membership supports the Government of Canada's (GC) Americas Strategy which seeks to strengthen Canada=s multilateral and bilateral relationships in the hemisphere within the health sector. In 2012, Canada provided technical assistance thirteen times on health issues such as: regulation of tobacco products; health statistics; human resources for health; and implementation of International Health Regulations and control of non-communicable diseases. Further, Canada began a three-year term on PAHO's Executive Committee in September 2012 which provides an opportunity to advance key regional governance and public health priorities. Canada's participation in the PAHO Governing Body meeting provides an opportunity to exercise an oversight role by strengthening management and administration of PHAO to influence decisions and strengthen governance and accountability pertaining to PAHO; and to work towards greater alignment between PAHO's regional strategies and those of the WHO by achieving complementary objectives, reporting requirements, and outcomes.

The Canada-PAHO Biennial Work Plan (BWP) is a fund of approximately $400K U.S. (2012–13) that is allocated from the ACPAHO and managed by PAHO. The BWP facilitates policy, regulatory and technical cooperation in the region, while contributing to improving the health status of citizens in member states, including Canada. Projects supported in 2012–13 related to the following issues:

• Capacity building in mental health and substance use reduction in the region and among indigenous peoples;
• Strengthening the health sector capacity to detect, treat, and prevent intra-family violence as a gender-based cross cutting theme within the broader cooperation of strengthening primary health care and mental health, substance use reduction services;
• Capacity building in telehealth/telemedicine for remote areas;
• Strengthening national regulatory authorities in selected countries of the hemisphere in pharmaceutical products and medical devices through Health Canada's (HC) International Regulatory Forum;
• Strengthening national regulatory authorities in selected countries of the hemisphere in food safety measures; and
• Capacity building in health human resources planning for systems strengthening including policy development, needs-based planning, and in selected countries, strengthening capacity of culturally-sensitive Indigenous health human resources.

Comments on variances: Total Authorities and Actual Spending are higher than Planned Spending due to the transfer of responsibility for this program from Health Canada to the Agency effective July 1, 2012.

Audits completed or planned: In Fall 2011, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) of Canada initiated a performance audit of GC official development assistance spending through multilateral organizations covering the fiscal year 2010–11. The ACPAHO was reviewed as part of this audit as these resources are reported to Parliament as official development assistance.

Evaluations completed or planned: An evaluation covering the period 2008–09 to 2012–13 has been undertaken and will be completed in 2013–14.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: As a member of PAHO, Canada sits on the Directing Council as a voting member, thereby influencing the direction of the PAHO's work as well as the use of its budgets.

Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: CPNP (Voted)

Start date: 1994–95

End date: Ongoing

Description: This program builds capacity by providing funding to community organizations to deliver and enable access to programs that promote the health of vulnerable pregnant women and their infants. The program also supports knowledge development and exchange on promising public health practices related to maternal infant health for vulnerable families, community-based organizations and practitioners. The goal of the program is to mitigate inequities in health for pregnant women and infants who face challenging life circumstances such as low socio-economic status, lack of food security, social and geographic isolation. Evidence shows that maternal nutrition, social and emotional support can affect both prenatal and infant health, as well as longer term physical, cognitive and emotional functioning in adulthood. This program raises stakeholder awareness and supports a coherent, evidence-based response to the needs of vulnerable children and families on a local and national scale. Programming delivered across the country includes: nutrition counselling, prenatal vitamins, food and food coupons, parenting classes, education on prenatal health, infant care, child development, healthy living, and social supports.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved: CPNP provided services to approximately 59,000 participants (including pregnant women and parents/caregivers) in 2012–13. CPNP participants face various conditions of risk, for example: over 80% of participants had monthly household incomes of $1,900 or less; nearly 10% reported no income at all; 80% were pregnant; 12% were less than 20 years of age; 36% were single parents; and 22% were Aboriginal.

CPNP demonstrated a positive impact on health behaviours including: improved use of vitamin mineral supplements during pregnancy; reduced alcohol consumption; reduced smoking; and increased initiation and duration of breastfeeding. CPNP has also demonstrated a positive impact on birth outcomes, including lower rates of infants born with low birth weight and pre-term births.

Comments on variances: N/A

Audits completed or planned: N/A

Evaluations completed or planned: The Summative Evaluation of the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program 2004–09 was completed in 2010–11. The program will undergo its next evaluation in 2016–17.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: Recipient organizations are engaged though monitoring and program support in areas that include knowledge development and exchange. Recipient engagement in national strategic projects on emerging issues is supported through the CAPC/CPNP National Projects Fund, which includes training opportunities, the development of a national network of community-based children's programs and a shared knowledge base.

Canadian Diabetes Strategy (CDS)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: CDS (Voted)

Start date: 2005–06

End date: Ongoing

Description: Chronic disease is one of the leading causes of death and reduced quality of life in Canada today and the risk factors that lead to these prevalent chronic diseases are becoming more common. CDS responds to the rising incidence of diabetes due to an increasingly inactive and overweight Canadian population by sharing evidence-based knowledge and supporting interventions targeted at preventing and early detection of diabetes based on a common risk factor approach. CDS also supports federal leadership by facilitating multisectoral partnerships amongst governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to ensure that resources are deployed to maximum effect.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved:
Seven community-based and non-profit organizations received funding from the federal stream and 33 from the regional stream of the CDS in 2012. These organizations serve at risk and underserved populations by supporting interventions targeted at prevention and early detection and management of complications resulting from diabetes. For example, the Canadian Association of Wound Care created and implemented a Canadian network of volunteer diabetes foot ulcer prevention peer educators who developed an outreach action plan to connect, educate, and support people living with diabetes. The Canadian Ethnocultural Council developed and implemented community guides containing diabetes resources designed for ethno-cultural organizations which serve high risk populations across Canada. The Regina Foodbank provided diabetes screening clinics and information on healthy living for low-income Foodbank clients.

Additionally, the Agency continued to invest in the development of CANRISK, a diabetes risk questionnaire that supports diabetes awareness and detection. It provides a score that predicts the risk of diabetes or pre-diabetes based on established risk factors including Body Mass Index, ethnicity and family history. For example, a CANRISK on-line app was created, and new partnerships to disseminate CANRISK were developed, including with pharmacies, to help Canadians understand their risk and to support them in taking action to prevent diabetes.

Comments on variances: The CDS provided funding via transfers to support various Agency and Health Portfolio-related priorities that are consistent with the authorities of the IS including: $417K for the MS Monitoring System; and $177K to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to support research into healthy living, childhood obesity and chronic disease prevention. Additionally, there was modest program underspending due to the introduction of the new multi-sectoral funding approach that required recipients to develop collaborative partnerships. In some instances, partnership development took longer than anticipated due to the complexity of the proposed projects and the need to identify appropriate partners.

Audits completed or planned: An OAG Audit on Promoting Diabetes Prevention and Control was completed in 2012–13 as a chapter within the 2013 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada.

Evaluations completed or planned: An evaluation on the CDS for the period 2004–09 was completed in 2008–09 as part of the Promotion of Population Health Grant and Contribution Programs: Summary of Program Evaluations, 2004–09. A Formative Evaluation for Diabetes Community-based Programming was completed in 2008–09. Evaluations of the grants and contributions components of Chronic Diseases Prevention and Mitigation, including the Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease, are planned for 2014–15.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: Funding opportunities are made available through the Multi-sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease, which engages multiple sectors of society to leverage knowledge, expertise, reach and resources, to work towards the common shared goal of producing better health outcomes for Canadians.

Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: CAPC (Voted)

Start date: 1993–94

End date: Ongoing

Description: This program builds capacity by providing funding to community organizations to deliver and enable access to programming that promotes the healthy development of vulnerable children (0–6 years) and their families. It supports knowledge development and exchange on promising public health practices for vulnerable families, community-based organizations, and practitioners. The goal of the program is to mitigate inequities in health for vulnerable children and families facing challenging life circumstances such as low socio-economic status, or social and geographic isolation. Compelling evidence shows that risk factors affecting the health and development of children can be mitigated over the life-course by investing in early intervention services that address the needs of the whole family. This program raises stakeholder awareness and supports a coherent, evidence-based response to the needs of vulnerable children and families on a local and national scale. Programming across the country may include education on health, nutrition, early childhood development, parenting, healthy living and social supports.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved:
CAPC provided services to over 218,000 participants including children and families living in conditions of risk. CAPC contributed to participant health and social development, which is associated with positive child development health outcomes, enhanced community capacity and parental improvement.

CAPC participants face various conditions of risk including: 61% of the participants reported living with low income; 27% had less than high school education; 32% were single parents; 14% were recent immigrants; 14% were families with special need children; and 20% were Aboriginal.

Comments on variances: N/A

Audits completed or planned: N/A

Evaluations completed or planned: The Summative Evaluation of the Community Action Program for Children: 2004–09 was completed in 2009–10. The program will undergo its next evaluation in 2016–17.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: Recipient organizations are engaged though monitoring and program support in areas that include knowledge development and exchange. Recipient engagement in national strategic projects on emerging issues is supported through the CAPC/CPNP National Projects Fund, which includes training opportunities, the development of a national network of community-based children's programs, and a shared knowledge base.

Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (FI)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: FI (Voted)

Start date: January 2005

End date: Ongoing

Description: Contributions towards the FI.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved: Three invitations to submit applications were launched in 2010–11, and 116 new projects were funded in 2011–12 and 2012–13. They focused on: public health interventions and outcomes; integrated HIV, Hepatitis C, sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention and control; and the determinants of health. In 2012–13, analysis of multi-year program and project data, participant level study, and other program information showed important progress against three major outcomes.

Increased Knowledge and Awareness Trends over a three-year period (2011 to 2013) showed that approximately 70,000 individuals increased their knowledge of HIV transmission and risk factors as a result of participating in activities funded by the AIDS Community Action Program (ACAP), with participants reporting an increase in knowledge from 37% to 56% within that time period. Data also confirms an increase in knowledge among youth and people from countries where HIV is endemic. Data for a four-year period (2008–09 to 2011–12) show that over 84,000 individuals were reached by nationally funded awareness activities.

An innovative project used the diabetes prevention model to bring elders and youth together to address HIV and Hepatitis C-related stigma among community leaders. When epidemiological surveillance showed an increase in HIV and Hepatitis C rates in smaller Saskatchewan communities, ACAP supported the expansion of community-based activities to effectively deliver prevention services in key rural and remote communities. ACAP supported culturally relevant interventions to increase awareness of HIV, sexual health, and sexually transmitted infections among Aboriginal youth attending camps focussing on cultural rights of passage into adulthood.

Individual and Organizational Capacity Data shows that activities funded through ACAP contributed to decreased practice of higher risk behaviours among target populations and increased practice of protective behaviours. Approximately 27,000 individuals, over a three-year period (2011–13), reported intending to adopt practices that may reduce the transmission of HIV.

Community-based organizational capacity to measure project outcomes increased from 60% to 84% over a three-year time period (2011 to 2013) in most regions. In Ontario, funded organizations that reported measuring outcomes specific to knowledge and behaviour change, increased from 49% to 59% over the same time period.

Special emphasis was placed on building the capacity of organizations to access funding and evaluate the outcomes of their activities. The Agency hosted teleconferences to share best practices among funding recipients, provided project evaluation guidance and piloted a Project Evaluation Guide with the Non-Reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis Communities HIV/AIDS Project Fund. Improvements in the quality of evaluation reporting were noted when contribution agreements under this Fund were extended in 2012–13.

Engagement and collaboration on approaches to address HIV and AIDS A positive trend over a three-year period shows an increase in the number of projects with a regional scope where partnerships were developed with Aboriginal organizations, from 37% of projects in 2009–10 to 71% of projects in 2011–12. Projects with a national scope, funded under the Knowledge Exchange Fund and the National Voluntary Sector Fund, also report successful engagement and collaboration in 2012–13. Consultations identified new directions for future knowledge translation, skills building, and delivery including HIV and aging; test counselling; models of successful prevention programming; regional networks inclusive of HIV and Hepatitis C expertise; and increased adaptions to local realities. A two-day national dialogue to explore integrated HIV prevention and treatment was held in 2012–13, and was supported by extensive engagement in priority setting and planning. Results include: high levels of effectiveness with measures for increased networking and overall relevance ranging from 88% to 100%; a participant survey response rate of 79%; and supporing qualitative data. National organizations also reported: engaging stakeholders in the development and delivery of a communications strategy for the World AIDS Day 2012 awareness campaign; efforts to increase awareness of lessons learned in the global response to HIV and AIDS with the African Black Diaspora Global Network, the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV and AIDS, and the Canadian HIV and AIDS Black African Caribbean Network; and coordinating an interdisciplinary network to promote and undertake collaborative research on HIV, disabilities, and rehabilitation. The Agency also supported increased engagement and leadership at the global level for HIV drug resistance surveillance and monitoring. This work assisted in the development of knowledge about drug resistance, trends and methods to prevent it.

Comments on variances: Funds were transferred to HC in support of the Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network collaboration with the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV/AIDS. Additional funds were transferred from Hepatitis C, CHVI, and Blood Safety programs, and expended against projects with shared outcomes. The variances are attributable to revised timeframes for program and project activities, including activities to support the development of new HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund.

Audit completed or planned: Audits of organizations planned under the Agency's Annual Recipient Audit Plan 2012–13 were deferred by the Centre for Grants and Contributions until 2013–14 due to operational demands.

Evaluation completed or planned: An evaluation of the FI is underway and will be completed in 2013–14.

Engagement of applicants and recipients:Senior departmental officials engaged with national non-governmental organizations to develop the principles and components for a new integrated approach to HIV and Hepatitis C community funding to be implemented over the next three years.

Healthy Living Fund (HLF)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: HLF (Voted)

Start date: June 2005

End date: Ongoing

Description: The HLF supports healthy living and chronic disease prevention activities, focused on common risk factors, by funding and engaging multiple sectors, and by building partnerships between and collaborating with governments, non-governmental organizations and other sectors, including the private sector. It also focuses on informing policy and program decision-making through knowledge development, dissemination and exchange.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved:
In order to promote supportive environments for physical activity and healthy eating, the Agency engaged multiple sectors including governments, non-government organizations, and the private sector. Selected projects include:

• The Agency partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, with matched funding from Sun Life Financial to expand the Get BUSY Program, which offers a range of physical activity opportunities and promotes healthy eating choices among children ages 8 to 12 in the after school time period. In addition, a collaboration with AIR MILES for Social Change and the YMCA was established to encourage children and their families to get active and stay active over the long term;
• Physical and Health Education Canada received about $991K under the National Stream of the HLF to enhance the range, quality, and availability of physical activity programs in the after-school period in order to increase physical activity levels among Canada's children and youth. This project developed and launched five active after-school pilots and leveraged them to include nine additional pilots in nine provinces and three territories in order to implement culturally relevant, high quality, physical activity programs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities;
• Several projects were funded under the Regional Stream of the HLF. For example, Manitoba's Recreation Connections, Inc. developed and implemented a multi-sectoral initiative aimed to increase community capacity for children's physical activity and healthy eating in the after-school period, improved access to physical activity opportunities and facilities, and promoted policy development and inter-sectoral collaboration to promote active and safe routes to school; and
• Seven projects received a total of $1M in federal funding to support key intermediary groups – specifically health professionals and educators, as well as those who work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations – and appropriate tools and messaging to communicate the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle that included increased levels of physical activity. For example, the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability developed and disseminated disability-related resources (e.g., tip sheets) for health and education intermediaries to enable a broad range of disabled individuals to participate in physical activity. In addition, Saint Elizabeth Health Care, Ontario developed and delivered healthy living messages for community health and recreation workers and encouraged the integration of physical activity guidelines in their community-based programs for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people across Canada.

Comments on variances: The HLF underwent a permanent funding level reduction of $250K, but continued to provide funding via transfers to support various Agency and Health Portfolio-related priorities consistent with the authorities of the Integrated Strategy including $780K to the CIHR for research into healthy living, childhood obesity, and chronic disease prevention as well as advancing knowledge related to food and health. Additionally there was modest program underspending due to the introduction of a new multi-sectoral funding approach that required recipients to develop collaborative partnerships. In some instances, partnership development took longer than anticipated due to the complexity of the proposed projects and the need to identify appropriate partners.

Audits completed or planned: N/A

Evaluations completed or planned: A Formative Evaluation of the Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Healthy Living - Program Component was completed in 2008–09. Evaluations of the grants and contributions components of HLF will be included as part of the evaluation of the Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Strategy planned for 2014–15.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: Funding opportunities are made available through the Multi-sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease, which engages multiple sectors of society to leverage knowledge, expertise, reach and resources, to work towards the common shared goal of producing better health outcomes for Canadians.

Innovation Strategy (IS)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: IS (Voted)

Start date: 2009–10

End date: Ongoing

Description: This program enables the development, implementation and evaluation of innovative public health interventions to reduce health inequalities and their underlying factors by providing project funding support to external organizations in a variety of sectors such as health and education. It focuses on priority public health issues such as mental health promotion and achieving healthier weights. The program fills a need by stakeholders such as public health practitioners, decision makers, researchers and policy makers for evidence about innovative public health interventions which directly benefit Canadians and their families, particularly those at greater risk of poor health outcomes (e.g., northern, remote, and rural populations). Evidence is developed, synthesized and shared with stakeholders in public health and other related sectors at the community, P/T, and national levels in order to influence the development and design of policies and programs. This program is necessary because it enables stakeholders to implement evidence-based and innovative public health interventions that fit local needs. The goals of the program are to stimulate action in priority areas and equip policy makers and practitioners to apply best practices.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved: In 2012–13, the IS invested in 20 projects to promote healthier weights and improve mental health and wellbeing.

A total of nine interventions to promote mental health and wellbeing are currently being implemented and evaluated with projects focused on three thematic areas: addressing family dynamics and parenting competence; supporting school based interventions; and seeking increased community/cultural adaptation. Since the beginning of project funding in 2010, these projects have reached close to 60,000 individuals at risk, over 5,000 practitioners, professionals and policy makers and over 90,000 people from the general public. These projects have increased their reach from approximately 60 to over 230 communities across the country. Projects will continue to measure their impact on social emotional competencies, positive relationships, pro-social behaviour, and community engagement.

In the past year, new and existing inter-sectoral collaborations have been developed and strengthened respectively, resulting in a total of 212 collaborative partnerships across sectors such as: health; social services; education; Aboriginal organizations; academia/research; justice; and law enforcement. These partnerships and collaborations resulted in tangible impacts such as the project with the Centre for Mental Health and Addiction in Ontario which played a lead role in the Provincial Ministry of Education's funded Safe Schools Toolkit. The evidence-based material is now available to all boards of education in Ontario, and its publication has led to numerous requests for presentations at ministry-related conferences and workshops, and for workshops within individual school boards.

A total of 11 innovative interventions to achieve healthier weights are being implemented and are focused on: strengthening factors that enable children and youth to achieve healthier weights; building healthier conditions for rural, remote, northern and underserved communities; and creating supportive workplaces for Canadians to achieve healthy weights. These projects address issues including: food security; access to healthy foods; early childhood development; and the promotion of healthier weights in vulnerable and marginalized populations. The projects will also contribute to Health Portfolio efforts related to Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights.

Comments on variances: In 2012–13, several new, complex, multi-year projects were identified for funding but delays in project start dates due to longer than expected approvals and negotiations resulted in lower actual expenditures from the planned forecast.

Audits completed or planned: N/A

Evaluations completed or planned: The Population Health Fund Evaluation covering the period of 2005–08 was completed in 2009–10. The program will undergo its next evaluation in 2014–15.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: Open and targeted calls for proposals are utilized to solicit proposals from potential applicants. Various approaches are used to engage applicants and optimize the quality of submitted proposals, including those to develop information events, tools and resources. The IS places a high priority on and supports the systematic collection of learnings and the sharing of this information between funded recipients, the Agency, and other partners to influence future program and policy design.

National Collaborating Centres for Public Health (NCCPH)

Name of Transfer Payment Program: NCCPH (Voted)

Start date: 2004–05

End date: Ongoing

Description: Contributions to persons and agencies to support health promotion projects in community health resource development, training/skill development, and research. The focus of the NCCPH program is to strengthen public health capacity, translate health knowledge and research, and promote and support the use of knowledge and evidence by public health practitioners in Canada through collaboration with P/T and local governments, academia, public health practitioners and non-governmental organizations.

Strategic Outcome: Protecting Canadians and empowering them to improve their health.

Results Achieved:
The NCCPH are recognized as national and international players in the areas of knowledge generation and mobilization. They have increased public health capacity by engaging public health practitioners at multiple levels through on-line training modules, webinars, Web site resources, workshops, outreach programs, conferences, network development and broad dissemination of knowledge products. The NCCPH maintained and established new partnerships and collaborative activities with Health Portfolio partners, public health practitioners, and other external organizations through forums, consultations and workshop activities. They continued to develop and disseminate methods and tools through their Web site, webinars, fireside chats and workshops, to support practitioners and decision-makers to apply new knowledge in their respective environments. The NCCPH continued to work with the Canadian Public Health Association and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to build public health capacity within the public health system.

Comments on variances: Surplus funding was reallocated within the Public Health Scholarship G&C program.

Audits completed or planned: N/A

Evaluations completed or planned: An evaluation of the NCCPH Program is underway and will be completed in fiscal year 2013–14.

Engagement of applicants and recipients: The program did not issue solicitations in 2012–13 as the five-year contribution agreements with the NCCPH are still in place, and available funds are fully committed.