ARCHIVED - Financial Statements For the year ended March 31, 2010

Notes to the Financial Statement (unaudited)

1. Authority and objectives

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) was created as a new agency by orders in council on September 24, 2004 in response to growing concerns about the capacity of Canada's public health system to anticipate and respond effectively to public health threats. Its creation is the result of wide consultation with the provinces, territories, stakeholders and Canadians. It also follows recommendations from leading public health experts – including Dr. David Naylor's report, Learning from SARS: Renewal of Public Health in Canada, as well as other Canadian and international reports – for clear federal leadership on issues concerning public health and improved collaboration within and between jurisdictions. The Public Health Agency of Canada Act, assented to December 12, 2006, provides a statutory foundation for the new agency.

The Agency is mandated to work in collaboration with its partners, to lead federal efforts and to mobilize pan-Canadian action in preventing disease and injury, and to promote and protect national and international public health through the following:

• Anticipating, preparing for, responding to and recovering from threats to public health;
• Carrying out surveillance of, monitoring, researching, investigating and reporting on diseases, injuries, other preventable health risks and their determinants, and the general state of public health in Canada and internationally;
• Using the best available evidence and tools to advise and support public health stakeholders nationally and internationally as they work to enhance the health of their communities;
• Providing public health information, advice and leadership to Canadians and stakeholders; and
• Building and sustaining a public health network with stakeholders.

Strategic Outcome 1: Healthier Canadians, reduced health disparities, and a stronger public health capacity.

In order to effectively pursue its mandate, the Agency aims to achieve a single strategic outcome supported by its Program Activity Architecture as listed below :

Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
The program promotes improved health for Canadians in the area of infectious diseases through public health actions including surveillance and epidemiology, risk management, public health policy development, and prevention and care programs. This program is necessary as infectious diseases require national attention and national efforts given their current and potential impact on the health of Canadians and the Canadian health care system, and also because new, existing, or re-emerging infectious diseases can pose a serious threat to the health and socio-economic well-being of Canadians.

Health Promotion
In collaboration with partners, the Public Health Agency of Canada supports effective actions to promote healthy living, build healthy communities and address the key determinants of health and major risk factors for chronic disease, by contributing to knowledge development, fostering collaboration, and improving information exchange among sectors and across jurisdictions.

Chronic Disease Prevention and Control
Working in cooperation with regional, provincial/territorial, national and international governments and stakeholders (including non-governmental organizations), the program provides national population health assessment and surveillance in relation to chronic diseases. It also provides and supports leadership and expertise in the development and implementation of pan-Canadian chronic disease prevention, control and management strategies. This program is necessary because chronic diseases are among the most common, preventable and costly health problems facing Canadians.

Strengthen Public Health Capacity
Working with national and international partners, the Agency develops and provides tools, applications, practices, programs and understandings that support and develop the capabilities of front-line public health practitioners across Canada. The Agency facilitates and sustains networks with provinces, territories, and other partners and stakeholders to achieve public health objectives. The Agency’s work improves public health practice, increases cross-jurisdictional human resources capacity, contributes to effective knowledge and information systems, and supports a public health law and policy system that evolves in response to changes in public needs and expectations.

Emergency Preparedness and Response The Agency is a national focal point for anticipating, preparing for, responding to and facilitating recovery from public health consequences of natural disasters or human caused emergencies. The program applies the legislative and regulatory provisions of The Quarantine Act . Partnering with Health Canada, other federal departments, the provinces and territories, international organizations and the voluntary sector, the Agency provides leadership in addressing emerging threats through surveillance, risk analysis, and risk management; and implements preparedness priorities. The program manages and supports the development of health-related emergency response plans, including the National Influenza Response Plan. It develops and sponsors emergency preparedness training, and coordinates counter-terrorism preparations for incidents involving hazardous substances. It provides emergency health and social services, and manages the National Emergency Stockpile System.

Internal Services Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.