2022–2025 priorities of Canada's Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO)

Everyone in Canada deserves optimal health

"I will continue to drive efforts to promote health equity so that everyone, including the most marginalized among us, have an opportunity to lead healthy lives, both physically and mentally.

I will continue to work with partners to advance the science, research and best evidence needed to inform effective and equitable public health decision-making and action.

I will also continue to engage with people across Canada, especially those with lived experience, listening and learning to ensure our actions foster health equity across the health ecosystem."

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada

Helping people in Canada reach their optimal health

Helping people in Canada reach their optimal health through:

• leadership
• innovation
• communication

Championing action on the factors influencing health, such as:

• social and economic conditions
• physical environment
• individual behaviours

Generating evidence-based advice through:

• scientific research
• lived experience and community knowledge
• health data and surveillance

Engaging with and through partners, such as:

• people with lived experiences
• Indigenous leaders and co-creators
• community leaders
• federal, provincial and territorial partners
• health care providers
• not-for-profit and private sectors
• international partners
• academia

2022–2025 priorities

My primary focus is health equity because it directly affects the health outcomes of the whole of Canadian society. It also provides a central lens for action on my 4 priorities:

1. substance-related harms
2. pandemic and emergency preparedness and response
3. health system transformation
4. health impacts of climate change

Health equity

Health equity is the primary focus of the CPHO and a critical influence on other CPHO priorities. Across the complex and dynamic health environment, the CPHO will continue to champion health equity by:

• advocating for inclusion of the voices of under-represented, and historically marginalized communities to improve decision making and evolve public health governance
• supporting the self-determination of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and the de-colonization of health systems as part of Truth and Reconciliation
• engaging with and connecting sectors, partners and communities to advance action on the factors that influence health

Substance-related harms

• Championing the need to pilot, evaluate and scale innovative, evidence-informed approaches to prevent substance-related harms.
• Working with partners for more timely, comprehensive, and disaggregated data on substance use and harms to enable better decision making.
• Mobilizing health professionals to address stigma as a barrier to care for substance users.
• Advocating to meet the diverse health needs of people who use drugs, including mental health, sexual health, and overall well-being.

Pandemic and emergency preparedness and response

• Working to strengthen equity-centred pandemic planning at all levels (international, national, and community).
• Promoting upstream planning and preparedness actions to build healthier, more resilient communities that are better prepared for future emergencies.
• Providing advice to improve national foresight, risk assessment, risk management and risk communications (skills, tools, and capacity).
• Leading Canada's pandemic and emergency response.
• Providing timely and credible information as Canada's trusted voice and public health authority.
• Working with partners to address misinformation and disinformation.

Health system transformation

• Facilitating stronger, more collaborative health approaches in Canada by working with health partners across jurisdictions.
• Advocating for an interoperable pan-Canadian health data ecosystem.
• Catalyzing research and next-generation analytics to identify the best evidence-based public health interventions. 
• Collaborating with partners to re-invigorate Canada's public health workforce and modernize tools, core functions, and competencies. 
• Championing the importance of prevention and health promotion to improve health outcomes and health system sustainability.

Health impacts of climate change

• Championing health as a part of multi-sectoral climate action.
• Integrating climate considerations in public health practice.
• Advancing a holistic One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health expertise and policy.
• Supporting youth and Indigenous voices in leading action on climate adaptation, mental health, and well-being.