Summary: Core content for Canada’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan

On this page

• Introduction
• Context for planning
• Cross-cutting considerations
• Canada's approach to respiratory pathogen pandemics
• Continuous improvement
• Access core content

Introduction

The core content:

• establishes the fundamental elements of Canada's Pandemic Preparedness Plan
• features context for planning, overarching principles and strategic advice for pandemic preparedness planning

Context for planning

This section outlines the broader context that shapes pandemic preparedness planning in Canada. The section also:

• outlines the plan's goals and objectives
• integrates lessons learned from past pandemics
• emphasizes the importance of understanding Canada's diverse population and legal frameworks
• explores the origins, characteristics and evolving nature of pathogens with pandemic potential
• highlights the wide-ranging impacts that pandemics can have on health and social systems

This context ensures that planning is grounded in scientific evidence, equity and the realities of Canada's unique demographic and governance landscape.

Cross-cutting considerations

The cross-cutting considerations section outlines the foundational values that inform and shape all aspects of pandemic planning, which include:

• ethics
• science
• health equity
• communication
• One Health considerations

This section introduces each of these concepts, explaining its importance in pandemic preparedness and highlights planning considerations. These considerations are integrated throughout the plan to ensure decisions and actions are:

• inclusive
• ethically sound
• evidence-informed
• appropriately communicated
• collaborative across human, animal and environmental health sectors

Canada's approach to respiratory pathogen pandemics

The section on Canada's approach to respiratory pathogen pandemics:

• emphasizes intersectoral collaboration and community engagement, using a strength-based approach that leverages local capacities and knowledge
• outlines how the country prepares for and responds to pandemics caused by respiratory pathogens and provides:
  • core planning assumptions
  • various pandemic scenarios
  • a risk analysis process to guide decision making

It also defines pandemic periods and associated triggers to support timely and coordinated responses across jurisdictions. This approach ensures preparedness efforts are comprehensive, inclusive and responsive to the evolving nature of respiratory pandemics.

Continuous improvement

This section discusses the importance of taking actions to continuously improve pandemic preparedness planning using the pandemic preparedness cycle:

• planning
• capabilities
• training
• exercises
• evaluation
• corrective actions to make improvements

Continuous improvement ensures that:

• plans remain actionable
• organizations are ready to respond quickly and effectively when the next pandemic arises

Access core content

Access Canada's Pandemic Preparedness Plan Core Content (PDF, 2.21 MB)

The core content will be available through an interactive portal by the end of June 2026.

The plan's technical components will become available throughout 2027.