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Public Health Agency of Canada mandate

Topics

Learn about our responsibilities, mission, vision and core values.

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Mandate

Mission and vision

Core values

History

Mandate

The role of the Public Health Agency of Canada is to:

promote health

prevent and control chronic diseases and injuries

prevent and control infectious diseases

prepare for and respond to public health emergencies

We serve as a central point for sharing Canada's expertise with the rest of the world. As such, our role is also to:

strengthen public health collaboration between governments

facilitate national approaches to public health policy and planning

apply international research and development to Canada's public health programs

Learn more:

Our responsibilities as part of the health portfolio

Public Health Agency legislation, acts and regulations

Mission and vision

Mission

Improve the health of all people and communities in Canada by addressing public health priorities through science, innovation, service delivery and collaborative action.

Vision

Health, well-being and equity for all people and communities in Canada.

Core values

These 6 core values complement and reinforce those set out in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.

Agility

: We aim to be an agile public health agency that's prepared to respond to any upcoming threat in a timely manner. It's not enough to be able to adapt to change: we must instead be designed to adapt.

Health equity:

We strive to ensure everyone can reach their full health potential. This includes working to remove barriers to access related to social determinants of health, such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

Integrity

: We uphold the value of integrity by prioritizing security, upholding ethical standards, respecting democratic principles and responsibly managing public resources. Transparency and accountability are foundational pillars that underpin effective governance, democracy and trusted communication.

Scientific excellence and a culture of innovation

: We'll achieve our mandate through a continued commitment to science excellence and innovation. One of our top priorities is to ensure that public health guidance, programs and policies are grounded in data.

Collaborative leadership

: We build relationships with partners to combine our strengths and resources, helping us to solve shared challenges. Although we assume a federal leadership role, we have an equally important role to play as a convener to foster a comprehensive and integrated approach.

Culture of community

: We strive to foster a workplace culture where kindness, empathy, support and well-being are prioritized and ingrained in our practices. This contributes to a safe and healthy work environment that promotes collaboration, openness and transparency.

Learn more:

Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector

History

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) was created in 2004 in response to growing concerns about the capacity of Canada's public health system to anticipate and respond effectively to public health threats. PHAC's creation was the result of wide consultation with the provinces, territories, stakeholders and Canadians. (

The Federal Strategy

)

The Agency's creation also followed

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.

PHAC became one of six departments and agencies that make up

the Government of Canada's Health Portfolio

, led by Canada's first Chief Public Health Officer.

The Agency and the Chief Public Health Officer provide a clear focal point for federal leadership and accountability in managing public health emergencies.

Major milestones in Public Health (2004-2024)

Text description

This image of a timeline provides examples of major milestones for the Agency, including:

2004

: Establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada

2005

: Establishment of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network

2007:

Launch of Health Infobase

2008:

Response to Listeriosis Outbreak

2009

: Response to Pandemic Influenza H1N1

2013-2014

: Ebola outbreak in West Africa: key role in developing Ebola vaccine

2015

: PHAC supports resettlement of Syrian refugees

2017-Present

: Response to the epidemic of opioid overdoses

2019

: Release of Canada's Dementia Strategy

2020-2023

: Response to COVID-19 global pandemic

2021-Present

: Supports resettlement of Afghan/Ukrainian refugees

2022

: Response to Mpox outbreak in Canada

2023

: Launch of the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline

2024

: Emergency Response to HPAI A(H5N1)

Related links

Agency context

Who we are

Background

Acts and regulations

Population health approach

Frequently asked questions

Public Health Agency of Canada Act

Corporate management and reporting

Audits

Evaluations

Public engagement

Proactive disclosure

Departmental plans

External advisory bodies

Quarterly financial reports

Departmental results report

Access to information and privacy

PHAC Sustainable Development Strategy

Fighting against forced labour and child labour in Canadian supply chains

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2025-03-21