2019
Let kids play!
March 12, 2019
National public health association supports unstructured children's play
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) promotes unstructured play as a child’s right and a critical component to child and youth health and well-being. Actions are necessary to reduce the barriers limiting opportunities for unstructured play at school and in the community.
“We need to ‘let kids be kids’ and provide them with opportunities to play each day. By doing so, we will see far-reaching benefits at home, in the classroom, and in communities. This…
Health Professionals to Federal Political Parties: Action Needed to Prevent Catastrophic Climate Change
February 5, 2019
Today, Canada’s top health care providers and public health officials are in Ottawa to send a clear message to all political parties: Canadians are already feeling the adverse health effects of climate change and time is running out to prevent catastrophic climate change.
Together, representatives from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Urban Public Health Network (UPHN) are calling for action: asking federal parties…
Canadian Produce Marketing Association and Canadian Public Health Association welcome new Canada Food Guide
January 22, 2019
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) welcome the positive changes announced today in Health Canada’s unveiling of Canada's new Food Guide.2018
Racism is a public health issue in Canada—it’s time to speak out
December 17, 2018
CPHA, in collaboration with seven Provincial/Territorial Public Health Associations, are speaking out against racism in Canada. Unfortunately Canada remains a nation where a person’s colour, religion, culture or ethnic origin are determinants of health that result in inequities in social inclusion, economic outcomes, personal health, and access to and quality of health and social services.CPHA enters legal fight supporting carbon pricing to protect the health and security of all Canadians
November 30, 2018
The Canadian Public Health Association announced today that it will enter the legal battle over carbon pricing. Carbon pricing is a necessary part of Canada’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb the negative environmental, physical and mental health effects caused by inaction on climate change.
“Climate change is a critical public health issue that threatens to undermine the past century of gains in public health in Canada, achieved in part through CPHA’s efforts since it was founded in 1910,” the CPHA’s executive director Ian Culbert said. …
Time for progress in reducing emissions or risk human lives and viability of health systems says new Lancet Countdown report
November 28, 2018
Canada’s slow progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is having a significant impact on the physical and mental health of Canadians, suggests a new brief published today by the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. With support from the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), the report, Lancet Countdown Policy Brief: Canada in 2018, provides seven evidence-informed policy recommendations…
New public health research debunks “grey tsunami”
July 18, 2018
An examination of chronic diseases among Ontarians has uncovered that the aging population is not the much-touted heavy burden on Canada’s health-care system. The results, published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health (CJPH), indicate the volume of multimorbidity — the presence of three or more chronic conditions — is derived from adults as young as 35 years old. Multimorbidity has been associated with increased physician and specialist appointments, medication use,…
CPHA encouraged by municipal calls for decriminalization of personal possession of all drugs
July 17, 2018
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) commends the City of Toronto’s call for the decriminalization of drug possession for personal use. As demonstrated in CPHA’s 2017 position statement, criminalization of those who use illegal psychoactive drugs is unsuccessful and a more robust public health approach is needed immediately. Toronto is the second Canadian city to officially call for decriminalization, following Vancouver in March and Simcoe Muskoka in July.
CPHA recommends Senate vote in favour of cannabis legalization bill
June 6, 2018
The following is a letter sent to all Senators ahead of the upcoming vote on Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis, from Ian Culbert, executive director of the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA).
With the Senate’s vote imminent, I am taking this opportunity to underscore the important relationship between public health and legalization of cannabis.I recognize that legalizing cannabis is a complex, multi-faceted task, and caution is essential. While some questions about operational and technical regulations may remain, I strongly recommend that…
CPHA recognizes outstanding contributions to public health
May 29, 2018
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) congratulates the following 2018 honorary award recipients:
R. D. Defries Award
Dr. Richard Massé has devoted the majority of his career to public health. From 1998 to 2003, he was Québec's National Director of public health and Assistant Deputy Minister of Québec's Department of Health and Social Services. From 2003 to 2008, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec's national…