2026
Public Health 2026
March 10, 2026
Public Health 2026 is the national conference where public health professionals, researchers, policy-makers, academics, students and trainees come together to strengthen efforts to improve health and well-being, to share the latest research and information, to promote best practices and to advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research.
What: Public Health 2026: The Canadian Public Health Association’s annual conference
When: Wednesday 11 March at 09:00 to Friday 13 March at 13:30 (ET)
Where:…
CPHA recognizes three leaders whose work has shaped public health in Canada
March 10, 2026
Each year, the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) honours individuals or organizations who provide outstanding service to their community and profession. CPHA’s members nominate candidates for the awards and the recipients are selected by CPHA’s Awards Committee and confirmed by the Board of Directors. CPHA is pleased to announce the following recipients of its 2026 Honorary Awards to be presented at its annual conference on Wednesday 11 March…
CPHA Welcomes Appointment of Dr. Joss Reimer as Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer
February 20, 2026
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) welcomes the Government of Canada’s appointment of Dr. Joss Reimer as Canada’s next Chief Public Health Officer.
Dr. Reimer assumes this role at a time of significant and complex public health challenges. Communities across Canada continue to be affected by the toxic drug crisis, rising polarization and extremism that erode social cohesion and trust, and the ongoing public health consequences of gun violence. These challenges are unfolding alongside climate-related health risks, widening inequities, and persistent pressures on health…
NNSW2026: Public Health, Not Industry Narratives
January 19, 2026
This National Non-Smoking Week (18-24 January 2026), we honour decades of collective effort in Canada to reduce smoking and protect people’s health. National Non-Smoking Week remains a key moment to educate, support cessation, and reaffirm our commitment to a healthier, smoke-free future for all.
Tobacco use continues to be one of the leading preventable causes of disease and death in Canada. While significant progress has been made, ongoing vigilance is essential—especially as industries that profit from harmful products increasingly appropriate the language of harm reduction to…
Canada must hold the line on science as the U.S. guts its childhood vaccine schedule
January 9, 2026
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is deeply concerned by recent changes to the childhood immunization schedule in the United States. For decades, routine childhood vaccines have been among the most rigorously studied and carefully monitored public health interventions, with overwhelming evidence demonstrating their safety, effectiveness, and essential role in preventing serious illness and death.
Decisions that weaken or undermine evidence-based immunization programs risk consequences that extend well beyond national borders. In Canada, health professionals are…
2025
Bill 7: A Threat to the Health of Quebecers
December 9, 2025
The proposed "merger" of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) and the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) runs counter to Québec’s stated commitment to strengthening disease prevention and population health. At a moment when public trust in institutions is fragile and the need for independent public health leadership has never been greater, diminishing the visibility and coherence of Québec’s public health infrastructure would weaken—not reinforce—the province’s capacity to protect its population.
Public…
Health leaders call for urgent federal action to strengthen Canada’s health resilience to climate change
October 29, 2025
Canada’s leading health organizations are calling on the federal government to take immediate, coordinated action to protect health in the face of intensifying climate impacts.
In a new policy brief, 2025 Climate and Health Policy Priorities for Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, and Canadian Public Health Association—in partnership…
Bill S-202
October 22, 2025
Opening Remarks by Ian Culbert, Executive Director, Canadian Public Health Association, to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology regarding Bill S-202 – An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning labels on alcoholic beverages)
Wednesday 22 October 2025
Thank you, Madam Chair and honourable Senators, for the opportunity to appear before you today.
The Canadian…
Statement on the Public Health and Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
October 6, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is gravely concerned about the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Despite international mediation aimed at halting the conflict and securing the release of hostages, violence and bombardment continue, exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian and public health crisis. The hostilities have resulted in a devastating loss of life, widespread displacement, and the destruction of critical health and social infrastructure. Severe restrictions on medical and humanitarian access are contributing to preventable illness, injury, and death,…
Statement from the Canadian Public Health Association on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025
September 30, 2025
Trigger / content notice: This statement speaks to trauma and institutional harm, which may cause distress. Resources such as the Hope for Wellness Help Line remain available (1-855-242-3310 or https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/).
On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, CPHA honours the survivors of residential schools, their families, and all Indigenous peoples whose lives have been irrevocably affected by colonial policies. We acknowledge that this day carries deep pain, grief, and responsibility — and that reconciliation is not a…