Profiles of Public Health Systems in Canada: Ontario

As Canada deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the biggest public health challenges of our time, the need to strengthen public health systems has never been greater. Strong public health (PH) systems are vital to ensuring health system sustainability, improving population health and health equity, and preparing for and responding to current and future crises. There are considerable variations across provinces and territories in how public health is organized, governed and financed, as well as in how public health systems have been reformed and restructured in recent years. This report builds upon prior reports and describes Ontario’s current public health system, including its organization, governance, financing, and workforce. It is part of a series of 13 public health system profiles1 that provide foundational knowledge on the similarities and differences in the structures of public health systems across provinces and territories. In addition to summarizing what is known, these profiles also draw attention to variations and gaps to inform future priorities. This series will serve as a reference for public health professionals, researchers, students, and decision makers seeking to strengthen public health infrastructure in Canada.

 

Ontario Profile

Public Health Systems in Canada

Authors: Robert W. Smith, Sara Allin, Laura Rosella, Kathy Luu, Madeleine Thomas, Joyce Li, Andrew Pinto

Year: 2021