Program and public policy

The objective of this jurisdictional review is to gather up-to-date and reliable publicly available and peer-reviewed literature detailing how provincial/territorial public health systems in Canada are organized, governed, financed, and supported in terms of their workforce. Between 2020 and 2021, using the strategy presented below, study team members conducted searches for specific topics of interest. Literature meeting the inclusion criteria was abstracted using a standardized data…

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…

In this fact sheet, we look at how wellbeing has developed as a policy focus for governments and how it might be related to public health concerns such as the social determinants of physical and mental health and health inequalities. We consider whether wellbeing approaches to central government policies may advance the goals of healthy public policy. As part of the National Collaborating Centre on Healthy Public Policy (NCCHPP)’s project on wellbeing policy approaches and wellbeing…

This report presents findings from a scoping review with analysis of the literature on competencies for healthy public policy. It is intended to inform public health professionals about the trends and tendencies over the past 15 years or so related to what public health schools, organizations, and authorities have done and are doing with regard to developing competency frameworks as one tool for increasing their ability to intervene in public policy. In addition to presenting the…

This paper presents the results of a scoping review of the literature on existing tools and methods for integrating health concerns into climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and strategies. It is intended for public health actors who may be involved in the development of such policies and strategies. It may also be of interest to other actors who would like to further integrate the health dimension into their actions aimed at combating climate change.

The review of the…

This briefing note belongs to a series on the various models used in political science to represent public policy development processes. Note that the purpose of these briefing notes is not to refine an existing model. Our purpose is rather to suggest how each of these models constitutes a useful interpretive lens that can guide reflection and action leading to the production of healthy public policies.

In addition to the news or to unforeseen events that may arise daily, policy…

Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) is a decision-support mechanism increasingly being considered by public administrations in industrialized countries. This first note in the series briefly defines IIA and describes its origins. Then it provides an overview of the current state of practice, and presents the main findings that emerge from this overview. In addition, it clarifies certain concepts related to the practice of IIA. Indeed, given that IIA is still in its early stages and that it……

IIA is a prospective assessment aimed at integrating within a single conceptual framework all the intended and unintended effects (usually on the economy, society and the environment) of a new government intervention. Its goal is to combine the various existing impact assessments within a single procedure. This briefing note is the second in a series of six focused on the state of the practice of integrated impact assessment (IIA).

The series on IIA follows from a……

Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) is a decision-support mechanism increasingly being considered by public administrations in industrialized countries. This paper describes the case of France, along with its history, objectives, procedures and the tools used. In addition, the evaluation of the practice is discussed. Particular attention is also focused on the manner in which impact assessments with a single focus were included in the integrated analysis.