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Minister's Message

I am pleased to present Parliament with Health Canada's Report on Plans and Priorities for 2009-10. This Report outlines the Department's proposed initiatives for the next three years. It is based on the commitment to help Canadians maintain and improve their health and to making this country's population among the healthiest in the world.

Several significant achievements in the last year have set the foundation for future gains in improving the health and safety of Canadians in the years ahead.

With the launch of the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan, considerable progress has been made to enhance the safety of food and consumer products. Programmatic activities include an improved website listing food and consumer product recalls, the launch of a Food and Drugs Act Liaison Office, and the development of the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network, all of which will help provide consumers and health care professionals with safety information so they can make better decisions when it comes to their health.

Over the last two years, major steps have been taken to secure the future health of First Nations and Inuit. In June 2007, Health Canada signed a tripartite health plan with the province of British Columbia and British Columbia First Nations that provides a framework for negotiating a final tripartite agreement on health. In August 2008, Health Canada signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with the province of Saskatchewan and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations to develop a First Nations health plan. Other provinces are now demonstrating interest in similar types of collaboration.

In the next year, we will build on these successes by focussing on a number of key areas of priority to Canadians. The nation-wide outbreak of listeriosis in the summer of 2008 reinforced the need for enhanced food safety in Canada. We will continue to work on developing consumer information initiatives, strategies related to adverse drug reaction reporting and post-market surveillance. We will continue to work on increasing the surveillance of injuries related to products and international collaboration to improve the safety of imports. In addition, the government is committed to reintroducing bills before Parliament to amend the Food and Drugs Act and plans to introduce a new legislative framework for consumer product safety. With mandatory reporting of adverse events, modern fines and penalties, and enhanced authorities for inspectors to intervene, this new legislation proposes to enhance the Canadian safety regime to be in line with the level of protection provided in the United States and by other major trading partners.

Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in Canada.  I am committed to renewing efforts under the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy to further reduce smoking in this country, especially among young people. I am also keenly aware of the important link between health and the environment.  As Minister of Health, I will maintain the Department’s efforts in working with partners to carry out health and environmental initiatives such as the Chemicals Management Plan, Clean Air Agenda and National Water Strategy. Finally, knowing first hand of the poor health status of Canada’s First Nations and Inuit, I was extremely pleased with our Government’s critical investments in First Nations and Inuit health programs announced in Budget 2009.  We are committing $305 million over the next two years to strengthen current programs, improve health outcomes for First Nations and Inuit individuals, and move toward greater integration with provincial and territorial health systems. This will be supported by an additional $135 million investment for the construction and renovation of health services infrastructure that benefit First Nations, such as health clinics and nurses’ residences.

As was also announced in the recent Budget, we are committing $500 million for Canada Health Infoway to support the goal of having 50% of Canadians with an electronic health record by 2010.  This funding will be used to speed up the implementation of electronic medical record systems for physicians and integrated points of service for hospitals, pharmacies, community care facilities and patients.

Health Canada remains committed to fostering leading-edge science and research within the federal government and with external partners to ensure we have the knowledge needed to meet current and emerging risks to the health of Canadians. We will continue to support and strengthen our in-house research to make sure we have a sound base of evidence for decision-making.

I am confident the plans described in this Report will help make Canada healthier, and I look forward to working with Canadians across the country in moving forward with this plan.

Leona Aglukkaq, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health

Section I - Departmental Overview

Summary Information

Raison d'être

Health Canada is responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health.  It is committed to improving the lives of all Canadians and to making this country's population among the healthiest in the world as measured by longevity, lifestyle and effective use of the public health care system.

Responsibilities

Health Canada helps Canadians maintain and improve their health through various roles and responsibilities. First, as a regulator, Health Canada is responsible for the regulatory regime governing the safety of a broad range of products affecting the lives of all Canadians, including food, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, natural health products, consumer products, chemicals, radiation emitting devices, cosmetics, and pesticides. It also regulates tobacco products and controlled substances, public health on passenger conveyances, and helps manage the risks posed by environmental factors such as air, water, radiation in the workplace and environmental contaminants. This responsibility also extends to using cutting-edge science to assess and mitigate health risks to Canadians.

The Department is also a service provider. The federal government has provided basic health services to First Nations since 1904. Today, Health Canada provides basic primary care services in approximately 200 remote First Nations communities, home and community care in 600 First Nations communities, and a limited range of medically necessary products and services not insured by private or other public health insurance plans. The Department also funds community-based programs and public health activities that promote health, prevent chronic disease and control the spread of infectious diseases. Health Canada directly employs 650 nurses, operates 225 health centres and 61 alcohol and drug treatment centres, and supports over 6,800 community-based workers employed by First Nations communities.

Finally, in the context of health systems, Health Canada is a catalyst for innovation, a funder, and an information provider. It works closely with provincial and territorial governments to develop national approaches on health system issues and promotes the pan-Canadian adoption of best practices. It administers the Canada Health Act, which embodies national principles to ensure a universal and equitable publicly-funded health care system. It provides policy support for the federal government's Canada Health Transfer to provinces and territories, and manages the transfer of funds to First Nations and Inuit organizations and communities for community health services delivery, as well as grants and contributions to various organizations to help meet Health Canada's objectives. Lastly, it generates and shares knowledge and information on which personal decision-making, regulations and standards, and innovation in health rely.

Building on Success for Better Results

Health Canada continues to provide Canadians with results .  Recent investments in regulatory programs have helped eliminate the backlog in new drug submissions and pesticides.  The groundbreaking Chemicals Management Plan has introduced a number of new, proactive measures to make sure that chemical substances are managed properly.  Tobacco consumption levels are at their lowest in a generation.  Structural change is underway in delivering health services to First Nations, with the British Columbia Tripartite First Nations Health Plan Agreement at the vanguard.

The Department's operating environment is evolving, not only as a result of the current economic climate, but also as a number of important market demographic, societal and technological shifts play out across Canada. These forces and shifts are requiring Health Canada to build on recent successes to become more nimble and responsive to the growing and evolving needs of Canadians, to innovate in partnering and sharing responsibility with stakeholders, to focus its role and the way it conducts its core business, and to render its activities ever more efficient.

In response to these changes, the Department's regulatory programs are being modernized to more effectively safeguard the health and safety of Canadians-and, to deliver this more efficiently. This requires a change in the business model from a one-size-fits-all approach focussed largely on pre-market approval, to an integrated risk-based approach that regulates products throughout their life-cycle, from the pre-approval stage to post-market.

In the area of First Nations and Inuit Health, the Department is building on recent successes with provincial and First Nations partners, to further integrate federal programs with provincial systems.  In recognition of this important work, the Government has recently committed to critical investments of $305 million over the next two years to strengthen current First Nation and Inuit health programs, and improve health outcomes for First Nations and Inuit individuals, and $135 million for the construction and renovation of health services infrastructure benefitting First Nations—e.g., health clinics and nurses’ residences.  Over time, these key investments and new directions will contribute to reducing health disparities between First Nations and Inuit and other Canadians.  This approach will also contribute to First Nations having greater control over the governance of health services, and to higher quality and more efficient services.

Finally, with regard to health system innovation, the Department will continue to act as a catalyst and explore innovative collaborative and governance approaches with its many partners to improve the accessibility, quality, and cost-effectiveness of health services.  A key thrust, as recently announced in Budget 2009, will be increased support and new investments ($500 million) for Canada Health Infoway and to speed up the implementation of electronic medical record systems for physicians and integrated points of service for hospitals, pharmacies, community care facilities and patients.

Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture

The chart bellow illustrates Health Canada's framework of program activities and sub-activities contributing to progress toward the Department's Strategic Outcomes:

Accessible and sustainable health system responsive to the health needs of Canadians

Canadian Health System

• Canada health act
• Official language minority community development
• Health system renewal
• Health information
• Women's health

Canadian Assisted Human Reproduction

International Health Affairs

Access to safe and effective health products and food and information for healthy choices

Health Products

• Pharmaceutical Human Drugs
• Biologics and Radiopharmaceuticals
• Medical Devices
• Veterinary Drugs
• Natural Health Products

Food and Nutrition

• Food Borne Pathogens
• Food Borne Chemical Contaminants
• Novel Foods
• Nutrition

Reduced health and environmental risks from products and substances, and healthy, sustainable living and working environments

Sustainable Environmental Health

• Climate Change
• Air Quality
• Water Quality
• Chemical Management
• Contaminated Sites
• Environmental Radiation Protection
• Passenger Conveyances
• Emergency Preparedness

Consumer Products

• Consumer Product Safety
• Cosmetics
• Radiation Emitting Devices

Workplace Health

• Public Service Health
• Internationally Protected Persons Health
• Workplace Hazardous  Materials Information System
• Employee Assistance Services
• Dosimetry Services

Substance Use and Abuse

Pesticide Regulation

• Evaluation of New Products
• Re-Evaluation of Older Products
• Compliance and Enforcement
• Pesticide Risk Reduction

Better health outcomes and reduction of health inequalities between First Nations and Inuit and other Canadians

First Nations and Inuit Health Programming and Services

• First Nations & Inuit Community Programs
• First Nations & Inuit Health Protection and Public Health
• First Nations & Inuit Primary Care
• Non-Insured Health Benefits (supplementary) for FN/I
• Governance and Infrastructure Support to FN/I Health System

Planning Summary

Financial Resources

The financial resources table to the right provides a summary of the total planned spending for Health Canada for the next three fiscal years:

Financial Resources	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
($ millions)	3, 587.0	3, 431.0	3, 154.5

Human Resources

The human resources table to the right provides a summary of the total planned human resources for Health Canada for the next three fiscal years:

Human Resources	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)	9, 914	9, 761	9, 607

Strategic Outcome 1: Accessible and Sustainable Health System Responsive to the Health Needs of Canadians

Performance Indicators		Targets
Percentage of Canadians reporting timely access		Increased number of Canadians reporting timely access (baseline is 80% of Canadians reporting timely access taken from the Health Services Access Study, published in 2006)
Percentage of Canadians satisfied with quality of primary, acute, chronic and continuing health care service		Increased number of Canadians satisfied with overall quality of health services (baseline is 85% of Canadians taken from Canadian Community Health Survey published in 2006)
Increased sustainability of the health system through the development of new initiatives (long-term funding commitments, primary health care reform, use of science and technology)		Increased number of initiatives that improve sustainability in the health system
Program Activity	Forecast Spending ($ millions)	Planned Spending ($ millions)				Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
Canadian Health System	297.0	305.1	295.1		296.1	Healthy Canadians
Canadian Assisted Human Reproduction	1.6	1.5	1.5		1.5
International Health Affairs	23.1	23.0	22.9		22.9
Total for SO 1	321.7	329.6	319.5		320.5

Strategic Outcome 2: Access to Safe and Effective Health Products and Food and Information for Healthy Choices

Performance Indicators		Targets
Incidence/rate of illness/risk related to health products and food.		Baseline information will be established in the next one to three years.
Increased rate of adherence to/compliance by industry with the Food and Drugs Act and its regulations, standards and guidelines (level of adherence/compliance of registered establishment by sector (e.g., meat, dairy, fish and seafood, processed food, shell egg).		Human drugs: 98% compliance; Veterinary drugs: 95%; Biologics: 100% for both blood and semen; Baseline still needs to be established for: Natural health products in 2009-10; Medical devices 2009-10; Food 2009-10.
Increased public confidence in available information related to health products, food and nutrition		50% of Canadians are completely confident in the safety of the Canadian food supply (baseline data in 2006: 42%
Program Activity	Forecast Spending ($ millions)	Planned Spending ($ millions)				Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11		2011-12
Health Products	171.3	146.4	146.5		145.7	Healthy Canadians
Food and Nutrition	68.7	60.9	62.9		63.1
Total for SO 2	240	207.3	209.4		208.8

Strategic Outcome 3: Reduced health and environmental risks from products and substances, and healthy, sustainable living and working environments

Performance Indicators					Targets
Number of incidents of deaths, exposures, illness, injury and adverse reactions.					Baseline information to be established in the next one to three years for defined populations.
Proportion of regulatory actions addressed within service standards/targets.					An average of 90%.
Percentage of inspected or verified registrants/firms/users compliant/non-compliant.					Baseline information to be established in the next one to three years for defined populations.
Program Activity	Forecast Spending ($ millions)		Planned Spending ($ millions)						Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
	2008-09		2009-10		2010-11		2011-12
Sustainable Environmental Health	134.2		153.3		146.8		122.2		Healthy Canadians
Consumer Products	21.7		25.6		34.0		35.0
Workplace Health	25.4		23.0		21.4		21.3
Substance Use and Abuse	124.4		138.7		137.9		137.7
Pesticide Regulation	51.6		45.1		47.0		47.1
Total for SO 3	357.3		385.7		387.1		363.3

Strategic Outcome 4: Better health outcomes and reduction of health inequalities between First Nations and Inuit and other Canadians

Performance Indicators

• Life expectancy (at birth by gender, on and off reserve), comparison of First Nations and Inuit with other Canadians
• Birth weight (comparison of First Nations and Inuit with other Canadians)
• Infant mortality rates (comparison of First Nations with other Canadians)
• Rates of conditions by type-e.g., diabetes, suicide

Program Activity	Forecast Spending ($ millions)	Planned Spending ($ millions)								Alignment to Government of Canada Outjcomes
	2008-09	2009-10		2010-11				2011-12
First Nations and Inuit Health Programming and Services	2,206.5	2, 361.3		2,222.4				1,970.5		Healthy Canadians
Total for SO 4	2,206.5	2, 361.3		2,222.4				1,970.5

Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcomes

Operational Priorities
I. Modernized safety framework: a) Continue implementation of Canada's Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan - Improve enforcement and compliance - Improve import safety b) Strengthen measures on tobacco control with respect to children and youth	Type: Ongoing
	Links to Strategic Outcome: 2 and 3
	Why is this a priority? a) Under the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan (FCSAP), the Government is taking action to enhance the protection of the health and safety of Canadians. The Action Plan was launched as a result of recurring incidents of unsafe food, health and consumer products (e.g., global withdrawal of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, high levels of lead found in imported children's toys, and food recalls), as well as a recognition of the need to update the regulatory system to address new realities in science and technology and the global economy. b) With regard specifically to tobacco, every year, smoking kills an estimated 37,000 Canadians making it the country's leading cause of preventable death. Sixteen percent of deaths in Canada are attributable to tobacco use. Tobacco related health care costs are in the area of $4.4 billion, with indirect social and economic costs (e.g., missed work) rising as high as $17 billion annually. What are the plans for meeting the priority? FCSAPenhances Canada’s health and safety protection system by: strengthening safety programs; and, replacing outdated statutes with new legislation. In April, 2008, the Minister of Health introduced a proposed bill to amend the Food and Drugs Act to modernize the Canadian system to bring it up to the level of protection provided in the U.S. and by other trading partners. At the same time, the Minister introduced the proposed Canada Consumer Product Safety Act to repeal Part I of the Hazardous Products Act and replace it with new, modernized, consumer product legislation. This legislation would lead to: improved oversight of imported products including closer monitoring of what is coming into Canada from foreign sources, and faster responses to safety issues when they arise; improved authorities to take compliance, enforcement and other corrective measures that act as effective deterrents and reflect current economic realities; improved authority to release information for consumers and decision-makers which supports the distribution of greater and more accessible, consumer-friendly and credible product information.
	Bills C-51, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act, and C-52, the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, died on the Order Paper in the House of Commons when the federal election was called in Fall 2008. In late January, Bill C-6 (the former Bill C-52) was introduced in the House of Commons.  Health Canada will provide strategic advice and support to the Minister of Health as Bill C-6 makes its way through Parliament and in anticipation of the re-introduction of the former Bill C-51. The Department will build on the initial thrust of the Action Plan and undertake a number of initiatives in each of the three pillars: active prevention to address as many potential problems as possible before they occur; targeted oversight so the government can keep a closer watch over products that pose a higher risk; and rapid response to enable government to take action more quickly and effectively. b) In addition, Health Canada will work to prevent the exploitation of children by the tobacco industry by setting a minimum package size for cigarillos that is less affordable for children, prohibiting flavour and additives that would appeal to children, and banning all tobacco advertising and promotion in print and electronic media which may be viewed and read by youth.

Operational Priorities
II. Strengthen First Nations and Inuit health programming: a) Stabilize First Nations and Inuit health system to support harmonization with provincial programs b) Continue integration of federal/provincial/ territorial First Nations health programs and services through tripartite agreements	Type: Ongoing
	Links to Strategic Outcome: 4
	Why is this a priority? Stabilization, harmonization/integration and tripartite negotiations are the three pillars of the strategic plan to achieve departmental objectives in First Nations and Inuit health. This plan also addresses availability and access to quality health services and the transition to greater control over health services by First Nations in an effort to improve health outcomes. What are the plans for meeting the priority? Building on investments from Budget 2009 ($305 million to strengthen current programs, and $135 million for health services infrastructure), the Department will continue to work with provincial governments and First Nations organizations to improve the quality of health services and to pursue tripartite agreements with First Nations and provinces in order to facilitate better health outcomes. Through the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund, the Department will support the integration of federally and provincially funded health services andthe adaptation of provincial and territorial health programs to meet theunique needs of all Aboriginal peoples.
III. Health system innovation: Continue to work with the provincial/territorial governments on health human resources and other matters of national interest through focussed and innovative means	Type: Ongoing
	Links to Strategic Outcome: 1, 2 and 3
	Why is this a priority? The health care system in Canada is vital to addressing the health needs of Canadians wherever they live and whatever their financial circumstances. The health care system also plays a significant role in the economy, accounting for over 10% of Gross Domestic Product in 2008. Given this importance, Health Canada places a priority on promoting innovation to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of this system. What are the plans for meeting the priority? While provincial and territorial governments are responsible for the organization and delivery of health care services for the vast majority of Canadians, the Government of Canada supports the system with very significant investments, mainly through cash transfers to the provinces and territories through the Canada Health Transfer. Health Canada will continue to play a lead role in health system innovation by identifying policy challenges and, through various initiatives, acting as a catalyst for change and renewal in the health care system. This will include continued work on: strengthening Health Human Resources; accelerating the implementation of health information systems; developing and implementing Patient Wait Time Guarantees; and establishing the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network.
	With these initiatives, Health Canada will work closely with provincial and territorial governments and stakeholders to develop national approaches on health system issues and promote the pan-Canadian adoption of best practices. Health Canada will also continue to strengthen collaboration with health organizations and stakeholders, and partnerships with independent, third-party organizations such as the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer Corporation, Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the Mental Health Commission of Canada. These innovative policy initiatives act as a catalyst for innovation to improve the responsiveness of Canada's publicly funded health care system in addressing the health needs of Canadians. Health Canada will focus its efforts and resources where there is potential for lasting and positive change, where there is a clear federal role, and where the Department is best positioned to intervene.

Management Priorities
IV. Increase quality and coherence of strategic policy: Talent Management Framework b) Ensure all policy is evidence-based by better integrating science/research in the policy development process	Type: Ongoing
	Links to Strategic Outcome: 1, 2, 3 and 4
	Why is this a priority? For the Minister and Government of Canada to make judicious and timely decisions with regard to promoting and protecting the health of Canadians, it is essential that strategic policy advice is relevant, forward looking, coherent, comprehensive and evidence-based. What are the plans for meeting the priority? a) The Talent Management Framework is Health Canada's premier strategy and transformational initiative for maximizing its investment in people at all levels. This Framework will refocus human resources practices and align them with business goals and talent needs, and will help improve policy performance through the active recruitment, engagement, development and retention of employees. b) In 2009-10, Health Canada will continue to work with internal and external partners to define research priorities, including tools and data, establish mechanisms for ongoing collaboration between researchers and policy makers, and identify opportunities for integrating research into policy-making. In addition, working groups on First Nations and Inuit health, health regulation and healthcare system innovation will be formed by March 31, 2010 to promote integration of evidence into policy.
V. Enhance corporate processes for increased accountability: a) Strengthen integrated planning b) Improve performance measurement and indicators c) Enhance Financial Management Control Framework:	Type: Ongoing
	Links to Strategic Outcome: This management priority is part of the Internal Services Program Activity which contributes to all strategic outcomes.
	Why is this a priority? Enhancing corporate processes for increased accountability will maximize the exchange of information at all levels and ensure that roles and responsibilities of individuals for achieving goals and meeting priorities are understood. It provides ways to document the outcomes from investment in programs, to increase transparency and to strengthen oversight. Better information will provide stronger assurance to citizens of the government's performance in providing effective and efficient services and of its rigorous stewardship of resources. The Department plans on meeting this priority through three distinct but related streams of work. What are the plans for meeting the priority? a) Strengthen integrated planning: The Department will build on earlier actions to improve integration by evaluating lessons learned and best practices from the most recent planning cycle. It will expand the scope of functional areas to be included in this initiative and will continue to improve planning tools through enhanced streamlining and automation. b) Improve performance measurement and indicators: The Department will continue its work to refine performance indicators, targets and program costs (baseline reviews). These efforts include the systematic creation, capturing and use of the Management, Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) information. Additional steps are being taken to identify data sources from which performance indicators can be collected and to determine the frequency at which this information will be available. c) Enhance Financial Management Control Framework: Develop and implement consistent and standardized departmental processes in the area of financial management; including Budget Management Framework which responds to central agency expectations for good financial management. Streamline the administration and improve the overall governance and risk management of our grants and contributions as part of our response to the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Grants and Contributions; and continue making improvements to internal and external financial reporting as we prepare for the audit of our financial statements in 2009-10. With respect to the audited Financial Statements, the Department has implemented a Readiness Assessment Action plan which will identify and document processes to ensure internal controls are in place in preparation for the future audit of its Financial Statements. This exercise will improve the data integrity and timeliness of internal and external financial reporting.
VI. Increase transparency and innovative engagement with Canadians a) Strengthen departmental frameworks and policies for engaging Canadians b) Better communication with Canadians and our stakeholders, and improve public's access to health and safety information	Type: Ongoing
	Links to Strategic Outcome: 1 and 2
	Why is this a priority? Public and stakeholder confidence and engagement in our regulatory work are critical to our ability to promote and protect the health and safety of Canadians. They must: Be able to trust that the decisions we make are evidence-based and in the public interest; Have the opportunity to, where appropriate, provide input into the decision-making process, so that the resulting decisions are high quality; Be confident that the information we provide on health products, nutrition and new innovations is credible, authoritative and meets their needs. What are the plans for meeting the priority? Increase openness and transparency in Health Canada's decision making processes by implementing legislative and policy tools, such as the Review of Regulated Products Policy on Public Input; Develop and implement strategies, including establishing a Consumer Information Bureau, to provide Canadians with timely and accessible information on health products, food and nutrition in order to make healthy and informed decisions; Establish a consistent departmental approach to communicating timely, accurate and relevant risk information to Canadians, and strengthen collaboration with third party organizations such as Canada Health Infoway and the Canadian Institute for Health Information to enhance the availability of health information in support of health system innovation; Involve stakeholders and the public early, consistently, at different points in our decision-making process; Develop and implement strategies, including social marketing, advertising and communications campaigns that enhance information-sharing with stakeholders and the public.

Risk Analysis

As Health Canada strives to achieve its strategic objectives and priorities, it will face challenges and opportunities, both of which will have an impact on its ability to deliver programs. The Department operates in an ever evolving environment characterized by an increasing pace of socio-economic change, globalization and growing expectations on the part of the public for accountability and information. There are also a number of external and internal risk factors the Department must be prepared to address if it is to effectively deliver on its mandate.

As in the past, Health Canada will continue to face key challenges from events that may adversely affect the health of Canadians. The Department must be prepared to effectively respond to, and minimize the impact on the health of Canadians from incidents relating to food, drug or product safety. In mitigating these challenges, Health Canada is taking steps to modernize its legislative and regulatory framework, including management action or response plans, to increase its ability to be proactive in protecting Canadians.

With increasing globalization and availability of information from a variety of sources regarding health-related developments or events, Canadians are increasingly searching for dependable and timely information to assist them in making informed decisions. The Department recognizes the public expectation and need for authoritative evidence-based information. This expectation exists in a context where rapidly evolving science and technology and the timeframes required for research may make providing a rapid response difficult. The Department is addressing this challenge by working with other health and government organizations to improve availability of health and safety information.

The Department is also facing financial pressure as program costs rise due to growing First Nations and Inuit populations.  The growing Aboriginal population has a higher than average rate of injuries and disease.  This increases the challenges faced by the Department in its efforts to stabilize the First Nations and Inuit health system to support harmonization with provincial programs.

In delivering various aspects of its mandate, Health Canada shares responsibilities with external health partners, such as other government departments and levels of government, Health Portfolio organizations, industry and national and international organizations. Many programs, such as the Chemical Management Plan, Clean Air Agenda, the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan, and improving health outcomes for First Nations, involve a variety of interactions with external partners. As such, it is crucial that Health Canada's activities be aligned with those of external parties to achieve results and to achieve outcomes of program delivery.

From an internal operational perspective, the Department has taken steps to improve management processes and procedures for information sharing and decision-making. A departmental re-alignment with transformational initiatives for core services was introduced during the summer of 2008 to improve delivery of programs, streamline processes, strengthen coordination of science and health policy, and to clarify roles and responsibilities across the Department. As in any significant change initiative, there are significant opportunities and challenges. It is crucial that new roles, responsibilities and accountabilities be well understood by employees and external partners to ensure performance improvements are realized.

Expenditure Profile

For the 2009-10 fiscal year, Health Canada plans to spend $3,587 million to meet the expected results of its program activities and contribute to its strategic outcomes.

In 2008, Health Canada conducted an in-depth review of the funding, relevance and performance of all its programs and spending to ensure results and value for money from programs that are a priority for Canadians. The results of this review will be reflected in future reporting to Parliament.

Health Canada's spending trend from 2006-07 to 2011-12.

For the 2006-07 to 2008-09 periods, the total spending includes all Parliamentary appropriation sources: Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates, and Treasury Board Votes 10, 15, and 23. It also includes carry forward adjustments. For the 2009-10 to 2011-12 periods, the total spending corresponds to planned spending. Supplementary funding and carry forward adjustments are not reflected.

* In 2007-08, actual spending was $1 billion more than originally planned due to the settlement of compensation payments to individuals infected with the Hepatitis C virus through the Canadian blood supply before 1986 and after 1990.

Allocation of Health Canada funding by program activity for 2009-10

The table below provides information on the Health Canada resources approved by Parliament. The table also shows changes in resources derived from supplementary estimates and other authorities.

Vote # or Statutory Item (S)	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2008-09 Main Estimates ($ millions)	2009-10 Main Estimates ($ millions)
1	Operating expenditures	1,661.6	1,788.4
5	Capital expenditures	60.0	40.8
10	Grants and contributions	1,358.1	1,422.7
(S)	Minister of Health - Salary and motor car allowance	0.1	0.1
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	110.9	116.7
	Total	3,190.7	3,368.7

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