2025
CPHA and PHA-NBPEI Raise Alarm over Reassignment of Public Health Nurses in New Brunswick
June 27, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Public Health Association of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (PHA-NBPEI) are sounding the alarm over the Horizon Health Network’s plan to reassign 90% of public health nurses to hospital settings and replace them with licensed practical nurses (LPNs). The Associations warn that this decision will erode the province’s public health capacity and jeopardize the delivery of essential community-based services.
“Public health nurses are the first line of defense in our health system,” said Ian Culbert, CPHA’s…
More Alcohol, More Harm: CPHA Urges Nova Scotia to Rethink Retail Expansion
June 26, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is sounding the alarm over the Nova Scotia government’s proposal to expand alcohol sales into convenience stores and other private retail outlets. The Association warns that increasing access to alcohol will have predictable and preventable consequences for public health and health system sustainability.
“This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about consequence,” said Ian Culbert, Executive Director of CPHA. “The evidence is unequivocal: when alcohol becomes easier to buy, more people drink, more people get sick, and…
Honouring Indigenous Leadership, Knowledge, and Sovereignty
June 21, 2025
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day—a time to honour the histories, cultures, languages, and leadership of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Turtle Island. The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) recognizes the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous communities and affirms our shared responsibility to uphold the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.
This day is more than a celebration. It is a call to action for public health institutions to move beyond acknowledgment and toward concrete, sustained partnerships rooted in…
CPHA Salutes Dr. Theresa Tam
June 20, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) extends its gratitude to Dr. Theresa Tam as she concludes her tenure as Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO), capping a distinguished career dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of all people in Canada.
Dr. Tam has served the country with dedication, integrity, and humility throughout her more than three decades of public health service. From her early work as a pediatric infectious disease specialist to her appointment as the nation’s top public health advisor, she has consistently brought scientific excellence,…
Alberta’s COVID-19 Vaccine Policy Puts Public Health at Risk
June 16, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is deeply concerned by Alberta’s decision to restrict free access to COVID-19 vaccines to only the highest-risk groups, while requiring most Albertans—including seniors and frontline workers—to pay out-of-pocket for immunization.
While fiscal responsibility and efforts to reduce vaccine wastage are important, public health decisions must prioritize equitable access, disease prevention, and collective protection. COVID-19 continues to pose a serious threat to health and health systems, particularly for structurally disadvantaged…
CPHA and OPHA raise alarms over Ontario’s Bill 5
May 26, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) express profound concern over Ontario’s proposed Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025. This sweeping omnibus legislation poses significant risks to public health, environmental protection, and Indigenous rights across the province.
Key Public Health Concerns
- Erosion of Environmental Protections
Bill 5 proposes to repeal Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, replacing it with a weaker framework that diminishes…
Public Health Leaders Sound Alarm on Alberta Bill 55 – Call for Transparent, Evidence-based Reform
May 14, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Alberta Public Health Association (APHA) are deeply concerned about Alberta’s proposed Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Bill 55), which would further consolidate control over public health under the direct authority of the provincial government. The bill proposes to move Medical Officers of Health (MOHs) and public health inspectors from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to Alberta Health, while transferring communicable disease control and other critical…
Dr. Bonnie Henry and Dr. Suzanne Jackson honoured for their transformative public health leadership
April 29, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario (29 April 2025) – 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 2025 Honorary Awards to be presented at its annual conference on Wednesday 30 April 2025:
Public Health 2025
April 28, 2025
Winnipeg, Manitoba (28 April 2025) – Public Health 2025 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 2025: The Canadian Public Health…
Alberta’s proposed involuntary treatment legislation a threat to public health
February 27, 2025
The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) expresses deep concern over the Government of Alberta’s proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act and the creation of an addiction treatment order. These changes, if enacted, would significantly expand the ability to impose involuntary treatment on individuals, including not only those with substance use disorders but anyone who uses substances. CPHA urges the Alberta government to abandon this coercive and ineffective approach and instead…