An Overview of the Public Health System in the Province of Ontario, Canada
An Overview of the Public Health System in the Province of Ontario, Canada

Summary/Abstract: The public health system in the province of Ontario in Canada is a publicly funded system that is responsible for addressing the health status of the population. Public health involves the combined effort of all levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal) in the country to strengthen the health system and promote the health of Canadians. The federal Canada Health Act guides the delivery of health services, with the administration of the health system a provincial responsibility. There are multiple organizations involved in public health including the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Local Health Integration Networks, local Boards of Health, Public Health Ontario, and the Ontario Public Health Association. Public health program costs at Ontario’s 36 public health units are shared between municipal and provincial governments. Public health initiatives undertaken by public health units and governmental agencies are aimed at addressing and improving the population’s determinants of health.

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