Policy Instruments

Links to Canadian, provincial and territorial legislation and standards relevant to public health.

Legislation and Acts

Government of Canada

Provincial and Territorial Governments – listed alphabetically

Provincial and Territorial Governments and their Public Health Acts
Provincial and Territorial Governments Public Health Acts
Alberta Public Health Act Alberta (PDF document) (current as of June 12, 2013)
British Columbia Public Health Act British Columbia (current as of December 31, 2013)
Manitoba New Public Health Act Manitoba (2009) and regulations
New Brunswick Public Health Act New Brunswick (1998; current as of January 28, 2014)
Newfoundland Health and Community Services Act (1995; consolidated to December 9, 2013) and other public regulations
Northwest Territories Public Health Act Northwest Territories (PDF document) (September 14, 2009)
Nova Scotia Health Protection Act (PDF document) (amended 2010)
Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act (last amendment 2011)
Prince Edward Island  Public Health Act Prince Edward Island (PDF document) (current September 1, 2013)
Quebec Public Health Act Quebec (updated January 1, 2014)
Saskatchewan Public Health Act Saskatchewan (updated November 14, 2013) and associated Acts
Yukon Public Health and Safety Act (PDF document) (amended 2013)

Public Health Standards

British Columbia

Framework for Core Functions in Public Health (2013)

This website provides links to legislation and policy, evidence reviews, and model core program papers for a wide variety of health topics, including healthy communities, healthy living, environmental health, and chronic disease prevention.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Public Health Standards (PDF document) (2011-2016)

This document outlines the public health standards for Nova Scotia.  It addresses five standards: foundational (e.g. workforce, health equity, infrastructure), healthy development (e.g. infants, children, youth, families), healthy communities (e.g. settings), prevention and control of communicable diseases (e.g. immunization), and environmental health.

Ontario

Ontario Public Health Standards (various dates)

This website offers links to Ontario’s public health standards, which include 6 program standards: foundational, chronic diseases and injuries, family health, infectious disease, environmental health, and emergency preparedness. The website also provides links to public health protocols on drinking water, food safety, infectious diseases, and healthy babies/healthy children.