January 2005

Information

Federal Initiative To Address HIV/AIDS In Canada

The Federal Initiative is an evolution from the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS and builds on the recommendations from the Standing Committee on Health; lessons learned from past federal HIV/AIDS strategies; and consultations with stakeholders, provinces and territories. In May 2004, the Government of Canada announced that ongoing federal HIV/AIDS funding would increase from $42.2 million to $84.4 million annually by 2008-2009.

The Federal Initiative will contribute to a comprehensive and integrated Government of Canada response - one that acknowledges that addressing the epidemic and its root causes is the only way to bring it to an end. The Federal Initiative also represents a greater federal contribution towards realizing Leading Together: An HIV/AIDS Action Plan for All Canada, which is expected to be released in early 2005.

The goals of the Federal Initiative are to:

• Prevent the acquisition and transmission of new infections;
• Slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life;
• Reduce the social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS; and
• Contribute to the global effort to reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of the disease.

Three policy directions will guide federal action under the Federal Initiative:

• Partnership and Engagement. Coherent action - locally, nationally and globally - by people, organizations and systems involved in the HIV/AIDS response is critical to reaching the goals of the Federal Initiative. To this end, federal, provincial, territorial and municipal partnerships will be enhanced while ensuring respect for jurisdictional mandates. An aligned inter- and intra-departmental approach will be put in place. It will focus on determinants of health and will have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. As well, increased engagement will be sought with the voluntary, professional and private sectors, international partners and people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Continued strong relationships with non-governmental organizations and community partners will be paramount.
• Integration. Many people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS have complex health needs and may be vulnerable to other infectious diseases, such as those transmitted sexually or by injection drug use. Federal HIV/AIDS programs will be linked with other programs, as appropriate, to ensure an integrated approach to program implementation. Programs will address barriers to services for people living with or vulnerable to multiple infections and conditions that have an impact on their health. Those affected will play a key role in overcoming these barriers.
• Accountability. The federal government will foster mutual accountability among its delivery partners and will make public their achievements and challenges on an annual basis through the World AIDS Day report (published each year on December 1).

For more information on the federal initiative, please see The Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada: Strengthening Federal Action in the Canadian Response to HIV/AIDS.

Through the Federal Initiative, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Correctional Service Canada will collaborate with other federal government departments, provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations, researchers, health care professionals and people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in five areas of federal action: program and policy interventions; knowledge development; communications and social marketing; coordination, planning, evaluation and reporting; and global engagement.

Backgrounders:

• State Of The HIV/AIDS Epidemic