October 2005

Information

Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease

Integrated Cancer Funding

Our Successes

We have seen small declines in mortality rates for cancer among both men and women since the late 1980s, primarily as a result of decreasing mortality rates from breast, prostate and colorectal cancer.

Perhaps the greatest success in cancer control has been in reducing the use of tobacco. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of many cancers in Canada. The number of smokers in Canada has reduced from 50% in 1965 to 20% in 2004. In addition, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in enclosed public spaces has reduced from 27% in 2000 to 16% in 2003 for children under 18.

Other successes to date include improved screening techniques, improved cancer treatment and outcomes and the increased recognition of the importance of cancer prevention. We now know that about half of the cases of cancer in Canada are preventable.

Despite these positive steps, cancer is currently the leading cause of premature death in Canada. An estimated 149 000 new cases of cancer and 69 500 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2005. The increased number of new cases of cancer is primarily due to an increasing and aging population. 44% of new cases and 60% of deaths due to cancer occur among those who are least 70 years old.

Federal Government Contributions

Stemming from the First Ministers' Meeting in 2004, all governments recognize that public health efforts on health promotion, disease and injury prevention are critical to achieving better health outcomes for Canadians and contributing to the long-term sustainability of Medicare by reducing pressure on the health care system. In particular, managing chronic disease more effectively maintains health status for individuals and counters a growing trend of increasing disease burden.

A $41 billion long-term agreement on health care was made in 2004 with all of Canada's Premiers - an agreement which provides federal cash transfers to provinces and territories in support of health will rise from $16.3 billion and will reach $30.5 billion in 2013-14 thus meeting and surpassing every financial benchmark established by the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada. This money will help make our health care system better through shorter waiting times; more health care professionals and equipment; better primary care and home care; greater research and innovation; and better public health and wellness.

Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease: With the launch of the Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease, the strategic priority areas of the CSCC will be advanced not only by the cancer-specific elements of the Strategy ($59.5 M over five years) but also by integrated chronic disease initiatives such as an observatory of best practices that gets at "what works" in health promotion and chronic disease prevention and demonstration projects to allow provinces and territories test different approaches to integration and compare experiences ($34.6 M over five years). Lessons learned in Canada and in other countries in combatting other chronic diseases can benefit cancer and vice versus (other disease-specific strategies funded at $109 M over five years). Federal health promotion efforts under the Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy that help change factors in society that influence the risk of developing cancer and other chronic diseases, such as supports for healthy eating and physical activity, will also contribute to cancer control ($56 M over five years).

Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS) $560 M over five years starting in 2001 for the protection, prevention, cessation and harm reduction/product modification. For 2004-05, spending is estimated at $49.1 M for the Tobacco Control Programme, $9.6 M for First Nations Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) initiative and $9.46 M for advertising.

Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative (CBCI): Since 1992, the CBCI has worked to reduce the incidence of breast cancer and its mortality rate among women, and to improve the lives of women who have the disease. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) currently invests $4 M annually to support research, care and treatment, professional education, guidelines and programs for early detection, and access to information for women.

Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (CBCRA): PHAC invests $3 M annually to support high quality research on all aspects of the disease. As the primary funder of the breast cancer research in Canada, CBCRA maintains an alliance of partners to focus resources on breast cancer research. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) also contributes to this initiative as part of its overall funding for cancer research (see below).

Cancer Surveillance: PHAC expects to invest $830 K in 2005-06 towards cancer surveillance activities such as the Cancer Staging Standardization and Training Program, preparation of Cancer Statistics 2006, Cancer in Young Adults and Women's Cancer.

Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control (CSCC) Secretariat: $500 K annually invested by PHAC for work on CSCC to better integrate cancer control activities in Canada in partnership with national and provincial cancer stakeholders.

Canadian Childhood Cancer Surveillance and Control Program: $385 K in 2004-05 from PHAC. The Program was designed as a nationally integrated system aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by childhood cancer in Canada and improving the lives of affected children and families.

Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR): CIHR funds cancer-related research. In 2004-05 CIHR funded $105 M in cancer research. CIHR's Institute of Cancer Research works closely with its partners, including research funding organizations, those who carry out the research, and those who use its findings, to develop its strategic plan and research initiatives. Through these efforts the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA) was formed, which includes CIHR, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, and provincial cancer agencies.

Terry Fox Foundation: $10M one-time grant in 2005-06 for cancer research in recognition of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope.

Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI): CFI funds projects that invest in cancer research infrastructure. In 2004, investments in cancer research infrastructure of nearly $60 M were announced. Since 1997, $246 M has been invested.

Wait Times Reduction Fund: $15 M over four years for federal efforts that support national wait times initiatives to support reduction in wait times, will augment existing provincial and territorial investments and assist jurisdiction in their diverse initiatives to reduce wait times in priority areas including cancer. This fund is complementary to the larger First Ministers' Meeting and Budget 2005 commitment of $5.5 billion to provinces and territories to support reduction in wait times in priority areas, including cancer.

Environmental Health: $90 M over five years to Health Canada for implementation of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to reduce environmental toxins could contribute to decreased cancer incidence. This includes development of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, many of which are based on health risks associated with cancers.

UV Index Sun Awareness Program: $490 K has been dedicated since 1999-2000 to the Program (shared between Health Canada and Environment Canada), which includes research on the health effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation on humans. This includes research on gamma rays, cell phone and cell tower emission, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays and the effect of sunscreen use.

Pan-Canadian Health Human Resource Strategy: In response to the First Ministers' Meeting 2003 Health Care Accord commitments, the Government of Canada has committed $20 M annually to the HHR Strategy in order to: secure and maintain a stable and optimal health workforce in Canada and support health care renewal that contributes to the overall health of the Canadian population.

Palliative Care: The Government of Canada has been working with many partners on this issue. In 2002, it furthered its commitment to palliative and end-of-life care through a proposed plan for the development of a collaborative, national strategy for Canadians in this area. Work is ongoing to create linkages between best practices and quality care with education for health and allied professionals, and to identify the linkages between national accreditation standards with a surveillance system design that includes national indicators.