In recent years, communities across Canada have faced complex public health challenges that have highlighted the need to improve the preparedness and resiliency of our health and social systems.
Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $3.2 million through the Intersectoral Action Fund (ISAF) for 16 additional projects based in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. These projects aim to improve health conditions and the systems and structures that shape them, helping everyone in Canada reach their full health potential.
ISAF was launched in 2021 to support capacity strengthening in communities by advancing intersectoral action on social determinants of health, such as income, social status, racism, and healthy child development. Since its launch and with today's announcement, ISAF will have provided funding to 43 projects in communities across Canada. From addressing the intersections of poverty and racism in Saskatchewan through a project led by the Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership (via the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre), to supporting healthy child development in Atlantic Canada through the promotion of a Mental Health in All Policies approach (via the Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities), ISAF supports community level projects led by change-makers across Canada.
Bringing together communities to help address social determinants of health is part of the government's commitment to advance health equity in Canada. This means helping to give everyone the same opportunities to be healthy, no matter who they are or where they live. Working with community members, stakeholders and decision-makers contributes to building a solid foundation for improving the wellbeing of communities and preparing them to face current and future health challenges.
