FAQ

Questions about the work of the Partnership to refresh the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control? Your answers below.

  • The cancer landscape has changed significantly since the original Strategy was developed, creating new opportunities and challenges, such as an aging population and new health technologies. To address this, the federal government asked Canadian Partnership Against Cancer to modernize the Strategy.
    The Strategy itself has been refreshed to ensure it can continue to guide our collective efforts in the years ahead, but our vision remains the same: We want fewer Canadians developing cancer, more Canadians surviving cancer and those with cancer to have a better quality of life.
  • Canadians are looking for support to prevent cancer. And if they do get it, they want to be diagnosed fast and treated with the best options available, with support provided when they need it. As part of this, they want transparent measurement and reporting to ensure all Canadians are receiving equitable access to best-in-class cancer care and control.
  • This work was done by reviewing all inputs from engagements, written submissions, the online Choicebook™ survey, as well as provincial and territorial cancer plans, published scientific literature, and Canadian and international research reviews on best practices. To refine and focus the priorities and actions, we engaged with an External Advisory Committee made up of clinical experts, patient and family advisors and representatives from other sectors in health, including public policy, primary care, research and technology, representatives from provincial ministries of health, provincial cancer agencies and programs.

    We also engaged with the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies, Health Canada, our Board of Directors, and provincial and territorial deputy ministers of health, cancer agency leaders and First Nations, Inuit and Métis Advisors.
  • The 2006 Strategy was crafted by dedicated advocates within the health system for cancer care change at a national level – their vision was broad and their priorities all encompassing. Today, we know we must focus on what needs our attention the most, to achieve equitable care for all Canadians. The refreshed Strategy includes the priorities of First Nations, Inuit and Métis, a needed area of focus which was absent in the original Strategy.
  • One out of two Canadians will face cancer in their lifetime. Our healthcare system must be ready for this challenge but unfortunately, there are widening inequities with underserviced communities being disproportionately affected by the disease.
  • The Strategy is a visionary yet practical document for the cancer system for the next decade. It reflects the priorities of jurisdictions across the country, all of whom have investment plans for achieving these. The Partnership coordinates collaboration and adoption of best practices, but the sustainment of real change is the role of the provincial and territorial funders.
  • Governments, organizations and individuals involved in the refreshed Strategy’s development are central to its implementation. From now through the Fall 2019, the Partnership will meet with key stakeholders to discuss the Strategy’s priorities and immediate actions. Ongoing planning with First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, organizations and communities is critical. Importantly, the voice of the patient, families and the public will continue to inform the implementation of the Strategy in the coming years.
    The Partnership will be calling organizations to action on key priorities they have a mandate to address and working to remove barriers to their progress. We will be aligning and integrating work across all organizations in the cancer system to make faster progress and to reduce duplication.
  • The Partnership knows that critical supports are required to achieve the Strategy’s shared goals in the decade ahead. Part of implementation planning will be establishing targets and reporting to Canadians on collective progress. The Partnership will support partners in setting common measures, building data collection capacity and making data-informed decisions.
  • First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, organizations and individuals were engaged across Canada using a parallel process to ensure Peoples-specific priorities and challenges were understood and reflected in the Strategy. Engagement was guided by principles developed in collaboration with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Elders and cancer survivors, governments, organizations and communities, and build on previous engagement efforts.
  • Given the shared ownership of the Strategy and the federated nature of Canada’s health systems, Canadians and cancer system leaders believe that a Strategy steward continues to be a critical enabler of coordinated pan-Canadian action. Some challenges can be solved at the local, provincial or territorial level, others are better to elevate to the pan-Canadian level to ensure equity and access to best practices across our diverse country.