Table 1 Public health context – British Columbia and Ontario

Public health structure

Public health units are integrated within five geographical and one provincial health authority. Public health is integrated into the larger health care system.

Public health is delivered by thirty-six individual public health unitseach with a board of health responsible for local programmes and service delivery within the larger health care system.

Governance

Provincial government and regional health authorities.

Provincial government and municipal governments.

Funding

Provincial funding to health authorities.

Provincial and municipal funding.

Provincial core policy

Core public health functions framework, with 20 core programmes implementation of which is guided by evidence reviews and model core programme papers.

Ontario public health standards with one foundational standard and 14 standards implementation of which is guided by protocols and guidelines.

Provincial public health agencies

Provincial health services authority, within which the British Columbia center for disease control is situated.

Ontario agency for health protection and promotion (later renamed Public Health Ontario).