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Environmental Scan of Primary Prevention Activities in Canada

December, 2009

Following a highly competitive national process, The Alder Group has been selected to carry out the Environmental Scan of Primary Prevention Activities in Canada project for the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer Corporation.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Canada and the potential impact of primary prevention initiatives in reducing this burden on society is enormous. For example, 22 percent of cancer cases in Canada can be prevented solely through the elimination of smoking.

Knowledge, education, and public policy regarding risk factors such as smoking, nutrition, physical activity, obesity, vaccine use, and sun safety (among others) are key tools in creating and implementing cancer prevention and treatment programs. As a result of the cumulative knowledge about cancer risk factors, there is a multitude of programs, policies, and legislative documents at work in Canada at the federal, provincial, and municipal government levels, as well as a wide range of non-governmental initiatives.

In order to create a more coordinated approach to the primary prevention of cancer, it is vital to understand the range of policy and programming initiatives that are currently in place regarding cancer and other chronic disease risk factors. An environmental scan will contribute greatly to meeting this goal by creating a snapshot of our national efforts regarding risk factor tracking and the policies and legislations in place or soon to be implemented for the mitigation of these risks.

With this large-scale initiative, The Alder Group continues to build on its past work with the key organizations and stakeholder groups committed to the development of chronic disease and cancer prevention programs and policies.