Health Canada launches consultations on renewal of the Official Languages Health Contribution Program

OTTAWA, Sept. 13, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Health Canada is pleased to launch an open consultation process to solicit feedback on the future design of the Official Languages Health Contribution Program (OLHCP). The intent of the program is to improve access to health services to English-speaking communities of Québec and French communities elsewhere in Canada.

Health Canada launched this program in 2003 in response to consultations with Canada's English and French minority communities. Input from this consultation will allow Health Canada to put the best possible strategy in place in order to meet the needs of Canada's official language communities. 

The information collected will be summarized and used to guide further discussions with government officials, funding recipients and community representatives. This process will help to identify any new measures that should be put forward for the next phase of the program from 2018 to 2023.   

Members of the public, official language minority communities across Canada, as well as key stakeholder groups such as federal and provincial partners, health care practitioners and administrators, academic institutions, and organizations currently or previously supported by the OLHCP, are invited to provide comments on this consultation either online, by email, or by mail.

The deadline for providing comments is November 4, 2016. Please refer to for the consultation questionnaire and accompanying reference document.

Quick Facts

• In March 2013, the federal government launched the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities, committing $1.1 billion over five years to fifteen departments and agencies to promote the French and English language in Canadian society.
• Health Canada received $174.3 million over five years to carry out the Official Languages Health Contribution Program. The two main objectives of the Program are to improve access to health services in the minority official language, and increase the use of both official languages in the provision of health services.
• The program supports labour market initiatives, health networking strategies and health services projects. The delivery of these three components involves a broad range of funding recipients including: the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS), McGill University, Société Santé en français, and Community Health and Social Services Network.

Associated Links

Consultation on the renewal of the Official Languages Health Contribution Program  
Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages

Health Canada news releases are available on the Internet at: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/media

SOURCE Health Canada

Media Relations: Health Canada, 613-957-2983; Public Inquiries:613-957-2991, 1-866 225-0709