Pan-Canadian collaborative approach to improve the health of Canadians

TORONTO — More than 100 organizations across Canada are uniting as partners in a series of projects designed to improve the health of Canadians by preventing chronic disease. In phase two of the Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP) initiative, a total of $15.3 million is being invested in eight projects to address issues such as obesity, tobacco use, screening for cancer and chronic disease, and the unique health needs of First Nations communities.

CLASP projects incorporate research, practice and policy evidence and expertise to build on existing cancer and chronic disease prevention efforts and create healthier communities across Canada. By bringing together governments, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations into coalitions to work across provinces and territories, these collaborations expand and adapt innovative efforts that have been demonstrated to work in one part of the country.

Following a competitive application process, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer renewed three CLASP projects from phase one for an additional two years to broaden the reach and deepen the impact. And five new projects were selected to support the implementation of chronic disease prevention programs and policies across Canada over the next three years. The Partnership is investing a total of $14.1 million in partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, which is providing a total $1.2 million for CLASP through September 2016.

“CLASP works to create supportive community policies and practices so individuals can make the healthier choice, the easier choice – such as eating more fruits and vegetables, being more physically active or quitting smoking. These changes can in turn reduce an individual’s cancer risk and likelihood of developing diabetes, lung and heart diseases,” said Deb Keen, Director, Prevention and Research at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. “This coordinated approach accelerates the use of knowledge and best practices to ultimately improve the health of Canadians.”

The CLASP projects include programming in clinical, school and municipal settings as well as rural, remote and First Nations, Inuit and Métis workplaces and communities. For instance, the ACCELERATION project will recruit family and friends of people who have suffered an acute event associated with cancer or chronic disease into a 12-week prevention program to provide them with tools to create a health-promoting environment for their loved one upon release from hospital.

“The Heart and Stroke Foundation is proud to support these CLASP projects. The CLASP program is a unique means of disseminating chronic disease prevention best practices and learnings across Canada. The projects funded through this program will communicate critical knowledge that will help improve the heart health of Canadians,” said David Sculthorpe, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

CLASP was launched in 2009 with funding from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

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For more information please contact:

Lesley Frey
(416) 915-9222 ext.  5760
1 (877) 360-1665 ext. 5760

About the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer is an organization funded by the federal government to accelerate action on cancer control for all Canadians. We bring together cancer experts, government representatives, the Canadian Cancer Society and cancer patients, survivors and their families through the Canadian Cancer Action Network to implement the first pan-Canadian cancer control strategy. We aim to be a driving force to achieve a focused approach that will help prevent cancer, enhance the quality of life of those affected by cancer, lessen the likelihood of dying from cancer and increase the efficiency of cancer control in Canada.