Rural Health

Rural Health
	About the Office of Rural Health
	Frequently Asked Questions
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	Innovations Initiative
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Rural Canada occupies 9.5 million square kilometres, or around 95% of Canada's territory. Almost 9 million Canadians -- about 30% of Canada's population -- live in rural and remote areas of the country. In rural Canada, as in urban Canada, good health is a major resource for social, economic, community and personal development.

Health Canada has a long history of listening and responding to the health concerns of rural Canadians. This commitment was strengthened with the establishment of the Office of Rural Health in September 1998 to ensure that the views and concerns of rural Canadians are better reflected in departmental programs and policies as well as national health policy and health system renewal strategies. Other Health Canada programs or issue areas also contribute in a wide range of ways to the care and well being of Canadians in rural communities.

About the Office of Rural Health

Who We Are

The Office of Rural Health was established in Health Canada in September 1998 in response to the federal government's commitment to applying a "rural lens" to its policies, programs and services.

What We Do

The Office provides policy advice on rural health issues; identifies rural health issues in relation to broad federal, departmental and regional priorities; fosters understanding about rural health issues of national concern and builds consensus on how to address them; identifies emerging trends; works with others to promote, encourage or influence action on rural health issues; and promotes the involvement of rural citizens, communities and health care providers.

The Office also acts as a focal point for information about rural health related activities in other areas of Health Canada.

How We Do Our Work

The Office of Rural Health does this by:

• providing a "rural" perspective to departmental efforts to help improve the health of Canadians;
• working with other federal government departments and agencies to respond to concerns regarding "access to health care" in rural Canada;
• collaborating with the provinces and territories on areas of shared interest and identifying potential opportunities for joint action;
• meeting and working with rural health stakeholders (e.g., provincial and territorial governments, rural health care providers, rural communities, etc) to strengthen our understanding about rural health issues and to develop innovative solutions;
• promoting the development of a national framework on rural health research and networking among rural health researchers;
• supporting the development of a national rural health strategy to help guide federal action on rural health;
• encouraging linkages between people interested in rural health issues; and
• sharing information about Canada's experience(s) on rural health nationally and internationally.

Publications

• Paper: Summary of Definitions of Rural
• Canada's Rural Health Strategy: A One-Year Review