The Canadian Health Network (CHN), Canada's leading web-based source for
health information by Canadians, is the latest national program to be
slated for closure by the Harper Government. Announced today to CHN
affiliates, the program will no longer be funded at the end of March
2008. 

The Canadian Health Network is a national, bilingual web-portal that
aims to help Canadians find the information they're looking for on how
to stay healthy and prevent disease. The CHN does this through a unique
and extensive collaboration between the Public Health Agency of Canada,
26 major health organizations, universities, hospitals, and libraries.
  Find it at http://www.canadian-health-network.ca  

CHN offers links to more than 20,000 English and French Canadian
web-based, quality-assessed resources; in-depth information on 25 key
health topics and population groups; and a fortnightly e-newsletter. It
is used currently by approximately 381,000 people per month. Usage has
grown steadily since it was created in 1999, and especially rapidly in
2007, increasing by 70 per cent over 2006. Approximately 40 per cent of
CHN visitors are health professionals who use CHN resources both
personally and with clients; Francophones visit CHN in higher
proportions than comparable sites; and 94 per cent of users recommend
the site to others. Eighty per cent of the 15 million Canadians on-line
use the Internet to seek health information. Add to this, the fact that
CHN costs are decreasing, making the portal more cost efficient
over-time. Why then would government choose to cut this program exactly
when the Federal Government is experiencing a surplus?

The Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse and the Centre for Health Promotion
at the University of Toronto - who jointly are CHN's Health Promotion
Affiliate - are dismayed by this move. In coming days, we anticipate
that CHN affiliates will mount arguments to oppose this cut and ask for
your help. Please get the word out, stay tuned for more news, and join
in the efforts to bring attention to health promotion and prevention.  


Alison Stirling,

Knowledge Management Developer,
The Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse,
180 Dundas Street W., Suite 1900 
Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8 
Direct: 416-408-6918 or 416-408-2249 x 2227
Toll-free (in Ontario)  1-800-397-9567 x2227
Email: [log in to unmask]  
www.opc.on.ca
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