ESDC launches call for proposals under the NHSP

ESDC launches a call for proposals under the New Horizons for Seniors Program, and New Brunswick announces a new prescription monitoring system. On that, and more, here is your Syntax Weekly Health Round-Up.

Around the Hill

• The House of Commons and Senate are adjourned for the summer recess.

Around Government 

• Health Canada released the final report from the Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office’s Appropriate Use Advisory Committee on the appropriate use of medications. The report provides nine recommendations to inform how to best develop and implement a pan-Canadian strategy — to be developed by the Canadian Drug Agency — for the appropriate use of prescription medications.
• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) launched a call for proposals for community-based projects through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). Organizations can apply for funding to deliver projects that will help seniors be more connected and active members of their communities. The four national priorities for this year’s cycle are: supporting healthy aging, preventing senior abuse, celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion, and supporting financial security.

Around the Dominion

• The Government of New Brunswick announced a new prescription monitoring system to make it easier for healthcare providers to identify risks associated with monitored drugs such as opioids, and tougher for these drugs to be misused. The program tracks the prescription and dispensation of all drugs, including monitored drugs like opioids, stimulants, and sedatives, to minimize the risk of harm to patients and assist healthcare providers in their decisions.
• The Government of Manitoba moved to improve service times for youth on the waitlist for counselling services by providing $200,000 in funding to enable a local Integrated Youth Services group, Huddle NorWest, to hire additional full-time clinicians to provide counselling appointments, serving an additional 140 youth who were previously on the waitlist.
• Still in Manitoba, the government announced an investment of $200,000 to support biotechnology through the creation of a working group tasked with assessing the needs and gaps within the clinical trials ecosystem and informing government on opportunities to support the sector.
• Saskatchewan launched “HOMEBASE” as the brand for its Integrated Youth Services sites across the province. The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan coordinates the sites with $3.4 million in funding from the Government of Saskatchewan in 2024-25 for development and operations.