Item - 2024.HL12.6

The Board of Health:

1. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report back to the October 21, 2024 meeting of the Board of Health on Toronto Public Health’s role and actions to prevent and address cancer in Toronto.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in Ontario. Different kinds of cancer have different risk factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, certain types of infections, and UV exposure. Data from the Toronto Public Health Population Health Profile (2023) indicate that an increasing number of Toronto residents were overdue for breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening in 2020. In addition, Toronto’s liver cancer incidence rate is higher than the Ontario rate and is seventh-highest out of all public health units.

Every day, Toronto Public Health works to protect and promote population health in our city. This includes working across the city to reduce the risk of cancer through advancing policies that support health and well-being, changing the environment to reduce exposure to health hazards, and promoting initiatives that enhance awareness and education.

To better understand Toronto Public Health’s involvement in addressing cancer at a population level, I am requesting staff report back to the Board of Health in October 2024 outlining TPH’s role and actions to prevent and address cancer in Toronto.