Public Health 2026

Date: March 11 to March 13, 2026

Registration: Register Here

Registration is now open the the Canadian Public Health Association Public Health 2026 conference. 

Public Health 2026 is the national conference where public health professionals, researchers, policy-makers, academics, students and trainees come together to strengthen efforts to improve health and well-being, to share the latest research and information, to promote best practices and to advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research.

National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (NCCMT) Practice-based Workshops

Date: dates vary 

Registration: Click here to learn more and register

Registration is now open for the NCCMT practice-based workshops. These workshops help prepare you to meet the demands of today’s public health challenges. These practice-based sessions use real-world examples to develop your skills for integrating evidence in your practice. Upcoming sessions include:

• Evidence Synthesis for Public Health Decision Making: This workshop will take you through the evidence review process with hands-on examples for steps in evidence synthesis and resources to support continued learning.
• Implementation & Evaluation: This workshop provides hands-on guidance through the steps involved in planning, implementing and evaluating change.

The Alberta Public Health Association (APHA) is concerned by the Alberta government’s decision to restrict no-cost access to COVID-19 vaccine to only high-risk groups, while limiting access to public health clinics and requiring most Albertans to pay out-of-pocket for immunization.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be provided at no-cost to the following population groups:

• all residents of continuing care homes and seniors supportive living accommodations home care clients
• individuals six months of age and older with an eligible underlying medical condition and compromised immune systems
• health care workers
• individuals experiencing homelessness
• individuals 65 and older receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit

The changes to this year’s approach—including narrowing eligibility for publicly funded vaccines, removing access through pharmacies, and introducing out-of-pocket costs—are deeply concerning. This shift reduces informed choice and creates barriers for Albertans.

The APHA is particularly concerned about the following:

• COVID-19 vaccines will only be available at a cost ($100) for the general population, which will limit access and undermine vaccine uptake.
• COVID-19 vaccines will not be available at pharmacies, which will limit access for rural communities and others who rely on these providers for seasonal vaccination.
• Omission of certain high-risk groups including family caregivers who care for family members with an underlying medical condition or compromised immune system as well as Albertans and families living with low-income. This will create barriers for at-risk Albertans.  

The impact of communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, on public health requires effective and equitable responses to minimize health, societal and economic impacts. One of the most critical tools in combating communicable diseases is universal access to vaccination.

While fiscal responsibility and efforts to reduce COVID-19 vaccine wastage are important, public health decisions must prioritize equitable access, disease prevention and collective protection. COVID-19 continues to pose a serious threat to health and health systems, particularly for marginalized and disadvantaged communities and groups. Universal access to vaccination remains one of the most effective and efficient tools to fostering community immunity and reducing severe illness, hospitalizations, adverse and long-term health impacts of communicable diseases as well as reducing health system costs to manage and treat communicable diseases such as COVID-19.

We believe all Albertans deserve timely, equitable access to vaccines—regardless of where they live, their income, or their ability to navigate complex systems. Vaccines are not merely personal protective measures—they are a public good. Alberta’s new policy risks burdening our health system, exacerbating health inequities, weakening immunization coverage, and increasing the likelihood of future outbreaks.

The APHA urges the Government of Alberta to reconsider aspects of the current approach to ensure that no one is left behind. The APHA recommends the Alberta government: 

1) Restore universally accessible, publicly funded COVID-19 immunization for all residents. 

2) Provide transparent, clear and consistent communication on vaccine access and the importance of vaccination.

3) Provide leadership and uphold immunization as a core public health function. 

TAKE ACTION

More information on accessing the COVID-19 vaccine

You can find more information about the Government of Alberta's COVID-19 immunization approach here.

To access the COVID-19 vaccine, all Albertans can use the Alberta Vaccine Booking System to book COVID-19 immunizations. 

Public health in focus: Measles - Stop the Spread

Canada has lost its measles elimination status, and cases continue to rise. This video features insight from Dr. Kirsten Fiest on measles in Canada, why cases are rising, and what steps help protect our communities. The Public Health in Focus series is a new initiative by the O'Brien Institute for Public Health and the Alberta Public Health Association aimed at providing clear, expert-informed, evidence-based information during pressing public health events. 

Providing evidence-informed information on protecting ourselves from winter viruses 

Dr. James Dickinson, member of the O'Brien Institute for Public Health at University of Calgary, is working to spread information on how all of us can protect ourselves from on-going winter viruses. Read the op-ed by Dr. Dickinson.

Canada has lost its measles elimination status

The Pan American Health Organization has notified the Public Health Agency of Canada that Canada no longer holds measles elimination status. The Pan American Health Organization confirmed that Canada has experienced a sustained transmission of the same measles virus strain for a period of more than one year.

Listen to former Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. James Talbot, speak to the loss of Canada’s measles elimination status and what can be done to restore it.

Former CMOH says Alberta needs to ‘address the root causes’ of measles outbreak

An admission to the world that we've failed: doctor on Canada's measles status