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Canadian Organizations
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
CRIAW is a feminist organization that does research in the context of the social change movements, with emphasis on what is happening in the women’s movement. The focus of CRIAW’s work is research, strategic networking with social change organizations and strategic distribution of the research publications
Canadian Policy Research Networks
Canadian Policy Research Networks is a non-profit, charitable policy think tank based in Ottawa. Health and Human Resources, Citizen Engagement , and Cities and Communities are some of areas of focus for CPRN's research.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPPA), an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice, has an ongoing focus on health care.
Canadian Population Health Initiative
CPHI's goals are: to build a better understanding of the factors affecting population health; to contribute to policy development to improve the health and well-being of Canadians,; to provide objective and credible information on population health issues; and to establish collaborative strategies and networks to bring a focus to understanding the determinants of health.
Institute of Population and Public Health (CIHR)
The Canadian Institutes of Public Health (CIHR) Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) supports research into the complex interactions (biological, social, cultural, environmental) which determine the health of individuals, communities, and global populations; and into the application of that knowledge to improve the health of both populations and individuals.
Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse
OPC is Ontario's leading bilingual health promotion organization. OPC works with health promoters, health professionals, volunteers, organizations, and policy-makers to transform ideas into action.
Centres for Excellence in Women's Health
Four national Centres for Excellence in Women's Health are supported by contributions from the Bureau of Women's Health and Gender Analysis, Health Canada. The Centres strengthen policy-focused research on women's health in Canada by providing opportunities for collaboration among community-based women's health groups, service providers and academic researchers.
Centre for Social Justice
The Centre for Social Justice is an advocacy organization that seeks to strengthen the struggle for social justice. The Centre has an on-going interest in working strategically to narrow the gap between rich and poor, challenging the corporate domination of Canadian politics, and pressing for policy changes that promote economic and social justice.
Canadian Review of Social Policy
The Canadian Review of Social Policy/Revue canadienne de politique sociale is a scholarly and bilingual journal of progressive social policy. It aims to promote the exchange of ideas amongst a network of people involved in education, the public sector and social movements in the field of Canadian social policy and administration. CRSP/RCSP publishes analyses of historical and current developments, issues, debates, and reviews of recent publications.
Caledon Institute of Social Policy
Through its research and analysis Caledon seeks to inform and influence public opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and social policy; it develops and promotes proposals for the reform of social programs at all levels of government and of social benefits provided by employers and the voluntary sector. Caledon's work covers a broad range of social policy areas.
Policy Research Initiative
The Policy Research Initiative conducts research in support of the Government of Canada's medium term agenda. Its core mandate is to advance research on emerging horizontal issues, and to ensure the effective transfer of acquired knowledge to policy-makers.
Key Canadian Resources
Improving the Health of Canadians: An Introduction to Health in Urban Settings
This report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) documents the health differences between affluent and poor neighbourhoods in Canada.
Public Health Agency of Canada
PHAC's web pages on "What Determines Health" include links to a variety of reports, and information about each of the twelve key determinants of health.
Staying Alive: Critical perspectives on health, illness, and health care
Raphael, D., Bryant, T., and Rioux, M. (Eds. (2006). Staying alive: Critical perspectives on health, illness, and health care. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.
Social Determinants of Health: Canadian Perspectives
Raphael, D. (Ed.). (2004). Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.
Taking Action On Population Health: Health Canada. (1998)
A position paper for health promotion and programs branch staff. Ottawa: Health Canada.
Canada's Response to WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health
From the Public Health Agency of Canada, and overview of WHO Commission, and details about Canada's contributions to its work.
International Organizations
World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of Health
The Commission on Social Determinants of Health was launched by the World Health Organization in March 2005 and will complete its initial work in May 2008. The Commission brings together leading scientists and practitioners to provide evidence on policies that improve health by addressing the social conditions which people live and work.
Key International Resources
European Health Inequalities Portal
The information and resources on this site are the result of the “Closing the Gap: Strategies for Action to Tackle Health Inequalities (2004-2007)” project developed by the Consortium of Partners for Equity in Health and co-funded by the European Commission. The site features recent examples of interventions and policies designed to reduce health inequalities in the countries of the European Union.
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
By the World Health Organization, 1986. World Health Organization European Office.

