NEW PUBLIC HEALTH ACT WILL PROTECT BRITISH COLUMBIANS

VICTORIA – The Province’s new Public Health Act comes into effect March 31, 2009, replacing outdated legislation and setting the groundwork for a modernization of public health.

The new act will improve the Province’s ability to deal with threats of global infectious disease, provide stronger tools to address the growing burden of chronic diseases and provide the ability for government to ensure that communities fulfil their role as a partner in preventing mental illness, problematic substance use as well as treating and housing residents with mental health and addiction challenges.

The Public Health Act replaces the Health Act, Venereal Disease Act and Public Toilet Act.

Changes include:

· The modernization of powers and duties of public health officials for communicable disease prevention and control, environmental health hazard response, chronic disease and hazard prevention, and public health emergency response; e.g. updated inspection powers, powers to issue orders, quarantine and isolation provisions.

· Improved health monitoring abilities such as being able to require the reporting of indicators of hazardous environmental exposures e.g. blood levels of lead and mercury.

· The ability of health officers to order groups of people to take prevention measures to control a health hazard. Previous to this new provision, each individual affected by a health hazard had to be issued a separate and unique order.

· Ability to require public health planning.

· New powers to regulate operations, activities or conditions that could pose a health hazard or adversely affect long-term population health. This includes requiring restrictions on trans fat in prepared food.

· Provisions that ensure administrative fairness.

· Strengthened relationships with and clarification of responsibilities of local governments regarding public health.

· Modernization of enforcement, sentencing and penalty provisions.

Other B.C. legislation that supports public health activities includes the Drinking Water Protection Act, the Food Safety Act, the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, the Tobacco Control Act and the School Act.

The Public Health Act is available online through www.hls.gov.bc.ca/phact/

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Media contact:	Anne McKinnon Communications Director Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport 250 812-4012 (cell)

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