You may have come across the announcement of a major prevention plan and wondered what exactly it would change at your next follow-up. The national health prevention strategy of Quebec relies on a five-year roadmap: a government action plan of 54 measures, backed by $252.5 million (Government of Quebec). Announcements talk about big targets, while everyday life is about appointments and habits. Here is what the document really says, what it leaves intact and what remains within your reach.
On this page
- What the strategy and its action plan are
- The four orientations, table in hand
- The 10% target, read to the letter
- What the plan can change for you
- What the plan does not change
- How the plan will be rolled out and monitored
- What you can do on your side
- Myths and misconceptions
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
What the strategy and its action plan are
The National Health Prevention Strategy sets a direction: focusing more on what prevents a disease from appearing or getting worse, rather than on what treats it once it has set in. The government action plan is the roadmap for the next five years of this strategy (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés).
Two levels, one logic
The Strategy sets out the vision, four broad orientations and nineteen collective ambitions (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés). The action plan goes down a level: it turns these ambitions into 54 specific measures, each with a lead, meaning a responsible ministry or agency, and sometimes a co-lead. About thirty government ministries and agencies are taking part, and the text also counts on partners from various sectors, including citizens.
A budget announced over five years
The government is announcing a total investment of $252.5 million over five years for the plan as a whole (Government of Quebec). This amount funds very different kinds of measures, from access to green spaces to support for people who want to quit smoking. It therefore does not translate into a single service that you would see appear all at once.
What the plan aims to produce
The document aims to improve the population’s health and well-being and to support the sustainability of the health and social services system. Its measures cover preventive clinical interventions, living conditions, behaviours, living environments, and innovation and research (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés). If you are interested in how the system works in general, our article on the health system reform and its effect on patients gives the broader context.
The four orientations, table in hand
The plan is organized around four orientations, which match those of the Strategy. The table below shows the number of measures in each and two examples, translated from the official summary table (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés).
| Orientation | Examples of measures (plan wording, translated) |
|---|---|
| 1. Reducing the burden of preventable diseases (20 measures) | “Make smoking cessation support interventions systematic in the health and social services system”; “Offer support to people with risk factors or chronic diseases to help them change their lifestyle habits” |
| 2. Committing to healthy generations, today and tomorrow (15 measures) | “Promote environments that support breastfeeding”; “Make young people aware of the importance of sleep quality, duration and regularity” |
| 3. Preserving and building healthy, sustainable living environments (8 measures) | “Improve access to nearby green and blue spaces, particularly for populations in vulnerable situations”; “Support local initiatives to improve access to safe active mobility for targeted populations” |
| 4. Making prevention a societal project (11 measures) | “Strengthen health literacy and understanding of health information among seniors living at home and caregivers”; “Develop innovative ways to fight health disinformation and misinformation” |
Four levels of intervention
Each measure is also classified by type of action: healthy public policy, prevention in communities, empowerment and mutual aid, or preventive clinical services. The last level is the one closest to care. The others act mainly around you: on the food supply, neighbourhoods, workplaces and available information.
Read the verb before reading a promise
The measures do not all have the same reach, and the verb that opens each one gives a hint, even though the plan does not rank the verbs. “Systematize” or “offer” describes a service. “Explore” or “evaluate” describes reflection. For example, one measure aims to evaluate, based on evidence, the possibility of changing the conditions of access to pharmacological smoking cessation aids: this is a review, not a decision already made.
The 10% target, read to the letter
The target of the plan is often summarized loosely, which is why it is worth reading the official wording. The plan’s text speaks of “a 10% reduction in the growth of the burden of preventable diseases” and “a 10% decrease in the premature mortality gap linked to socioeconomic inequalities.”
What the official text says
According to the government’s news release, the preventable diseases in question include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, mental health disorders and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections. Premature mortality refers to deaths occurring before age 75, which remain more common in groups in vulnerable situations (Government of Quebec). Both targets apply to the Strategy’s deadline, which is further off than that of the five-year action plan (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés).
Two readings to set aside
The first wrong reading: “the plan wants to eliminate 10% of preventable diseases.” That is not what the text says. The target is about the growth of the burden, meaning how fast it is getting heavier, not the number of people affected today. The plan separately tracks indicators meant to fall, such as the rate of deaths avoidable through prevention.
The second: “the plan guarantees everyone better health.” The targets are collective. The plan selects measures for their potential effect on the population as a whole; it does not describe how any one person’s health will evolve (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés).
To remember
- The action plan is the roadmap for the next five years of the National Health Prevention Strategy.
- It has 54 measures divided among four orientations and an announced investment of $252.5 million over five years.
- The official target is aimed at the growth of the burden of preventable diseases, not their current number.
- The targets are collective: they describe the population, not your personal medical record.
- The measures start at different times, on a multi-year schedule.
- Your follow-up with a health professional and resources such as Info-Santé 811 remain your points of reference for any personal question.
What the plan can change for you
In a patient’s daily life, the plan’s effect can come through clinical prevention, meaning the actions offered in the health system to keep a problem from setting in or getting worse. But other measures act upstream, in the places where you live, work and get around.
In the health system
Several measures directly concern preventive clinical services: smoking cessation support, access to vaccination, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, support for people with risk factors or a chronic disease, and making better use of the expertise of different professionals. If tobacco is a concern for you, our article on evidence-based methods for quitting tobacco offers options right now, without waiting for the rollout.
In living environments
The plan also looks at food (food literacy, affordable access to nutritious food), physical activity, access to green spaces, safe active mobility, health and well-being at work, and young people’s sleep. These changes, if they affect you, will show up in your neighbourhood, your school or your workplace rather than in an exam room.
A phased schedule
The plan specifies, measure by measure, when rollout begins: some start in the first year, others in the second, third or fourth (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés). In other words, what you will see depends on the measure and the timing. It would be misleading to promise an immediate change for everyone.
What the plan does not change
A prevention plan is a government commitment, not a prescription. It does not describe the follow-up that is personal to you: it is built with a professional who knows your history.
Your medical record and your health decisions
The plan does not replace a consultation, an examination or advice suited to your situation. One measure in fact encourages the judicious use of tests, treatments and procedures: which ones are right for you is settled with your professional, not in a government table. To better understand preventive follow-up for adults, you can read our article on preventive health check-ups for adults.
How you book an appointment
The action plan describes neither a new access point nor a new way to book an appointment, although some of its measures aim to strengthen the offer of preventive clinical services. For a non-urgent health problem, Info-Santé 811 is a free, confidential telephone service (Government of Quebec); our article explains what Info-Santé 811 does. For a serious problem or urgent need, call 911 or go to the emergency room.
Individual results
The plan sets targets for the population and does not promise a health result to any one person. It acts on the conditions that make good choices easier, but it guarantees nothing for you.
How the plan will be rolled out and monitored
The text describes a gradual rollout : the measures will be implemented gradually, on a multi-year schedule spread over five years (ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés).
Monitoring built into the plan itself
The plan provides for ongoing monitoring of progress, national coordination and evaluative support, to ensure that investments translate into measurable gains. One measure in fact involves monitoring, evaluating and adapting the rollout of measures, and the plan devotes a section to the public release of results.
A first step
The document presents itself as a first step toward the Strategy’s ambitions. It will be followed by a second action plan for the following period. The plan also provides for adjustments along the way and, if needed, for redirecting measures whose added value proves limited.
What you can do on your side
A national plan does not replace your own preventive actions, but it makes them easier to keep up when your surroundings support them. Here are three realistic ideas, with no personal medical instructions.
Talk to a professional
Ask your health professional which preventive follow-ups suit your age, your history and your lifestyle. One simple question is enough: “What would be useful to watch in my case?”
Use the resources that already exist
Keep an eye on your vaccination record; our article on back-to-school vaccination covers the vaccination of children. For a non-urgent health question, call 811, option 1. And if you want to quit smoking, do not put off your efforts while waiting for the rest of the plan.
Check information before sharing it
Several measures in the plan deal with health literacy and disinformation. You can do your part: read the official source rather than a summary, and be wary of figures without a link. The plan’s documents are public.
A question about your own preventive actions? You can discuss it with a health professional in a clinic consultation or in teleconsultation, throughout Quebec.
Myths and misconceptions
“The plan promises 10% fewer diseases.”
False. The target is about the growth of the burden of preventable diseases. It aims to slow the increase, not to remove a tenth of existing cases.
“Prevention is only a matter of personal willpower.”
Nuanced. Your habits matter, but several measures in the plan also act on the food supply, housing quality, green spaces and the workplace.
“The plan only concerns people who are already sick.”
False. It affects young children (breastfeeding, educational childcare services), teenagers, workers, seniors and caregivers. Prevention is precisely about acting before disease occurs.
“All the measures start at the same time.”
False. The plan indicates, for each measure, the year its rollout begins. Some start in the first year, others later.
“This plan is a first step, not the end of the work.”
True. The document says so itself: it is a first step and will be followed by a second action plan for the following period.
Frequently asked questions
What is Quebec’s National Health Prevention Strategy?
It is the Government of Quebec framework, coordinated by the ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés, that aims to step up prevention, better integrate actions and mobilize all actors in society. It is built around four orientations and nineteen collective ambitions. The government action plan is its five-year road map.
How many measures does the action plan have, and what is its budget?
The plan puts forward 54 measures, grouped around four orientations, with a total investment of $252.5 million over five years. About thirty government ministries and agencies are taking part.
Does the action plan change how I consult a health professional?
The action plan does not describe any new way to book an appointment or any new access point. Some measures aim to strengthen preventive clinical services, but their implementation is staggered over time. For your personal situation, the right reference remains your health professional.
What does the action plan’s 10% target mean?
The official text speaks of a 10% reduction in the growth of the burden of preventable diseases and a 10% decrease in the premature mortality gap linked to socioeconomic inequalities. These are collective targets of the Strategy: the first concerns the progression of the burden and not the current number of cases, the second the premature mortality gap linked to socioeconomic inequalities.
Who can help me choose my preventive actions?
Your health professional is the first person to consult. For a non-urgent question, Info-Santé 811 is a free, confidential telephone service. Clinique Omicron also offers consultations in clinic and by teleconsultation throughout Quebec. In an emergency, call 911.
Sources
- Government of Quebec: Launch of the government action plan of the National Health Prevention Strategy (news release, in French)
- Ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés: Unir nos forces pour mieux prévenir, action plan publication page
- Ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés: Government action plan of the national prevention strategy (PDF, in French)
- Ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés: Action plan summary table (PDF, in French)
- Ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés: National prevention strategy, publication page
- Government of Quebec: Info-Santé 811
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