SUMMARY - National Pandemic Strategy
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in Canada's preparedness for major infectious disease outbreaks. Despite previous pandemic plans developed after SARS and H1N1, the country struggled with testing capacity, personal protective equipment shortages, unclear federal-provincial coordination, and public health infrastructure weakened by years of underfunding. As the acute phase recedes, attention turns to building a more robust national pandemic strategy that can better protect Canadians from future threats.