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Mandate
Working closely with other Government of Canada partners, including Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC) provides leadership and supports to ensure that Canada has the necessary innovation and industrial capacity for the development and production of key medical countermeasures (MCMs) to respond to health emergencies. HERC's mandate includes:
- Serving as the Canadian authority for industrial policy for health emergency preparedness and response
- Identifying, nurturing and supporting the commercialization of the most promising science, research and development (R&D) and technologies
- Providing leadership in market intelligence and network formation with emerging companies, industry, contract development and manufacturing organizations, and academia to foster innovation and capabilities
- Representing Canada's interests and collaborating with like-minded international organizations within its area of scope (See section below)
The organization promotes a culture of scientific and industrial innovation to strengthen Canada's readiness to face the most pressing health emergency priorities. To achieve this, HERC builds and maintains strong partnerships with industry, academia, provincial and territorial governments, and international counterparts.
HERC does not develop Government of Canada policies or regulations relating to health, public health, or international health partnerships, and is not responsible for vaccine and medical countermeasure distribution or related communication efforts.
How does HERC work with the Public Health Agency of Canada?
Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC) is being established as a partnership between Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). HERC will support PHAC in fulfilling its existing mandate of leading Canada's preparedness for and response to public health emergencies. Activities that will continue within PHAC to support HERC activities include: ongoing public health surveillance; threat and risk assessment; ;planning; public health driven prioritization; and procurement.
HERC will enhance Canada's pandemic readiness from industry, innovation, and technology perspectives, by providing support for industrial life sciences innovation that is aligned with health priorities identified by PHAC and other Health Portfolio partners. This includes medical countermeasure (MCM) research and development (R&D) activities, support for domestic production, and the development of Canada's life science innovation ecosystem. HERC would not conduct pandemic preparedness and response activities that fall within PHAC, Health Portfolio or other departments' mandates, or within Provincial and Territorial jurisdiction for administering health care.
Mission
Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC) is committed to promoting and supporting the development and production of MCMs, such as vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, to protect Canadians against health emergencies and contribute to global MCM readiness and response efforts. It will do so specifically by advancing high-risk research and leading-edge technology platforms, supporting the growth of companies and domestic biomanufacturing capabilities, and facilitating pathways to market for new products and innovations, in order to respond to emerging health threats.
HERC will deliver sector supports, develop partnerships across the ecosystem, and monitor intelligence related to industrial developments to ensure MCM production capacity and leading-edge domestic life science innovations are available to fulfill Canada's most pressing health needs. By helping grow the life sciences ecosystem, HERC will contribute to Canada's economic growth, create good jobs, and increase Canada's contributions to the development of the next generation of medicines.
Benefits of investing in Canada's life sciences sector
Investing in Canadian life science excellence and MCM readiness will result in strengthened health security for Canadians through a vibrant life sciences sector that is equipped to bring made-in-Canada innovations to market to address domestic and global health challenges.
For Canadians, this means the possibility of faster access to the most relevant and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, including when they need them the most – during a public health emergency. By improving and investing in MCM readiness, Canada will position itself to more effectively meet the needs of Canadians.
On a global scale, international partners recognize the importance of MCM access and continue to work together to ensure global pandemic preparedness. HERC works with global partners to advance innovative solutions for worldwide pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Structure
Health Emergency Readiness Canada is currently being established as a Special Operating Agency within Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Interim Head
Ritu Banerjee
Key Government of Canada Partners
Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC) works closely with its Government of Canada partners to support the development of MCMs and related technologies that are relevant to the highest priority health threats. HERC is committed to defining its goals and objectives jointly between the ISED and Health portfolios, in collaboration with other organizations that are implicated in health security matters.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Health Emergency Readiness Canada is unique in its ability to integrate program and policy decision-making that spans the Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) and Health portfolios. Located within ISED, Health Emergency Readiness Canada leverages the department's programs, services, support tools and expertise in fostering innovation, supporting science and research, building relationships with private sector companies, stimulating sector growth, developing pathways to commercialization and attracting investment.
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency Canada
Both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada work closely with Health Emergency Readiness Canada to support its mission and mandate. This includes jointly establishing the agency's strategic goals and supporting health emergency response based on identified priority health threats and market intelligence.
National Research Council Canada
The National Research Council also plays an important role in achieving Health Emergency Readiness Canada's mandate by supporting R&D through its own programs and research facilities. The NRC's Clinical Trial Materials Facility accelerates biologics development in Canada and bridges the gap between biomanufacturing research and commercial production.
Other Federal Partners
Health Emergency Readiness Canada works with a wide range of additional Government of Canada partners to support its mandate, including through its governance and oversight bodies. This includes:
Contact us
Your questions and comments are important to us. Please contact Health Emergency Readiness Canada through one of the methods listed below.
Phone
Telephone (toll-free in Canada): 1-800-328-6189
Telephone (Ottawa): 613-954-5031
Fax: 343-291-1913
TTY (for hearing impaired): 1-866-694-8389
Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Mailing address
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
C.D. Howe Building
235 Queen St, 4th Floor
Ottawa ON K1A 0H5
Canada