Community Health Centres (CHCs) provide primary health care services, social programs and health promotion services with an emphasis on priority populations who require improved access to care, and/or who have a greater burden of disease or illness, requiring additional resources. Problems of access may be a result of socio-economic status, geographic isolation, or cultural or linguistic barriers. The burden of disease or illness may be related to age, socio-economic status, or environmental factors.

Community Health Centres help:

• Promote equity in access to health services


• Strengthen the role of the individual and the community in health and health care delivery


• Encourage partnerships among health services and with social and other community services


• Develop coordinated primary health care services which make the most efficient use of health care providers and health resources


• Promote health and prevent illness to enhance the health status of the communities served.

All CHCs are sponsored by community-based organizations and are registered as not-for-profit corporations. Each CHC is governed by a volunteer board of directors made up of local residents reflecting the community served. The board of directors has ultimate responsibility for the CHC and is fully accountable for the delivery of programs and services.