This past fiscal year Osteoporosis Canada made great strides in advancing care focused on musculoskeletal health through the release of the new guideline on managing osteoporosis to assist Canadian healthcare providers which was published by the Osteoporosis Canada 2023 Guideline Update Group in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

With over 2.3 million Canadians living with osteoporosis, the intention of the guideline is to assist Canadian primary care providers in the delivery of care to optimize skeletal health and prevent fractures in postmenopausal females and in males 50 years and older.

At the Osteoporosis Canada Canadian Musculoskeletal Conference (CMC) in November 2023 the new guideline was shared with national and international experts in osteoporosis and was a well attended hybrid event with healthcare providers from across the country engaging in meaningful discussions focused on patient care.

As fewer than 20% of fracture patients in Canada currently undergo diagnosis or adequate treatment for osteoporosis – we are steadfast in our commitment to establishing more FLSs and are pleased to confirm that sites continue to expand across the country with Newfoundland and Labrador seeing the establishment of two new FLS Sites. The Brookfield Chair in Fracture Prevention funded the Breakfree FLS sites at Western Memorial Hospital in Corner Brook and at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in St. John’s.

The collaboration and work between both The Brookfield Chair and Osteoporosis Canada is part of a major initiative to foster and seed fund new FLS programs across Canada.  Since the start of the partnership between both groups, the result has seen the fostering of new FLS sites in provinces previously without an FLS program.

The expansion of new FLS locations in Canada is fueling our efforts to continue to establish an FLS at every fracture clinic in the country, to ensure that all fragility fracture patients (outpatients and inpatients) receive the osteoporosis care they need to help prevent their imminent next fracture.

Significant work was also done to develop and complete a new 5-year Strategic Plan for the organization by the strategic planning committee comprised of members from the Board of Directors, Osteoporosis Canada Executive, Scientific Advisory Council and COPN members which will be unveiled in September 2024.

This new strategic plan will document what and how Osteoporosis Canada will strive to achieve the goals set out focused on core strategies to drive and guide fracture reduction, optimize bone health and drive organizational resilience.  A thoughtful strategy implementation plan developed and executed by Osteoporosis Canada leadership will follow and be delivered over a five-year period.  

We are grateful for the generosity of our donors, corporate partners and funders who help us reach more people, in more communities across the country through the development of digital tools, support services and educational programming. The continued commitment of our supporters and volunteers is demonstrated by the increasingly growing number of people we serve, while our advocacy initiatives continue working to ensure everyone has access to healthcare that can diagnose and treat those with osteoporosis.

Collectively, you all make it possible for us to educate, advocate, empower and support Canadians in optimizing their bone health and in managing osteoporosis to stay fracture free.

Together, we will make Canadians unbreakable.

Thank you.