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This panel discussion is presented by the Canadian Science Policy Institute

This event is presented by the Lung Health Foundation.

Better Breathing Week 2026 marks the 43rd annual gathering of healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates dedicated to advancing lung health across Canada.  

This year’s program focuses on breaking down silos and uniting disciplines. Highlights include a dedicated series for primary care providers addressing limited access to spirometry, vaccine uptake, and severe asthma identification. 

Register to secure your spot for an incredible conference: Better Breathing Week Registration - Better Breathing Week 2026. 

See full list of individual prices here. Reach out to lraggente@lunghealth.ca for information about group discounts.

# Conference Dates

• January 20–21, 2026 — Virtual
• January 23–24, 2026 — In-person at the Hyatt Regency Toronto 

Join us virtually or in-person to be part of the conversation shaping the future of lung health in Canada. Some sessions are listed below; you can explore the full program here: Preliminary Program - Better Breathing Week 2026

# Curated Virtual Sessions

• Motivating Change: A Primary Care Lens on Breathing, Behavior, and Better Health (with Peter Selby, MBBS, CCFP(AM), FCFP, MHSc, DFSAM on Jan. 20 at 9:00am EST, virtual)
• Contemporary Approaches to Smoking and Vaping Cessation (with Hassan Mir, MD, FRCPC on Jan. 20 at 10:00am EST, virtual)
• Advancing Respiratory Care in Rural and Remote Communities (with Birubi Biman, MD, FRCPC, Tracey Carr, BA, MSc, PhD, MA, and Andre Letendre on Jan. 20 at 11:00am, virtual)
• Improving Outcomes Through Trauma-Informed Lung Cancer Care (with Tara Lohmann, MD, FRCPC, and Christine Fader, DSW, on Jan. 20 at 2:00pm, virtual)
• Breaking Barriers: Tackling Lung Health Stigma in Practice (with Ambreen Sayani, MD, MS, PhD, Gary Bloch, MD, CCFP, FCFP, Vanessa Wright, DNP and Howard Freedman on Jan. 20 at 3:00pm EST, virtual)
• Inhaler Technique 101: Practical Guidance for Healthcare Providers (with Alia Maratova, RRT, CRE, on Jan. 20 at 3:00pm EST, virtual)

# Curated In-Person Sessions

• How to Start Patients on Airway Clearance Therapy? A Physiotherapist-Led Overview (with Kenneth Wu, PT, MBA, PhD, Prashna Singh, PT, CRE, and Diana Hatzoglou, PT, CRE on Jan. 23 at 1:15pm EST, in-person)
• Collaborating for the Future: Innovation in Respiratory Care (with Shirley Quach, RRT, MHSc, PhD, Melis Erkan, and Sidra Anjum on Jan. 23 at 5:00pm EST, in-person)
• From Oscillometry to Spirometry: Practical Insights in Pulmonary Function Testing (with Chung-Wai Show, PhD, MD, FRCPC, Donald Cockcroft, MD, FRCPC, and Sanja Stanojevic, PhD, on Jan. 24 at 1:15pm EST, in-person)

# Primary Care Series

We are also excited to welcome back our Primary Care Series on Wednesday January 21, from 1:00pm EST to 4:00pm EST:

1. The Realities of Spirometry Testing in Primary Care: Addressing the Barriers (with Anthony D’Urzo, MD, MSc, BPHE, CCFP, FCFP)
2. Identifying Suspected Severe Asthma and Prompt Referral in Primary Care (with Jason K. Lee, MD, FCPC, FAAAI)
3. Strengthening Defenses: Advancing Immunization and Vaccine Uptake in Respiratory Disease (Christine Palmay, MD, CCFP, FCFP)

# CME Accreditation

Better Breathing 2026 has been officially certified and accredited for continuing education credits:

Credits for Family Medicine Specialists: This Certified Activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by the Queen's University CPD Team for up to 27.5 Mainpro+ credits.

Credits for Royal College Specialists: This co-developed activity is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved and co-developed by the Queen's University CPD Team. You may claim a maximum of 27.5 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

Hours for All Health Professionals: This is a professional learning activity which provided up to 27.5 hours of Continuing Education

This webinar is presented by Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services

What’s the biggest barrier your clients face when trying to reach you by phone? Is it the system itself? Discover how Access Alliance is reshaping its phone system to cut wait times, improve language access, and embed equity into everyday client contact. Join us for 45-minutes of quality improvement (QI) methods, real-world data, and actionable next steps. We will share how QI leads, secretaries, and researchers came together with real-world data, plain-language scripts, and workflow analysis that make phone access an equity win for clients. Get practical ideas for integrating digital tools, tracking key indicators, and fostering cross-team collaboration to turn phone-related frustrations into reliable, inclusive client pathways. From "press zero" overloads to a strategic phone system redesign, hear about what we learned will boost client satisfaction and support community health goals.

# Speakers

• Cliff Ledwos | Acting Executive Director, Access Alliance
• Courtney Kupka | Research and Evaluation Coordinator, Access Alliance
• Sehrish Haider | Immigrant Insight Scholar Fellow
• Lorri Zagar | Independent QI Coach

This webinar is presented by Health Promotion Ontario HPO

A Fireside Chat with Health Promoters is the second webinar in HPO's Fall 2025 Webinar series, Emerging Topics in Health Promotion.

This virtual series will spotlight timely and evolving areas of health promotion, offering both inspiration and practical tools to apply in your work.

Through the virtual series, attendees can expect to:

• Participate in thought-provoking conversations with experts and innovators
• Explore fresh and emerging ideas shaping the field of health promotion
• Leave with practical strategies to strengthen your practice