Which province is winning the COVID-19 vaccine rollout race? Experts weigh in In a statement emailed to Global News, Health Canada said the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is responsible for a number of things including research, surveillance and monitoring, and risk assessment development as well as modelling and responding to outbreaks.PHAC is also the body tasked with laboratory reference and diagnostic services, and providing education and awareness to the public.According to Health Canada, the federal government spends $22 million in annual funding for programs or research to identify and track emerging diseases like the novel coronavirus.This includes $13 million for zoonotic infectious diseases — those which jump from animals.