Welcome to ‘AMR Aware News’, a voice for the AMR Aware Canada collaboration, annual campaign, and CAN AMS! webinar series.
Upcoming CAN AMS! Webinars
Yes, our series continues!
We have two new events cued up for the Canadian Antimicrobial Stewardship Webinar series (CAN AMS!).
Register for access to a live event or view a recording.
FEBRUARY 13
Implementation Science in Action:
Audit and Feedback to Improve Antibiotic Prescribing in Primary Care
Join us for a webinar highlighting how implementation science approaches can enhance antimicrobial stewardship interventions, using audit and feedback for antibiotic prescribing in primary care as a case study.
featured speakers:
Kevin Schwartz, MD, MSc
Division Head, Infectious Diseases; ASP Co-Director, Unity Health Toronto
Noah Ivers, MD, PhD
Senior Scientist, Women’s College Hospital; Canada Research Chair (Implementation Science)
March 25, 2026
Stewardship With a Human Touch:
Handshake stewardship at the BC Children’s Hospital
featured speakers:
Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at handshake stewardship rounds at BC Children’s Hospital, a novel way of making antimicrobial stewardship interactive, helpful and impactful.
Alastair McAlpine, MBChB, FRCPC, Director, PHSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Infectious Diseases Pediatrician, BC Children’s Hospital
VOICES FROM THE AMR SYMPOSIUM
“AMR Awareness isn’t only for the Medical Profession—it’s for Everyone.”
That message—shared by a participant during live polling—captures the spirit of AMR Aware Canada’s session at the AMR Symposium (November 18–19, 2025), hosted by bioMérieux and partners.
AMR Aware Canada is a national, collaborative campaign—bringing together researchers, clinicians, communicators, public health leaders, and patient advocates—to help Canadians understand AMR in ways that are relevant and motivating.
At the symposium, we opened up the campaign by sharing how and why it began, what we’ve learned so far, and the challenges we continue to face. Then, we invited participants—experts, students, and practitioners who care deeply about AMR—to step inside the campaing and help shape what comes next.
What we heard
When asked about barriers to engaging Canadians on AMR, participants pointed to familiar challenges: competing priorities in healthcare, the complexity of AMR science, and growing public distrust of experts and authorities.
They also shared clear ideas for strengthening the campaign’s impact—starting earlier with kids, using trusted messengers, meeting people where they are, online and in communities, taking a One Health approach, and resourcing the work to scale nationally.
And when asked what message Canadians need to hear, the responses were direct and compelling.
Dr. Jason Vanstone, with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and Harpa Isfeld-Kiely, with the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases, present ‘AMR Aware Canada’ to the AMR Symposium, Nov. 19th, 2025.
When asked what message Canadians need to hear, the responses were direct and compelling:
AMR Symposium participantS
– “The antibiotic you take now can affect the future.”
– “AMR affects anyone and anywhere.”
– “Less antibiotics is better medicine.”
– “AMR is real.”
– “Canada can be a leader.”
These insights are already influencing how we think about future campaign messaging and activities, as AMR Aware Canada continues to grow.
an Open invitation
The AMR Symposium reinforced a simple truth, that building awareness takes all of us.
AMR Aware Canada needs champions—people willing to start conversations, share messages, and help bring this issue into the public light.
As a start, share the website https://AMRaware.ca, and invite others to sign up to be part of building an AMR Aware Canada.
Leaders’ Voices Broadcast from the AMR Symposium
Did you miss some of the great conversations at the AMR Symposium? Catch up through the Canadian Breakpoint Podcast!
Host and infectious disease physician Dr. Rupeena Purewal sat down with featured speakers from the event for a six-episode interview series that digs into current Canadian antimicrobial resistance and stewardship initiatives and stories from the symposium.
CONTEST
Explain It Like I’m 6: An Antimicrobial Resistance Education Contest
Calling all students and recent graduates! Get creative and explain antimicrobial resistance in a way a six-year-old would understand.
Contest closes Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Learn more
Download & share the poster
Help Spread the Word! Download the contest poster and share it with your friends, colleagues, and students.
PARTNERS’ EVENTS
One Health: AMR & Emerging Zoonoses Conference
Date: March 10-12, 2026
Location: Calgary, Alberta
The One Health: AMR & Emerging Zoonoses Conference unites experts across disciplines to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and emerging zoonotic diseases (EZ) through a collaborative One Health approach.
EXPLORE THE PROGRAM
REGISTER NOW
Early bird deadline: February 11, 2026
AMMI Canada – CACMID Annual Conference
Date : April 28-May 1, 2026
Location : St. John’s, NL
The AMMI Canada – CACMID Annual Conference remains an essential opportunity to share research, explore innovations in microbiology and infectious diseases (adult and pediatric), and stay up to date on best practices in infection prevention and control.
LEARN MORE
Early Bird Registration Deadline: March 20, 2026
This bulletin is produced by the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID), the coordinating lead for the AMR Aware Canada collaboration. NCCID receives funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Agency.