Certainly, what's visible does not necessarily reflect what's a priority or of importance. In public health, the prevention of disease, the control of both chronic and infectious disease, and preparation for pandemics are all important.
The public health capacity at the local level that can deal with pandemics and other things is the same capacity that, in between pandemics, is in a position to facilitate and reduce chronic disease, etc. It's not as if we're all “pandemic” all the time; in fact, much of the activity or work of the federal-provincial coordinating committees, etc., will continue and is absolutely essential. In the recent budget that has been proposed and in the previous budget, there are significant investments toward chronic disease activities.