In 1986, the University of British Columbia (UBC) approved an agreement with the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) to establish the UBC CDC. The main goal was to bring the two entities together was to provide a holistic approach to public health. The UBC CDC was established as a centre of excellence in the area of public health communicable disease control. BC Centre for Disease Control was founded.

The BCCDC monitors the health of the population, designs and supports public health programs to prevent illness, protects against health risks, and promotes the well-being of people living in B.C. Our work is based in science and data, and we intentionally work to incorporate diverse knowledge systems and world views into what we do.

The BCCDC generates and synthesizes evidence to advance public health practice. We are the provincial reporting centre for reportable communicable diseases and illnesses. They provide direct diagnostic and treatment services to people with diseases of public health significance such as tuberculosis and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections.