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In February 2007, alPHa held its first conference to raise members’ awareness of the importance of the built environment’s relationship to health. Highlighted were provincial and local visions for a healthier Ontario. This year’s annual conference, Building for Health – From Vision to Reality, brought research and planning experts to the Nottawasaga Inn in Simcoe County to demonstrate how to create healthier places to live, work, study and play. In addition to a full program of business meetings, presentations and special events, delegates were encouraged to complete a "walkability assessment" of the nearby Town of Alliston, and to track their healthy eating and physical activity choices using a special "Activity Passport". Many delegates participated in early morning group walks on the trails around the Inn to invigorate themselves prior to getting down to business on Monday and Tuesday.
Photo Gallery |
Welcoming Reception for Delegates and Guests
Following the final meeting of the 2007-2008 alPHa Board of Directors, delegates and guests were invited to a reception sponsored by Porcupine Health Unit, which will host alPHa's annual conference next year. Welcoming remarks were heard from Tony Guergis (Warden, County of Simcoe), Mike McEachern (Mayor, New Tecumseth) and Jeff Lehman (Councilor, City of Barrie), who spoke from his background as a planner to set the stage for the discussions of the influence of the built environment on public health that were to follow in the coming days.
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Photos of Sheela |
The first day concluded with a special tribute to Dr. Sheela Basrur, which included memorials from Dr. Charles Gardner and Public Health Division director Monika Turner and a song sung by all in her honour, led by Dr. Rosana Pellizzari.
Lyrics: Swimming to the Other Side by Pat Humphries
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| Business Meetings: |
- Final meeting of the 2007-2008 alPHa Board of Directors. Agenda, Background Materials and Minutes to be distrubuted to BOD members via e-mail
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Opening Remarks - Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
alPHa Conference delegates assembled for breakfast and an address from Hon. George Smitherman. Following a tribute to Dr. Sheela Basrur, he offered words of thanks to public health directors, medical officers of health and other public health professionals in Ontario for the important work that they do each day.
He added brief updates on the status of the new Ontario Public Health Standards and the new Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, and the recruitment of a new Chief Medical Officer of Health. Each is currently a work-in-progress and developments will be fully shared with the field as they occur in the coming months.
He also specifically mentioned that any rumours of anticipated health unit mergers are unfounded, as this has not been discussed at all at the political level. He added that compensation for medical officers of health is currently under consideration as part of the province's negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association.
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Keynote Address: Developing Tools to Evaluate the Impacts of Land Use and Transportation
Dr. Lawrence Frank, President, LFC.Inc and Bombardier Chair - Sustainable Transportation - University of British Columbia.
Dr. Frank gave a presentation that demonstrated how zoning strategies are generally based on a legislative framework that is intended to support health, safety and welfare, but that decisions that were made on this basis a century ago (e.g. minimizing density, increasing distances between residential and industrial / commercial uses etc.) are no longer best for today’s communities, as increasing dependency on vehicles and decreased physical activity has become associated with measurable negative impacts on environment and health.
While these consequences are just beginning to be understood, a matrix of interactions that includes density, availability, proximity, opportunity, income and so on prevent clear demonstration of relationships between planning decisions, choices people make and environmental and health consequences. Nonetheless, the association has been made, and planning strategies are changing.
He illustrated that relatively simple planning decisions to increase “walkability” can result in significant reductions in sedentarism and car use, and that because “car culture” is so integral to how we live, there is a broad range of policy levers to encourage alternatives (taxes, trip-based insurance, increasing parking costs etc.).
He emphasized that transitioning from theory to application requires a clear demonstration of the cost of doing nothing, a task for which public health is well equipped. He challenged members to carefully assess health impacts of the current models, identify allies and consider the incentives and policy options that will ensure that land development and transportation strategies can contribute to positive health outcomes.
Presentation (39MB-Be Patient!)
Bio
Web site: – www.act-trans.ubc.ca |
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Panel Discussion - Local Examples of Building for Health from Around the Province
Moderated by David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health, City of Toronto
Using local examples, public health staff and municipal representatives demonstrated how they are creating more liveable communities and promoting health considerations in planning and design.
Gayle Bursey (Director, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Peel Health) presented on the initiatives in Peel related to health and urban form, leading to the development of an assessment tool that would systematically identify the public health impact of built environments in the region. It includes a software-based interface that provides modeling for the impacts of development alternatives. Emphasis was put on the relationships between the built environment and the food environment.
Presentation
Web Site: www.peelregion.ca/health/urban
Chris Munn (Director, Health Protection, Grey-Bruce Health Unit) and Pamela Coulter (Director of Community Services, City of Owen Sound) summarized an Owen Sound Pilot Project that features an integrated partnership between the City, planners and the public health unit, where “geographic teams” of public health professionals are given the opportunity to review land use plans using a “healthy community checklist” that includes consideration of social activities, transportation, vibrant economies, recreational opportunities, education, food access and more.
Presentation
Rick Newlove (General Manager, Corporate Services, County of Simcoe) and Dr. Charles Gardner (Medical Officer of Health, Simcoe-Muskoka District) presented on growth management in the county as it prepares its new Official Plan for the fall of 2008. The Growth Management Plan sets objectives for population density, employment and style of community (e.g. walkability, active transportation, transit, greenspace conservation). The aim is to support positive health outcomes through planning.
Presentation
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alPHa Annual Business Meeting
AGENDA (Includes Reports)
MINUTES (Coming Soon) |
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Information Session on Alcohol Policy
Dr. Norman Giesbrecht, Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Dr. Giesbrecht gave a summary of current research on the significant health impacts of alcohol and strategies that should be considered to mitigate them.
Bio
Presentation. |
Business Meetings: |
- Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health
- Board of Health Section
In addition to new and ongoing business items, the alPHa Sections both heard updates from Dr. David Williams (Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health), Monika Turner (Director, Public Health Standards Branch), Keith West (Chief Drinking Water Inspector) and Paul Nieweglowski. They also elected their representatives to the 2008-2009 alPHa Board of Directors.
Agendas, Background Materials and Minutes to be distrubuted to members of the respective sections via e-mail.
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PHOTO GALLERY - DAY 2
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Menu and Program |
After a full day of business, delegates and their guests were welcomed to enjoy food, drink and conversation, followed by the presentation of the annual Distiguished Service Awards, among other recognitions. This year's DSA recipients were Klaus Seeger (ASPHIO), Mary-Anne Simpson (ANDSOOHA), Garry Humphreys (COMOH) and Maria Harding (BOH). |
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Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion Update - Dr. Vivek Goel
Dr. Vivek Goel, incoming CEO of the new Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, gave a breakfast address to alPHa members on the progress of implementation of the new Agency, which is expected to have a permanent home by Fall 2008, at which time the transfer of the Ontario Public Health Labs is also anticipated.
Bio
Fact Sheet
Presentation |
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Birds of a Feather - Sue Cumming
Sue Cumming, President Elect of the Ontario Public Planners' Institute gave a thorough presentation of the relationships between urban form and public health, using the messages as the basis for an exercise where delegates were challenged to distill key messages, identify challenges to health presented by the built environment and come up with specific solutions to them, especially those in which public health agencies can have an active role.
Bio
Presentation (32 MB - Be Patient!)
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Resolutions Session
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| Business Meetings: |
- alPHa 2008-2009 Board of Directors' Meeting
The first meeting of the 2008-2009 alPHa Board of Directors met briefly to elect officers and to consider a strategy for holding a vote on the 2008 alPHa Resolutions. Minutes to be distrubuted to members of the board via e-mail.
Announcement of 2008-2009 alPHa Executive Committee
2008-2009 alPHa Board of Directors (Full List) |
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