Do you live in a healthy place? This question is concerning more and more Canadians. Unfortunately, with neighbourhoods that encourage driving rather than walking or cycling, the answer for many is no. Even more concerning is that in Canada, active neighbourhoods are also often wealthy neighbourhoods, meaning that living in a healthy place is an equity issue, as well as a health and environmental issue.
Over the past few months, the Active Neighbourhoods Canada project has been engaged in a conversation about healthy places. TCAT, together with our partners Sustainable Calgary and the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre, has been taking the on-the-ground work that we’ve done in communities across Canada, and scaling it up. Here are three things we’ve been up to:
Let’s Have a Conversation About Healthy Places:
This online tool includes four fact sheets with reliable evidence on health, the economy, equity and the environment. It also offers ideas for targeted questions and inspiring examples of policy from coast to coast.
Healthy Places Policy Toolkit:
Polices, engagement activities, advocacy approaches and a policy map of healthy places across Canada. Learn more about how Canadians are influencing policy to support healthy and equitable community design.
Co-Designing the Active City Webinar Series:
Key tools for professionals and decision-makers for planning and developing healthy communities, delivered in English and French. The first two webinars are available online: Participatory urban planning: an approach to foster the development of healthy built environments and How to put participatory urban planning into practice?
The final installment, Public policies and development projects putting health equity at the forefront, is happening November 6th at 1pm (in French on October 30th) Hope you can join us!