BCHC Newsletter - July 2012

THE NEWS

BCHC is Hiring a Healthy Communities Program Coordinator

BCHC is seeking a Program Coordinator to join our dynamic team and to specifically coordinate planning and implementation of Healthy Communities programs, projects and funding opportunities for local governments across the province.  For more details click here

Report: City of Victoria Youth Council Survey on Racism and Discrimination

Between May 1- 10, City of Victoria Youth Council (CVYC) members conducted a survey on racism and discrimination. 165 responses to the survey were received.  In general, youth in Victoria view the city as a very diverse place, 60% of respondents said they thought Victoria was more diverse than average; this means youth are aware of the multiple cultures surrounding them.

Read the full report to find out more about how the Victoria Youth experience racism and discrimination in their community and what their ideas are about how to eliminate it. For more information contact our new CVYC Youth Coordinator Kluane Buser-Rivet at: info@cvyc.net

Nine BC Communities receive Age Friendly Recognition Award

Nine local governments will receive an Age-friendly BC Recognition Award for their efforts to support older residents to remain healthy and active in the community.

To achieve recognition, the communities committed to age-friendly improvements in local government resolutions, established advisory committees, conducted age-friendly assessments and developed and published action plans – all with the leadership and involvement of local seniors. Duncan, Esquimalt, Metchosin, Saanich, Revelstoke, West Vancouver, Surrey, Sechelt, and White Rock have successfully completed these steps. Read the full news release here

THE COMMUNITY

UTown@UBC Residents Celebrate Their Diverse Community

Photograph by: Deirdre Goudriaan

A wonderful hot summer day provided the perfect setting for the first UTown@UBC Summer Festival on July 7th.  Over 500 UTown@UBC residents and neighbours gathered on this day to connect with each other while enjoying numerous fun and free events. 

The Summer Festival was developed through a partnership between UBC’s Campus and Community Planning Office and BCHC to celebrate the diverse residential campus community of UTown@UBC and bridge the various ‘sub-communities’ and their values and assets. The event built on fostering a sense of community amongst residents and aimed to cultivate a sense of belonging, inclusion and connection to the place residents live, work and learn together.

This family friendly, multicultural and inter-generational event offered free activites for all ages.  Besides a giant Jenga, face painting and a photobooth there was a community art project where residents painted tiles with images that would reflect what they love about their community. The colourful glazed tiles will be displayed around UBC. 

To find out more about BCHC’s Community Engagement services please visit the BCHC website or contact us at: bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca

THE CHAMPION

Alanna Clempson - Chilliwack, BC

Photograph by: Tyler Olsen, TIMES

“You need to be the change you want to see in the world”. Chilliwack resident, Alanna Clempson, is reminded of this quote from Ghandi everyday when she looks at the postcard taped to the mirror in her home, and you really don't have to spend too much time with Alanna to realize that she takes this to heart one-hundred-percent. Food security, organic growing and food preservation are things that Alanna is abundantly passionate about. Over the past several years, Alanna and her handy husband, Coby, have converted their suburban property to a high-yielding and semi-sufficient garden. With composts, greenhouses, fruit trees and plenty of open gardens, the property feeds their family and community with wholesome and organic produce and stands as a refreshing reminder of how you don't need a farm or huge plot of land to grow a substantial amount of food.

In addition to her work in the garden, Alanna home-schools her three children, runs a part time photography business, and is a long-standing volunteer with several local organizations where she has taught cooking, canning and “food preparation” classes. Alanna's volunteer work has recently expanded to include helping to establish Food Matters Chilliwack (FMC), a not-for-profit organization where she has been coordinating a Plant-A-Row Grow-A-Row initiative as well as a Gleaning program which has seen over 11,000 pounds of produce harvested and over 7,000 pounds donated to FMC's recipient partners, in its first two years.

Alanna has recently been elected to the BC Food System’s Network 2012 Board and is excited about the opportunity for expanding her knowledge of the “Network” of other organizations and people in British Columbia working for the common good in our society. Alanna resides in Chilliwack with her husband and kids. She enjoys life by spending time with friends, growing and eating good food, camping with her family, and exploring the beautiful world we live on.

THE ARTICLE

The Multi-Faceted Beauty of Community Markets
By Amanda Ng, Master’s in Public Health and Social Policy

           

Let me paint you a picture.  Envision a market that offers the opportunity to purchase local, organic, and fresh produce.  Sandwiched between these produce stands are local craftmakers selling their beautiful handmade products as well as music floats through the air.  This market attracts neighbourhood residents from all parts of the city and enriches their quality of life through fostering a sense of community and sociability.  The market addresses health, ecological, and environmental concerns through reducing vehicle miles used for food transportation, promotes local sustainability, helps enhance food security, and contributes to economic development.  What is this painting that has been described?  Community markets – also known as farmers’ markets.  For centuries, community markets have served as public places for people to gather, entertain, and be entertained, exchange ideas, and buy or sell goods and services (Morales, 2009).  Historically, these markets have been a staple in society, at first playing a significant then declining role in supplying produce to consumers. Today, consumers, producers, and community groups have exhibited a renewed interest in this traditional form of selling produce.

Understanding the Origins of our Food

In a production driven economy where mass production for the cheapest dollars is usually the coveted goal, the use of pesticides or genetically modified seeds have become questionable, yet popular, applications in agriculture.  Food security and the quality of our food has become perplexingly dubious.  While community markets present health, economic, and environmental advantages, some community markets may also allow consumers to be graced with the opportunity to taste or ask questions about the produce prior to purchase.  By doing so, it deepens our relationship, connection, and trust in the food we eat, by allowing us to understand its origins.  Ecologists and environmentalists view farmers’ markets as a venue to impart valuable educational tools where consumers gain an understanding and appreciation of the food production process. 

Farmers’ Benefits

           

Not only do community markets benefit consumers, but farmers profit from improved returns gained by direct sales and avoiding the high capital cost of storefront operations (Sanderson et al., 2005).  These markets also provide small-scale farmers a venue to sell their products as wholesalers often prefer large volumes and product specifications that prove difficult to meet.  To participate in farmers’ markets is often quite easy as it requires minimal capital and offers a “ready-made” customer base.  It also creates a venue for newcomers to gain expertise and advice from long-standing farmers in the field.

Building Community

“A good market is not only an economic engine, it’s also a social gathering place which builds the community.” - Benjamin Fried, 2002, Project for Public Spaces

Community markets act as a venue to foster community cohesiveness through enhancing sociability, providing a space to welcome newcomers into a community, and fostering civic life – three factors which influence mental health.  Shoppers reap the combined benefits from high quality fresh products with a sociable and interactive atmosphere.  Markets attract shoppers and in some cases tourists, which may act as a revitalization strategy for downtown areas.  Community markets generate a social and festive atmosphere and enhance a safe and friendly environment.  Some government agencies have collaborated with farmers’ markets to offer subsidized food purchase programs to increase the accessibility to fresh produce for low-income individuals, thereby decreasing the persistence of environmental health inequities (Jones & Batia, 2011).  

           

Sustainability and Paving the Path for the Future

In North America, for the past thirty years we have experienced an explosion of farmers’ markets across the continent due to the growing enthusiasm for this traditional means of commerce (Sanderson et al., 2005).  Farmers’ markets have the potential to sustain and support local food systems and contribute to sustainability goals through educating consumers about the importance of relying on locally available resources.  Environmental preservation is associated with the use of community markets through decreasing the number of “food miles” required for the transportation of food, thereby decreasing our carbon footprint.  The current global marketplace has instigated increased awareness of food security and environmental degradation issues, hence fuelling the re-emergence of farmers’ markets.  Partnerships between a multitude of private and public organizations, support from government agencies and funding, as well as community support can help fuel the popularity of farmers markets and in turn, we as a society, can reap the countless benefits.  So what are you waiting for?  Go visit, or even take part, in your local community market! 

To find a Farmers Market in your area please visit: BC Association of Farmers Markets. On this website you can also find information about the Farmers' Market Nutrition& Coupon Program.

References:

1. Farmers’ Market Federation of New York.  (2006). The Value of Farmers’ Markets to New York Communities.  Retrieved on July 8, 2012
2. Jones, P. & Bhatia, R.  (2011).  Supporting equitable food systems through food assistance at farmers’ markets.  American Journal of Public Health, 101(5).
3. Link, A. & Ling, C. (n.d.).  Farmers’ markets andlocal food systems. Retrieved on July 8, 2012 
4. Morales, A.  (2009).  Public markets as a community development tool.  Journal of Education Planning and Research, 28(426). 
5. Sanderson, K., Gertler, M., Martz, D., & Mahabir, R.  (2005). Farmers’ markets in North America: A background document. Retrieved on June 15, 2012

THE EVENTS

Presentation ~ Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Community; Tea & Celebration Party

Join this presentation to hear about the highlights and lessons learned during the Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Initiative project. Find out more information here

Where: Victoria City Hall (1 Centennial Square) - When: SEP 19, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Webinars ~ New dates for round three of the Northern BC Citizen Series Webinars
These two hour sessions invite dialogue from northern communities on specific topics that are critical to improving the health outcomes of northern people, recognizing that community and civic involvement is a cornerstone to healthy people and populations.

Where: Online - When: 

SEP 27, 10:00 AM -12:00 PM (PST)

The Nature Of Health: Exploring the Links Between Health and the Physical Environment

NOV 22, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM (PST)

Home is Where Your Health Is

JAN 31, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM (PST)
His & Hers- Perspectives on Health

APR 11, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM (PST)
Guess Who’s Coming to Town: Health Impacts of Work Camps in Close Proximity to Communities

For more information contact: bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca
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THE READINGS

Health Promotion in Canada - Critical Perspectives on Practice 
Third Edition

Health Promotion in Canada is a comprehensive profile of the history and future of health promotion in Canada. Now in its third edition, it maintains the critical, sociological, and historical perspective of the previous two editions and adds a greater focus on health promotion practice.

Thoroughly updated and reorganized, the book now contains 18 chapters by prominent academics, researchers, and practitioners. The authors cover a broad range of topics, including key theories and concepts in health promotion; ecological approaches; Aboriginal approaches; health inequalities; reflexive practice; ethics; issues, populations, and settings as entry points for intervention; and the Canadian health promotion experience in a global context. Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking discussion questions and carefully chosen resources for further study, making this an ideal text for courses in health sciences, nursing, and related disciplines.

Source: Canadian Scholars' Press

BCHC Newsletter - June 2012

THE NEWS

Now Available Online: The Energy Conservation Engagement Toolkit

The Energy Conservation Engagement Toolkit was created through a collaboration between BCHC and BC Housing. The Toolkit includes "The Tenant Engagement on Sustainability Guide for Social Housing Providers" which focusses on practical steps for the development and implementation of a tenant engagement program to reduce energy use and related utility costs.

The toolkit includes the Guide and the Facilitators Handbook that provides a hands-on resource for facilitators engaging directly with tenants. The toolkit has been created for social housing providers who are interested in engaging their tenants on issues related to sustainability.
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This toolkit focuses specifically on supporting behaviour change for energy conservation. Communication materials mentioned in the toolkit and a list of resources are available from BC Housing. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact: livegreen@bchousing.org (Source: BC Housing)

Promoting Mental Wellness of Punjabi Seniors

To find out more about how community programs in the South Fraser region support the mental health of Punjabi seniors the Punjabi Seniors Wellness Coalition organized two Punjabi Seniors Wellness Forums, one in Abbotsford and one in Surrey, in 2011. The coalition invited two groups: 1) community service providers delivering services to Punjabi seniors, and 2) Punjabi seniors who had migrated late in life. Three main themes emerged from the discussions: social inclusion; family; and reaching out to Punjabi seniors by service providers and community groups. Results of this forum and next steps are outlined in the article “Promoting Mental Wellness of Punjabi Seniors" in the latest publication  of Cultures West Magazine.

The Punjabi Seniors Wellness Coalition is composed of:
Satwinder Bains (University of the Fraser Valley), 
Jas Cheema (Fraser Health), 
Madeleine Addison (Canadian Mental Health Association), and 

Deirdre Goudriaan (BC Healthy Communities). 
Please contact Deirdre at Deirde@bchealthycommunities.ca for more information. 

Save our Newsletter for Future Reference

In response to our readers requests we have provided the option to save this newsletter in a PDF format. This option will allow you to make a print friendly copy of the newsletter and also offers the option to delete sections in the PDF so you can print only the specific content that you’re interested in. You can find the print friendly button at the end of each newsletter.

THE COMMUNITY

Victoria Community Tables Participants Take The Lead on Neighbourhood Action Projects 

In 2011-2012 the United Way of Greater Victoria (UWGV) piloted the Engaging Neighbours: Community Tables in the neighbourhoods of Oaklands, Gorge-Tillicum, and North Park. UWGV and BCHC collaborated on the Community Tables project to create the space for cross-sectoral community conversations. These conversations resulted in identified strategies for taking action at the community level. Monthly sessions involved group learning and capacity building processes, which helped explore local challenges, identify assets, and generate neighbourhood focused actions.

One of the piloted communities was North Park, a ‘gritty’, multicultural neighbourhood with a broad socio-economic mix. The overall vision for North Park, generated at the monthly meetings, was that of “a culturally diverse, green, inclusive community that values the provision of affordable housing to families and those experiencing poverty. The table members aspired to keep North Park artsy, ‘funky’, and gritty while remaining safe and accessible”. The table members acknowledged that the monthly meetings had created a powerful engine for future collaboration and decided to continue building on this momentum. Some of the table members joined the North Park Neighbourhood Assocation as part of a new action-focused sub committee, others started a neighbourhood wide green mapping project with the support of the UWGV.

Not all table members ended up being directly involved with the action plans, but the church members, artists, social workers, farmers, youth and others that participated at the table sessions were given the opportunity to speak their voice, hear each others stories and learn from each others experiences and that has created a stronger foundation for these emerging communities.

The final outcomes of the Engaging Neighbours: Community Tables pilot project will be presented at the Community Tea & Celebration on September 19. To find out more about the Community Tables please visit the UWGV website or contact bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca

THE CHAMPION

Ellen Pond

Pembina Institute’s Sustainable Communities Group

Photo: Patricia Sayer

Ellen has spent much of her life building, designing, and engaging with citizens around cities and sustainability. In her current position as Senior Technical and Policy Advisor with the Pembina Institute’s Sustainable Communities Group, she develops leading edge climate change and sustainable energy solutions with local government.

In her prior work at the Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning (CALP), UBC, Ellen designed and evaluated climate change planning processes with local communities. Recent projects include a study on sea level rise adaptation options with the Corporation of Delta, and “Visualizing Neighbourhood Energy Futures” workshops with Vancouver citizens. The “Energy Futures” workshops link Vancouver’s Greenest City goals for climate leadership, green buildings, and green mobility to the neighbourhood planning underway in Marpole and Grandview-Woodland. Using a generic neighbourhood map and scenario-based strategy cards, participants chose future energy strategies and designed their desired future neighbourhood.

For Kimberley’s Climate Adaptation Project, Ellen and the CALP team designed a conceptual adaptation plan for Kimberley’s downtown. The plan called for re-naturalizing Mark Creek, which flows through town in a concrete flume, and the addition of recreational spaces. The City of Kimberley is currently implementing the Mark Creek restoration project.

Ellen also volunteers on the Board of Community Studio (CS), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting grassroots projects that restore, revive and rejuvenate our neighbourhoods. CS provides collaborative design and planning services for community-initiated projects to create a shared vision, build social capital, and attract political and financial support for local projects. CS services include graphic and technical skills, design information and resources, and collaborative design workshops. For example, CS recently worked with the Denman Island Memorial Society to design the first independent Green Burial Cemetery in Canada.

Ellen is a member of the BC Society of Landscape Architects, and holds a Master’s of Landscape Architecture from UBC. Her award-winning graduate project explored how to re-design existing residential neighbourhoods for intensive greenhouse gas mitigation.

Ellen is also a ticketed Journeyperson Carpenter, and completed her apprenticeship with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 1995. During her apprenticeship, she worked on Richmond City Hall, the Broadway skytrain station, and Burnaby schools. She is also an avid soccer fan.

THE ARTICLE

Canadian Clinical: Canada’s New National Mental Health Strategy and Its Effect on Youth

By: Audrina Benson

Changing Directions, Changing Lives, Canada’s new National Mental Health Strategy, has six strategic directions and is sure to be read by many prominent clinical psychology programs and legislators both inside and outside of the nation. Generally, the aim of the document is to “promote mental health across the lifespan in homes, schools, and workplaces, and prevent mental illness and suicide wherever possible” and to “foster recovery and wellbeing for people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses, and uphold their rights.”
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Mental illness certainly afflicts people of all ages, and the mental health strategy reflects this. There are priorities in the strategy which focus on “populations that are considered to be at high risk, such as women, newcomers, refugees, racialized people, people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and the elderly.”

In addition, youth are also at risk and there are recommendations which specifically concern the younger population, especially in regard to prevention. It is also notable that stigma affects young people in particular, and for 25% of them shame prevents them from seeking help, even if they believe they may be suffering from a mental health problem. While some aspects of the strategy are financially focused, there are key strategies to help break down the barriers of the stigma which is an obstacle to recovery for those dealing with a mental illness.

One in five people in Canada are expected to be affected by mental illness in any given year (Mental Health Commission in Canada 2011). A recent article in the Calgary Herald, indicates the strategy is long overdue, as it calls for “an overhaul of a system it calls so fractured and underfunded". One of the priorities of the strategy is to “reduce the overrepresentation of people living with mental health problems and illnesses in the criminal justice system, and provide appropriate services, treatment, and supports to those who are in the system.” This links to another one of the strategic directions, which is to “provide access to the right combination of services, treatments and supports, when and where people need them.”
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There are young people in the criminal justice system who may have been diagnosed, but who are not receiving adequate treatment. British Columbia has a Community Action Initiative (CAI) which has been funding mental-health related projects in communities. One project has helped young parents and their children, another focuses on mental health for Aboriginal youth age 13-18, and a third helps vulnerable young people between the ages of 16 and 25. The national strategy “supports the work of the CAI in building relationships, strengthening capacity and mobilizing communities to improve the quality of everyday life for people across British Columbia.”

The national strategy, which involves $4 billion in additional funding for mental health is a great start to addressing challenges of mental illness and it has the potential to improve the health and well being of individuals and communities across the province.

Resources & References:

• Calgary Herald Article
• Community Action Initiative

Please send your comments to: bensonaudrina@gmail.com
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THE EVENTS

Presentation ~ Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Community; Tea & Celebration Party

Where: Victoria City Hall (1 Centennial Square)

When: September 19th 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

What: Join this presentation to hear about the highlights and lessons learned during the Community Tables: Engaging Neighbours Initiative project. Find out more information here

THE WATCH

Webinar "Nudging us toward the 5th Wave of Public Health"

Source: 'Fifth Wave' Presentation Phil Hanlon

On June 13th BCHC hosted the webinar "Nudging us toward the 5th Wave of Public Health" with Phil Hanlon, Melanie Sondergaard (Storytellers' Foundation) and Deirdre Goudriaan (BCHC). This webinar was made possible through a partnership with the Healthy Families BC Communities Initiative, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP).

Through presentations, dialogue and discussion the webinar explored practical, positive suggestions for systemic and policy changes in how we approach complex health issues at the community level (such as achieving healthier weights for children and youth).

This webinar helps to illuminate the links between key social determinants of health and overall individual and community well- being, with a particular focus on the development of healthy public policy. View the full webinar here

BCHC Newsletter - May 2012

THE NEWS

Welcome Naomi Phillips!
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BC Healthy Communities (BCHC) is pleased to announce that co-op student Naomi Phillips will be joining the BCHC team for the summer. Naomi will be working and learning with BCHC as our Communications Coordinator. Naomi is currently enrolled as a Political Science student at the University of Victoria, she has worked with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and is pursuing a career as a policy analyst. With her strong writing skills Naomi will be an excellent addition to the team and we’re very happy to have her on board!

Canadian Healthy Communities Network website launched

The Canadian Healthy Communities Network is proud to announce the launch of their new website. The website contains useful resources, such as tool kits, manuals and reports, that embody Healthy Communities principles to assist researchers, policy makers and practitioners.

The Canadian Healthy Communities Network was established by four provincial Healthy Communities Networks, including BC Healthy Communities , Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition, Reseau quebecois de Villes et Villages en sante and Mouvement Acadian des Communautes en Sante. These organizations have worked together since October 2009 to advance and exchange knowledge across Canada about Healthy Community (HC) initiatives. Its purpose is to support provincial, regional and local HC networks and coalitions by providing access to educational resources and opportunities for peer learning and sharing expertise, experiences and success stories.

Click here to visit the website and don’t forget to check out the Storytelling Corner section where you can find some inspiring Healthy Communities stories.

THE COMMUNITY

Victoria Youth in Action at the Youth Arts and Music Festival
by Emily Cordeaux

As part of the City of Victoria’s 150 year celebrations, The City of Victoria Youth Council (CVYC) hosted a Youth Arts and Music Festival on Sunday, May 27 in Centennial Square. The event entitled, “Love Your Art!” highlighted the spectrum of artistic talents of young Victorians artistic talents.

Community members of all ages and walks of life attended and showed their support for youth arts in Victoria. Highlights included an energetic performance by local favourites, Animal Astronauts; a moving piece on the topic of teen bullying and suicide by students from Central Middle School; and the involvement of many local talented artists.

The event was family friendly; many kids and folks young at heart stopped by for face painting, chalk drawing, and bubble blowing! For more information on the event or to view event photos, be sure to check out the City of Victoria Youth Council’s Facebook page . The CVYC would like to gratefully extend their gratitude to the City of Victoria for providing the venue and funding to make this event possible.

The CVYC is a youth-driven, grassroots project that offers opportunities for civic engagement to youth who live, work, hang out or got to school in the City of Victoria. The CVYC is hosted by BC Healthy Communities. For more information about the CVYC please visit the CVYC website or contact Sarah Amyot at info@cvyc.net

THE CHAMPION

Storytellers' Foundation

Storytellers' Foundation is a registered non-profit society established in 1994 located in the Village of Hazelton on the traditional territories of the Gitxsan people in northwest BC. Their practice promotes community development through an integrated approach that stems from the diverse values and socioeconomic visions of community members. Cultural and environmental competence is a foundation for all their relationships and practice.

For the past ten years Storytellers’ has served several functions in connection with community organizing. These functions have included facilitating community development discussions and initiatives, research about the conditions in which rural people live, participatory action research with youth, analysis of the local economy and our socioeconomic potential for non-industrial economies, communication and public education around Gitxsan issues, and general socioeconomic analysis.

Through their work, Storytellers’ aims to foster personal and political mobilization through the development of an active citizenry in order that residents of the Northwest can further define their social and economic destiny.

The Storytellers' Foundation and BCHC have recently worked together on the Living Life Fully (LLF) project. The project, developed by and for youth, focused on promoting Healthy Living in the North Region through educating and engaging the community on local and traditional foods. Visit the Storytellers' Foundation website to  find out more about the exciting work that they're involved in. 

THE ARTICLE

The Good Food Gap

By: Amanda Ng, Master’s in Public Health and Social Policy

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for [their] health and well-being…including food (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 2012). In Canada, access to a food system that is economically viable, socially just, and environmentally sustainable is a difficult feat that seems riddled with health inequities. Much of the current food system perpetuates an unhealthy pattern where processed, nutritionally empty foods are more affordable than fresh nutrient-rich foods. The 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) found that almost one in ten Canadian households (representing approximately 2.7 million individuals) were not able to afford the foods needed for a healthy, balanced diet at least once in the previous 12 months (Heart and Stroke, 2009). Food insecurity can be closely linked to a geographical gradient and associated with poverty. Low-income neighbourhoods often experience food deserts due to a lack of grocery stores with affordable nutritious foods, as these businesses tend to situate themselves in affluent communities.

The persistence of a good food gap is gaining attention in our society and is described as “the policy space separating the farm income crisis from the health crisis — in other words, the fact that farmers find it difficult to make a living growing food, and consumers find it difficult to make the good food choices they want to make (Metcalf Foundation, 2011).” The good food gap accurately depicts the plethora of ways in which our food system is not meeting the needs of those who rely on it. Food security disproportionately affects communities of lower income compared to neighbourhoods of high socioeconomic status. There is a strong association between food insecurity and higher obesity levels due to low cost foods being higher in fat, calories, and nearly devoid of nutritional value. It is easier to make unhealthy food choices based on resources available in one’s immediate environment.

Food Banks

Food banks are a community resource for food targeting individuals with lower income. However, individuals may shy away from food banks as they are linked with a certain stigma and may instigate users to feel degraded and humiliated. Food banks also tend to be devoid of fresh produce and generally provide less nutritionally dense foods with a longer shelf-life (i.e. canned products).

Communities could benefit from re-configuring the items that are provided by food banks and altering the items on stock depending on the specific needs of the community. Community involvement is an essential puzzle piece to improving the type of food provision in food banks as they can help pinpoint appropriate foods. In order for this program to be truly needs based, low income individuals should be at the table with other stakeholders since they can provide the frame of mind and personal experiences that can help create effective food security initiatives for the lower socioeconomic populations.

Closing the Gap

How can we lessen the good food gap? Increased support for community gardens among low-income neighbourhoods can help create opportunities to provide local, fresh produce, and foster a sense of community connectedness. The incorporation of community gardens in low-income housing creates skill-building opportunities, community connectedness, and providing fresh produce for the residents.

On a policy level, we need to further raise awareness surrounding this good food gap in Canada. We need to advocate for the affordability and accessibility to healthy foods for all communities across the nation. Coincidentally, the UN right-to-food envoy Olivier de Schutter recently made a visit to Canada and made several controversial comments about the Canadian government and policy around food security. He states,

“What I've seen in Canada is a system that presents barriers for the poor to access nutritious diets and that tolerates increased inequalities between rich and poor, and Aboriginal non-Aboriginal peoples. Canada is much admired for its achievements in the area of human rights, which it has championed for many years. But hunger and access to adequate diets, too, are human rights issues -- and here much remains to be done.” Olivier de Schutter

While we cannot dismiss the fact that policy changes at the federal level take time, municipal governments should educate communities on the importance of eating well, provide support for healthy eating initiatives for low-income neighbourhoods (i.e. community gardens), and foster partnerships among businesses and/or non-profit organizations within the community. In a country that is viewed by many across the globe as a land of opportunity and wealth, we should foster and maintain our reputation by fighting the good food gap. A nation with a healthy population is worth the fight.

Here are some links for ideas to beat the good food gap:

1. Article from the Globe and Mail                                                                                                                   

2. Paper on healthy eating and food security from the Dieticians Canada website

3. Heart and Stroke Foundation

4. Resource Guide for Local Governments
5. Interview with Lauren Baker, the Executive Direction for Sustain Ontario, which is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to healthy and ecologically responsible food and farming in the province.

EVENTS

Webinar ~ Nudging Us Towards the 5th Wave of Public Health - New Practices and Policies.

What: Back on popular demand! FREE webinar with Phil Hanlon and Anne Docherty. The webinar will focus on supporting healthy public policy development, the conditions necessary to support the fifth wave and emergent signs of the fifth wave.

When: June 13, 2012 - 10:00 - 11:30am (PST)

Where: Online, more details to be announced. To pre-register please send an email to bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca

Forum ~ Healthy People, Healthy City – Making Vancouver a Leader in Urban Health


What: 'Healthy People, Healthy City' will feature highlights of local people and programs doing groundbreaking work in urban health, a panel discussion with leaders in health and social sustainability, and keynote speaker Andre Picard.

When: June 22, 2012

Where: Vancouver, find out more here

THE READ

The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card

The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card offers the most comprehensive annual assessment of child and youth physical activity in Canada.

Active Healthy Kids Canada strives to be a trusted source for “powering the movement to get kids moving”—a ‘go to’ source for knowledge, insight and understanding that influences thinking and action among issue stakeholders to help build better programs, campaigns and policies in order to increase physical activity among children and youth.

Advancing knowledge is the cornerstone of Active Healthy Kids Canada’s work, providing the evidence base for communications and issue advocacy work related to child and youth physical activity. In an ongoing effort to advance knowledge to effect change, Active Healthy Kids Canada, together with its strategic partners the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (HALO-CHEO) and ParticipACTION, releases the annual Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

For more information on Active Healthy Kids Canada, to access archived and the most recent Report Card and resources, visit www.activehealthykids.ca.

BCHC Newsletter - April 2012

THE NEWS
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Back by Popular Demand - New Webinar with Phil Hanlon on June 13th, 2012

BC Healthy Communities is excited to host another webinar in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer on June 13th with key speaker Dr. Phil Hanlon from the University of Glasgow. On April 3rd Dr. Hanlon presented his findings regarding some of the challenges to modern approaches to public health practices during the 1st webinar ' Calling for the 5th Wave in Public Health'.   The April 3rd webinar helped describe the challenges modernity poses in the context of health indicators and barriers.  Some of participants responded the following after the webinar:

“I have a better understanding of how to be more effective in being helpful to people who have been marginalized by developing relationships, and more generally for everyone to include the beautiful dimension in the forefront”

‘Thank you very much for this opportunity to hear important perspectives and come away refreshed with new ideas and inspiration’

You can now listen to the April 3rd webinar session online, to start the webinar click here

The June 13th webinar ‘Nudging Us Towards the 5th Wave of Public Health - New Practices and Policies’ will also include a presentation of Anne Docherty from the Storytellers Foundation. More details about the webinar and the registration procedure will be announced on the BCHC website in May. If you want to pre-register you can send an email to bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca.

THE COMMUNITY


Citizens Series III Coming Your WayKK
Great news for Northern residents! BC Healthy Communities and the Northern Health Authority have committed to deliver another year of FREE webinar series on specific topics that are critical to improving the health outcomes of northern people. BCHC and NHA are continuing their partnership to build on the momentum created through Citizen Series I and II delivered through 2010 -2012.  

The intention of each session will be to involve local citizens, health authorities and local government participants along with guest speakers to share best practices, success stories and challenges from the local/regional perspective. 

Citizen Series III will consist of 4 webinars focused on a specific topic and supported by a Think piece. The new dates will be posted on the BC Healthy Communities website and in our communications. 

Can't wait? Check out the past webinars on our website here. 

THE CHAMPION
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Niagara Grocery
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Jennifer McKimmie, proud owner of Niagara Grocery, located in beautiful, historic James Bay. Victoria BC’s oldest grocery store and since nicely updated!

Niagara Grocery in James Bay has been transformed from a tried convenience store into an award-winning neighborhood market. In the grocery store you can buy local produce, daily bread, artisan cheese & sausage, and house-roasted coffees. Jennifer makes the greatest effort to provide not only local foods but also gluten-free products. 


Previously working as the Afternoon Tea Manager at the Empress Hotel, Jennifer recognized that there were growing requests for gluten-free items on the menu and as the new owner of Niagara Grocery she saw this as an excellent opportunity to meet the growing demand for these products. Next time you are in the area you can stop by the original James Bay location or even the newest addition—the Fairfield Market near the corner of Fairfield & Moss street.

(Photo Credits: Eatmagazine)


THE ARTICLEK
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Chandler- Gonzales Pathway in Victoria to Re-Open!

Back in August, community member Hazel Currie submitted an update on the community vision to re-open the Chandler- Gonzales public walkway in Victoria, providing a safe route to a local elementary school and a pedestrian-friendly link for the entire community.  An exciting news release that just came out announced that Victoria City Council have unanimously agreed to re-open the walkway.  The recent article as follows: After more than 30 years the Chandler-Gonzales Pathway will be re-opened, returning this Greenway to the community and providing a safer route for children heading to and from Ecole Margaret Jenkins School.

“I’m thrilled with the unanimous decision by Victoria City Council to make this project a reality,” said Peter Nagati, spokesperson for the Committee to Re-open the Chandler-Gonzales Pathway. “With the support of hundreds of area residents, local businesses and the city, I’m confident we can have the path re-opened in time for the new school year in September.”

Victoria City Council has approved a budget that will provide for clearing along the right-of-way, chain link fencing with hedging to help ensure the neighbours’ privacy, and a gravel surface along the 250 metre pathway that links Pemberton Park with Chandler Street.  In addition, pedestrian crossings will also be installed on both Gonzales and Chandler Streets.

The Committee to Re-open the Chandler-Gonzales Pathway is made up of a dozen local residents who worked tirelessly to return this public asset to the community.  There are more than 650 letters of support and commitments from local businesses to help provide materials, along with volunteers ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
From the early 1900's until the mid-1970's, the pathway existed between Pemberton Park and Chandler Avenue providing a direct connection between the neighbourhoods north of Gonzales Ave. with Ecole Margaret Jenkins School and the neighbourhoods to the south.  Although closed in the 1970's, the City of Victoria had the foresight to maintain ownership of the land.

EVENTS


Youth Arts Festival – May 27 – Centennial Square, Victoria
 

As part of the City of Victoria’s 150 year celebrations The City of Victoria Youth Council (CVYC) is hosting a Youth Arts Festival which highlights the spectrum of artistic talents of young people in Victoria across three broad areas: performance arts, visual arts and crafts. The events profiles and celebrates the talents of youth in Victoria in a free and exciting, family friendly and age inclusive event.

The CVYC is a youth-driven, grassroots project that offers opportunities for civic engagement to youth who live, work, hang out or got to school in the City of Victoria. The CVYC is hosted by BC Healthy Communities. For more information about the CVYC please visit the CVYC website or contact Sarah Amyot at info@cvyc.net

THE WATCH
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Want to see age-friendly communities in action?

Seniors BC has created  Age-friendly BC (AFBC) community videos featuring seniors, local government staff and officials, and community representatives talking about what makes their community or organization age-friendly.

The videos were developed primarily for local governments, but others may find project ideas that fit their own communities as well. You can watch the full video, which includes an introduction to AFBC with all of the topics, or choose a video on one of the specific age-friendly topics from the Seniors BC website by clicking here