Context

• Collaboration among many partners

• Multiple level advisory committees

• Public Health involvement since the beginning

Regional Growth Management Strategy (RGMS)

• Action Plan for Housing• Eastside Development• Countryside Line• Cultural Heritage Landscapes• Rapid Transit and TDM• Reurbanization Corridor• Greenlands Plan• Human Services Plan• Health & the Built Environment

Multiple Components

HEALTH

ECONOMY

COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT

Built EnvironmentThese areas relate primarily to “hard”

Infrastructure & services

Human Services PlanningThese areas relateprimarily to “soft”

Infrastructure & services

ECONOMY

COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT

Built Environment“hard”

Infrastructure & services

Human Services Planning“soft”

Infrastructure & services

Healthy Food System

Urban AgricultureUrban Form & Physical Activity

Family Health PlanEMS PlanClinical Services Plan

Population Health ProjectionsRural Health StudyHealth of Immigrants in WRHealth in Urban Neighbourhoods

HEALTH

Public Health

↑ Chronic Disease

↑Demands & Access Issues

↑DisparitiesRural

Limited income

Immigrants

↓Air Quality

Impacts of Growth

Public Health

Immigrants, Growth & Health

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031

Immigrant % (Highest Growth )Immigrant % (Reference )Immigrant % (Lowest Growth )

Visible M inority % (Highest Growth )Visible M inority % (Reference )Visible M inority % (Lowest Growth )

Immigrants Living on Low Income by Year of

ImmigrationWaterloo Region, 2001

9.7% 8.9%

13.5%

20.3%

33.5%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Canadian-born

Before1986

1986-1990 1991-1995 1996-2001

Year of Immigration

% o

f P

op

ula

tio

n L

ivin

g o

n L

ow

Inc

om

e

Public Health

Urban Neighbourhoods & Health Outcomes

Public Health

Health disparities exist and they are strongly and consistently associated with a specific subset of social-economic indicators.

10 socio-economic characteristics were associated with all adverse health outcomes.

9 of these were associated with low EDI scores

Urban Form, Physical Activity and Health

Public Health

Neighbourhoods in the Study

Inner-city• Walk more days/week• More purposive

walking• Likely walk or cycle to

work• Drive 42 min/day• Destinations matter –(especially food retail)

• Walk with someone• Own more vehicles• Likely drive to work• Drive 74 min/day

Suburban

Public Health

Rural Health and Rural Access to Services

Protecting farm land from development = Farm Viability

Loss of Rural Culture & StressRural residents have a strong sense of connection to the land and history, and a sense of community

Smaller farms are disappearing, and those left are finding it increasingly difficult to compete

Farmers are facing a great deal of stress and financial concerns, resulting in many pursuing off-farm incomes

"Young people end up leaving -- they see no future in farming

Public Health

Towards a Healthy Community Food System

Reliable Access to Healthy Food

Improved Dietary Habits

Reduced Chronic Disease

71% of urban population does not live within reasonable walking distance of a supermarket

46% does not live within walking distance of either a supermarket or a convenience store.

How will increasing densities and re-urbanization affect food access?

• even during the peak season, produce grown in Waterloo Region is not readily available to residents

• audits of supermarkets and convenience stores found number of food items grown or raised in Region to be low

• Missed opportunity

Rural and Urban Problems are Linked

Public Health

Air Quality and Growth

Already much focus on “walkable” communities to improve air quality

Focus further on purposive walking by encouraging neighbourhood retail

Encourage food retail for additional impact.

• Greater reliance on local food is another untapped mechanism to improve air quality

• Imports of 31 commonly-eaten foods travel an average of over 4,500 km to Waterloo Region, and generate an average of 1.8 kg of greenhouse gases for every kg of food imported

• Imports of studied foods generate over 50,000 tonnes of GHG emissions annually, equal to 16,000 cars on roads

Evolving Goals

Slow escalation of chronic disease• Increase healthy food options in re-urbanized areas • Increase purposive walking in urban areas

Improve air quality • Reduce ozone precursors associated with food transport• Increase purposive walking in urban areas

Reduce health disparities• Strengthen rural communities – improve farm viability• Increase employment opportunities for new immigrants• Support action to reduce poverty

Influence land use policy

Join up advocacy efforts

Walk the Talk

Increase CitizenAction

Surveillance &Monitoring

Public Health

www.region.waterloo.on.ca/ph

Resources

Health Status & Research

Public Health