More communities across the province will now have increased support as they work toward better health and well-being for their constituents. BC Healthy Communities is proud to announce that twenty communities in B.C. will receive PlanH funding and customized planning support as part of our Community Connectedness and Healthy Community Engagement grant streams. The projects will take place from September 2020 to September 2021.

Equity is foundational to the development of healthy communities, and local governments have an important role in implementing and championing equity across social, economic, environmental and cultural domains. But how do local governments build equity into their policies and processes? Our new Equity Action Guide tackles this question. The guide explores how equity can be incorporated into Official Community Plans, and also provides actions and examples to support the development of equitable processes and policies.

Rates of youth vaping in B.C. are on the rise, but local governments can play a role in reducing youth access to vapour products. This new PlanH resource provides examples of local governments across the province using their regulatory authority to restrict youth access and exposure to vapour products. The resource also shares data about youth vaping in B.C. as well as other resources and links relating to the topic.

In the wake of COVID-19, BC Healthy Communities has developed a series of resources to respond to local government concerns around food security. These Rapid Action Resources provide local governments with an understanding of  food security-related issues from an upstream perspective to support smart investment and decision-making. All four resources in this series are now available, covering community food production, food systems and collaboration with non-profits and cultural groups.

For many, it’s been easy to be active and social while physically distancing during summer and fall, but for communities across the province winter presents new challenges. As we move into colder months, local governments can take action to make it easier for folks to continue to get outside and be active despite the colder and shorter days ahead. Read the story.

This fall, BC Healthy Communities hosted a PlanH webinar on making public engagement more equitable. In this piece, we share the four main highlights of the insights and experience shared by our panel of community engagement experts as well as a link to a recording of the webinar.
Read the blog post.

Healthy Natural Environments have become some of our most coveted spaces during the COVID pandemic. However, the inequities that COVID have highlighted and exacerbated across society extend to these spaces, too. The current public health crisis has resulted in natural environments and greenspaces being reinvisioned and revalued. At BCHC, we think healthy natural environments should be spaces that improve health and well-being equitably. Read the story.

Those involved in planning for physically active communities at any level know that it can be tough work. Understandably, in the face of COVID, local governments around the province are taking an opportunity to dismantle the many chronic inequities present in our systems—but we may not have had time to consider the connection between active communities and social justice or equity work. Read the blog post.

Changes in access to various supports due to COVID has made ensuring people stay safe and healthy while sheltering in encampments an increasingly challenging task. Island Health's Regional Built Environment Consultant Jade Yehia looks at the environmental health risks experienced in encampments during the pandemic and provides guidance for Environmental Health Officers to address these challenges. Read the paper.

PHRASES has released a series of strategic messaging toolkits for public health professionals looking to help motivate the public and other sectors to support public health. These messaging tools include sample messaging, “winning words,” practical tools, and other strategies to help start conversations with members of the public or other stakeholder groups, framing public health in a way that is relevant to their lives. Get the toolkits.

The BC Alliance for Healthy Living (BCAHL) is excited to announce the official launch of two newsletters.
The first newsletter focuses on the work of BCAHL and their members to promote healthy living, prevent disease and spark action. The second newsletter will feature
information on the EverybodyMoves Resource Hub, BCAHL's new online platform to strengthen inclusion in physical activity. Subscribe to one or both by completing a brief survey.