PlanH News: Upcoming events, success stories and more

APRIL NEWS

Healthy Communities Capacity Building Grant, Round Two: Update

Thank you to all of the communities that have submitted applications to Round Two of the Healthy Communities Capacity Building Grant.

In total we received over 150 applications, for everything from active transportation strategies to research into young people’s recreation needs.

We will be letting all communities know if they’ve been awarded a grant by May 5th 2014.

PlanH Webinar: Smoke-Free Outdoor Places

Join us online to learn from Ryan David Kennedy (PhD), a tobacco control researcher, Ian Wilson, City of Kelowna, and Sheena Fraser, Village of Pemberton about smoke-free and tobacco-free policies. April 8, 2014 from 9:00 to 10:00 am (PDT).

For more information or to register, please click here .

Success Story: City of Kelowna Citizens Breathe Free in Smoke-free Parks

By updating their Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw to make parks smoke-free, the City of Kelowna joins a growing list of BC municipalities that have eliminated or restricted smoking in parks and on beaches.

Success Story: Pemberton Sets the Bar High with "Gold Standard" Smoking Bylaw

With the update of BC’s Tobacco Control Act in 2007, new regulations came into effect to deter smoking in public spaces. A number of local governments throughout BC committed to supporting the Act by implementing bylaws and policies to help reduce the prevalence of smoking. This success story highlights how the Village of Pemberton initiated a “gold standard” Smoking Regulation Bylaw in 2009.

Local Leaders Speak Out on Healthy Communities: City of Richmond, Harold Steves

Planning for health and well-being in the community is a decades-long practice for the City of Richmond. In this interview recorded at the 2013 UBCM Convention, Councillor Harold Steves speaks about the importance of local collaboration for sustainability planning. Watch his interview here.

Food for Thought: Progressive Governance Forum

April 4-5, 2014 Vancouver, BC

Join us at the Progressive Civic Governance Forum in Vancouver, BC. This year's theme is Food for Thought: Growing Local Economies, Strengthening Local Leadership.

BC Healthy Communities and PlanH will be part of the Pecha Kucha evening on Friday April 4th. Follow us on Twitter @BC_HC and facebook.

Building Intersections: Annual RHSR Conference

April 10-11, 2014
Kelowna, BC

Join PlanH at Buillding Intersections for Vibrant Rural Communities: Research on Health, Wellness and Place, an annual conference on Rural Health Services Research.

This year’s theme focuses on intersections between research, practice, and policy for healthy built environments. To register click here.

From Silos to Systems: Building Partnerships for Healthy Communities

No longer: April 10, 2014
Bowser/Deep Bay, BC

POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

This workshop will support collaboration and partnerships between local governments, health authorities and community organizations in the Regional District of Nanaimo. We will focus on identifying areas of shared interest and the unique assets different sectors can contribute to collaborative partnerships to build healthier communities.

Have Your Say: Survey Provincial Healthy Eating Policy

The BC Ministry of Health is refreshing the Provincial Healthy Eating Strategy, with the aim of making the healthiest choice the easiest choice wherever British Columbians live, work, learn and play.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact lynda.corby@shaw.ca.

To complete the survey (deadline April 4th), click here.

Healthy Built Environment (HBE) Linkages Toolkit

The HBE Linkages Toolkit is the first evidence-based and expert-informed resource that links planning principles to health outcomes and is intended to inform built environment design and decision-making.

The Toolkit will be launched by the Provincial Health Services Authority on April 8th and will be available on the PlanH website. To learn more about the Toolkit, join the webinar on April 30th, 2014 from 10-11 AM (PDT). For more info or to register click here.

Webinar: Cross-Sector Community Engagement

The Healthy Built Environment Alliance presents Working Across Sectors to Engage the "Silent Majority" in Official Community Plans and Transportation Master Plans' Implementation.

Part 1 Urban Case Studies
Date: Wednesday, April 9th
Time: 1:00am-12:30pm PDT

Part 2 Rural Case Studies
Date: Wednesday, May 14th
Time: 12:00-1:30pm PDT

PlanH is a partnership between BC Healthy Communities Society and Healthy Families BC, and is informed by health authorities and other key stakeholders.

The PlanH program supports local government engagement and partnerships across sectors for creating healthier communities. Recognizing that community policy, plans, and decisions affect health and well-being, PlanH provides learning opportunities, resources, and leading-edge practices for collaborative local action.