Boats and umbrellas line the beaches of Savary Island., B.C. Photo credit: Province of BC/Flickr
COVID-19 IMMUNIZATION ROLLOUT
B.C. is now in Phase 4 of the COVID-19 Immunization Plan. For more details and the latest updates, visit the province's COVID-19 Immunization Plan page.
Creating Healthy Public Policy
LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS SPEAKER SERIES
This year, one of the focus areas of the PlanH program is on the importance of developing Healthy Public Policy at the local government level. Healthy public policy is a powerful tool for local governments to meaningfully improve the lives of their constituents. As a part of improved health and well-being outcomes, healthy public policies also positively impact issues directly within local government purview, including community safety, local economic activity, social service delivery, and sustainability.
To support local and Indigenous governments to enact healthier public policies, BC Healthy Communities is launching a new set of talks called Creating Healthy Public Policy - Local Government Leaders Speaker Series. The series kicks off on June 23 with Living Wage Policies, a session exploring the City of Victoria’s experience adopting a Living Wage policy. Designed for elected officials and staff in decision-making roles, the series provides participants with the opportunity to consider whether a similar policy would fit their community's needs, and to determine the next steps needed to advance action toward adopting such a policy.
On-demand Webinar: Community-based approaches to making evaluation attainable & equitable
You don't need to be an “evaluator” to perform evaluation work and contribute to healthy, equitable policy development. Hosted in partnership with the Canadian Evaluation Society - BC Chapter, this on-demand webinar examines best practices for applying feasible, equitable evaluation principles in B.C. community settings.
NEWS & ARTICLES
Temporary tools become permanent improvements for local governments
New legislative amendments will give local governments more flexibility to better serve communities and people, as special authorities granted during the pandemic become permanent. This includes allowing people to participate in meetings and public hearings online.
“The lessons we’ve learned during the past year have shown us how we can do things better,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “We are hearing that having the option to participate in public hearings and meetings virtually is more equitable for people who face barriers to joining in person, which is why we are giving communities the power to do a mix of virtual, in-person or hybrid meetings, while maintaining transparency safeguards.”
New resource supports application of an equity lens in Age-friendly Communities Planning
Designed to support local and Indigenous governments embarking on Age-friendly Community Plans, this equity resource provides a refresher on the concept of equity in planning, offering ideas and guidance to help ensure equity is considered at each step of the planning process. By applying an equity lens in Age-friendly Planning, communities can help ensure their plans are inclusive and consider all community members. The resource is the first release in our Age-friendly Capacity Building series, a suite of tools developed to accompany our customized in-community supports.
On PlanH.ca: Social Connectedness page
Social connectedness is the feeling of belonging to a group, family, or community. It has profound impacts on health and well-being—social exclusion is a determinant of health. Our newly-updated Social Connectedness page on the PlanH website explains the role of local and Indigenous governments in fostering social connectedness, offering examples of actions taken to bolster social connectedness by leading communities in B.C.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Vancouver Coastal Health Promotion Project Grants
DEADLINE: JUNE 15
These grants are for projects that are one-time-only in nature and intent, and that lead to greater equity in wellness by building on a community’s social, environmental, cultural and economic foundations. In particular, they are intended for projects that respond to the consequences of COVID-19 and associated public health measures, and build program, organizational and community resiliencies. Awards range from $100 to $10,000. First Nations, regional districts, and community organizations within the Vancouver Coastal Health Region (Vancouver, Richmond, North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Powell River, Sea-to-Sky, Central Coast, and Bella Coola Valley) are eligible to apply for this funding. More details.
Canada Healthy Communities Initiative
DEADLINE: JUNE 25
The Healthy Communities Initiative is a $31 million investment from the Government of Canada to transform public spaces in response to COVID-19. The Initiative will provide funding to a broad range of organizations, including local governments, charities, Indigenous communities and nonprofits, for projects, programming and services that help communities create safe and vibrant public spaces, improve mobility options, and provide innovative digital solutions. Applicants who did not receive funding in round one may re-apply to round two but will not be guaranteed funding. More details.
Infrastructure Planning Grant Program
DEADLINE: JULY 16
Municipalities and regional districts can apply for grants that support projects related to the development of sustainable community infrastructure through the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to help local governments develop or improve long-term comprehensive plans including, and not limited to: Asset management plans,
integrated stormwater management plans, water master plans, and liquid waste management plans. Grants can be used for a range of activities related to assessing the technical, environmental and/or economic feasibility of local government infrastructure projects. More details.
Indigenous Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative
DEADLINE: JULY 31
This initiative supports Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs who are ready to launch agriculture and food systems projects and others who want to build their capacity to participate in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. Projects under the initiative must be for the benefit of Indigenous Peoples and communities in Canada, as well as the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. More details.
Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund - COVID-19
OPEN FOR MONTHLY INTAKES
The Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund (IPRF) is an Indigenous-led effort to respond to urgent community needs while taking a long-term view on building community resilience. Any Indigenous-led organization working to foster resilience in Inuit, Métis and First Nations communities anywhere in Canada can apply for resiliency support ranging from $5,000 to $30,000. More details.
Neighbourhood Small Grants
DEADLINE: VARIES - NOVEMBER 9 IN MANY COMMUNITIES (SEE WEBSITE)
The Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) program helps residents in communities across B.C. of any age, experience, or background take part in building community. Projects should bring your community together, build community strength and resilience, or tackle social isolation. Awards of up to $500 are available to offset project expenses including products, transportation, or services. Projects can take place either online or in-person. All in-person events should follow your local public health guidelines. More details.
RESOURCES
Resource: Food Access in British Columbia
Earlier this year, the Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) conducted a survey on food access programming and organizations. The study provides a snapshot of the current landscape of food access organizations in British Columbia and provides recommendations to improve food access across the province. Download the report on PHABC's website.
Resource: Local Government in BC: A Community Effort
As part of Local Government Awareness Week (May 16–22), the Union of BC Municipalities shared a number of valuable resources detailing the role and functions of local government. One particularly helpful resource shared was Local Government in BC: A Community Effort (2015), a succinct guide to how local governments operate and how community members can get involved. See the other resources shared as part of Local Government Awareness Week on the UBCM website.
Resource: Socially Connected Communities: Solutions for Social Isolation
Social isolation is not a personal choice or individual problem, but one that is rooted in community design, social norms, and systemic injustices. Socially Connected Communities: Solutions for Social Isolation is a new report from Healthy Places by Design (HPbD) that offers five recommendations for creating socially connected communities, starting with public spaces, transportation, and housing. View the report, as well as an additional document providing guidance for local government and community leaders, at the HPbD website.
Resource: The COVID Decade: Understanding the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19
Though we may be able to begin to reverse the negative impacts of isolation soon, there are also deeper impacts on health and well-being, communities and cohesion, skills, employment and the economy which will have profound effects on communities for many years to come. These impacts are explored in the British Academy's COVID Decade report, which outlines evidence across a range of areas. A central theme across the evidence is the "vital importance of community-led responses that draw upon local knowledge and resources, and build capacity and channels of interconnectedness between government, community organizations and the public." See the full report.
LEARN
The Balance is BCAHL’s new podcast that aims to promote and discuss chronic disease prevention with leading thinkers, tackling issues such as the intersection of physical activity with categories such as gender, disability and race.
Listen in.
CONNECT
The Public Health Association of BC's annual Summer Institute takes place June 24 and 25. This year's theme is Fake or Fact? Promoting Digital Health Literacy in an Era of New Media and Misinformation.
Learn more.
INNOVATE
In order to guide relations with neighbouring Indigenous communities, the District of Mission recently adopted "9 principles of reconciliation" to ensure meaningful movement toward that goal.
Read the principles.
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