Project Manager & Author: Kim Perrotta

Presenting to the CHNET-WorksMay 26, 2011

Public Health and Land Use Planning: How Ten Public Health Units are Working to Create Healthy

and Sustainable Communities

Partners & Contact Information

• Ministry of Health Promotion & Sport – Healthy Communities Fund (funding)

• Clean Air Partnership (CAP) – lead agency

• Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) – partner through the Health & Built Environment Workgroup

Contact Information:Clean Air Partnership (CAP)75 Elizabeth StreetToronto, Ontario M5G 1P4416-392-6672www.cleanairpartnership.orgKim.perrotta@cogeco.ca905-628-9437

http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/public_health_and_the_built_environment

Ten Public Health Units• North:

– Sudbury & District Health Unit • Rural:

– Grey Bruce Health Unit – HKPR District Health Unit – Simcoe Muskoka District Health

Unit• Urban/Rural Mix:

– Niagara Region Public Health – Region of Waterloo Public Health

• GTA:– York Region Public Health

Branch– Peel Public Health – Halton Region Health

Department – Toronto Public Health

Structure of Background Report• Overview – health & the built environment

for six factors:– Physical activity– Injuries– Healthy Eating– Air Quality– Climate Change– Water Quality

• Priority Population: Low Income Populations• Case Studies – 10 PHUs• Discussion

– Interventions– Strategies– Program Areas & Expertise– Organization Structures

• Recommendations

Interventions Being Sought Active & Alternative Transportation

• Rural areas:– Paved shoulders between

communities, trails, & connectivity – Physical Activity, Injury Prevention &

Access • Small urban areas:

– Urban design & infrastructure– Physical Activity, Injury Prevention &

Access• Large Urban Areas

– Development patterns, densities, design & infrastructure

– Air Quality, Climate Change, Physical Activity, Injury Prevention & Access

Interventions Being SoughtIncrease Access to Healthy Foods

• Official Plans , Secondary Plans & Site Plans:– Mobile farmers' markets– Community gardens– Green roofs– Equitable access to retailers

selling fresh foods• Programs – Establishing mobile

markets & community gardens• Community Food Security:

– Research , policies & programs– Support preservation of local

farm land

Interventions Being SoughtAddress Localized Air Quality Impacts

• OP Policies:– Linking air quality to transit, active

transportation, energy efficiency in official plans

– air studies & cumulative air quality – Compatible land uses– Separation distances for highways

• OP Implementation Guidelines:– Compatible land uses– Air Quality Impacts

• Programs: – airshed modelling & monitoring

Interventions Being SoughtMitigating & Adapting to Climate Change• General OP Policies: Linking climate

change to transit, active transportation & energy efficiency

• Specific OP Policies: Adaptation to climate change:– Permeable surfaces – greenspace– Urban forestry– water efficiency

• Programs: – Bring climate into municipal

programs – Eg. Urban Forestry

Interventions Being SoughtProtecting Ground Water

• Site plans & subdivision plans: Several PHUs review them for impact on ground water

• CofAs, and EAs: Several review them for impact on ground water

• Official Plan Policies: General policies to protect ground water.

• Hydrogeological Guidelines referenced by one Regional OP:– Can request HG assessments

from proponents– Can have them Peer Reviewed

by a HG on retainer at proponent’s expense

Interventions & Low Income PopulationsChronic Disease & Injury Prevention

• Active transportation & public transit: – More benefits for low income– Ensure populations are consulted &

considered in master plans • Trails, parks & greenspace:

– Access is more important for low income & less likely

– Ensure equitable distribution• Healthy foods:

– Access issues are greater & less likely– Target neighbourhoods for programs– Push for affordable housing

Interventions & Low Income PopulationsEnvironmental Health

• Air Quality: – Low income populations more

likely to live close to traffic corridors & emission sources

– Address with cumulative air quality impact assessments

– Address with separation distances for traffic corridors

• Climate Change: – Extreme heat is harder on low

income groups– Targeted adaptation programs

e.g. trees and cooling centres

Strategies Employed by Public Health Units• Health Promotion & Community

Engagement– walkON workshops & walking surveys– Air and climate ads in theatres

• Cultivating Community Partnerships– Commenting on planning documents– Developing Active Transportation Plans– Community Gardens projects

• Developing Relationships with Planning– Conferences & PPS comments– Integrated Planning Departments– Placements with Municipalities/Planning– Participating in Official Plan Processes

Strategies Employed by Public Health Units• Research & Policy Development

– Literature Reviews – Policy papers – walkability criteria,

compatible land uses for air quality– Geospatial analyses for heat, air

quality, income status, health status– Developing tools that can assess

health impacts associated with land use planning decisions

• Commenting on Planning Documents– Regional & local official plans– Secondary Plans, Subdivision Plans &

Site Plans, Master Plans– CofAs & EAs

Program Areas, Functional Expertise & Roles

• Programs: CDIP & Environmental Health

• Functional Expertise:– Assessment and surveillance– Health promotion and policy

development– Disease and injury prevention– Health protection

• Creating Specialized Positions– CDIP – Policy & Planning expertise– EH – Policy, Air Quality, Toxicology,

Water Quality expertise– Hiring expertise in some cases– Contracting expertise in others

Organizational Structures - Built Environment• Restructuring Internally

– Ontario Public Health Standards– Social indicators

• Multi-Disciplinary Teams– Geographical or Built

Environment teams• Informal Relationships

– Team leads for different Programs– Program Planning

• Working through Committees– Coordination & collaboration

• Identifying a Point Person• Healthy Public Policy Directorate

http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/public_health_and_the_built_environment

Thank-you