Healthy Communities

Introduction

The Healthy Communities Committee oversees health related policy development as it relates to local government interests. The Committee's primary focus is on health promotion and disease prevention initiatives and policy directions that assist communities to be proactive in addressing community health problems. The Committee will continue to address a number of health issues including: health care funding, rural doctors, regional hospital districts, healthy built environments, and ambulance service.

Current Policy & Initiatives

BC Public Health Act
In light of the new Public Health Act of 2008, which updated roles for local governments with respect to public health, UBCM initiated a member survey in Spring 2011 to determine if local governments were taking action around implementing sections of the Act, how the Act has affected local government operations, and to gain a better understanding of the current relationship between local governments and health authorities with respect to public health.

The results of the survey can be found in the Policy Documents and Resources section at the bottom of this page.

Regional Hospital Districts
In 2008, UBCM and the Ministry of Health Services commissioned a report to review the status of implementation of recommendations in a 2003 Regional Hospital District cost sharing review. The report was completed in late 2008 and presented to the UBCM membership in 2009. Representatives from the Ministry of Health Services, UBCM, local governments and health authorities, have been working on the implementation of the 2008 recommendations.

The 2011 Convention was the 3rd year in a row that a session has been offered on the 2008 Regional Hospital District Cost Sharing Review. This will also be the last Convention session on this report. However, the Ministry will be creating a summary document on the implementation of the 2008 recommendations by the end of the year and they will likely be organizing a session to present this report. The 2011 Convention presentation is available in the Policy Document and Resources section.

Food Security
UBCM has been working with the Provincial Health Services Authority on developing resources for local governments in this area. Several documents have been produced and can be found in the policy documents and resources section.

Healthy Built Environments
UBCM continues to work on healthy built environment initiatives through the Provincial Health Services Authority's Healthy Built Environment Alliance. Past projects include:

  • Health 201 for Planners. A knowledge product for planners that provides information about the health sector and how planners might engage health professionals in planning decisions.

Age Friendly & Disability Friendly Planning
UBCM participates on the Province's Seniors' Healthy Living Advisory Network, which has a broad stewardship role in the implementation of the Seniors Healthy Living Framework. UBCM has also worked with SPARC BC to produce an Accessible Communities Guide and the Ministry of Healthy Living & Sport's on Planning for the future: Age Friendly and Disability Friendly OCPs. Documents are available in the Policy Documents and Resources section. 

Recently, UBCM held a half-day session on Creating Age Friendly Communities at the 2011 Convention. Below are some of the presentations and related documents from that session.

Policy Documents & Resources

Click here for policy documents and resources relevant to the work of the Healthy Communities Committee.

Related Programs

Please refer to Funding Programs for information on funding programs administered by UBCM in support of community health initiatives.

Links

BC Healthy Living Alliance
BC Recreation and Parks Association
Provincial Health Services Authority
2010 Legacies Now and Measuring Up
SPARC BC
BC Healthy Communities

Contact

For more information, or to obtain copies of documents that are not available online, please contact:

Marylyn Chiang
Policy Analyst
Tel: 604 270 8226 ext. 110
Email: mchiang@ubcm.ca