1. Project Manager & Author: Kim Perrotta Presenting to the CHNET-Works May 26, 2011 Public Health and Land Use Planning: How Ten Public Health Units are Working to Create Healthy and Sustainable Communities

2. 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 Street Toronto, Ontario M5G 1P4 416-392-6672 www.cleanairpartnership.org Kim.perrotta@cogeco.ca 905-628-9437 http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/public_health_and_the_built_environment

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Interventions Being Sought Increase 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

7. Interventions Being Sought Address 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

8. Interventions Being Sought Mitigating & 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

9. Interventions Being Sought Protecting 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

10. Interventions & Low Income Populations Chronic 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

11. Interventions & Low Income Populations Environmental 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/public_health_and_the_built_environment Thank-you