Work to promote an increased understanding of the connections between health and the built environment in Powell River is being recognized provincially.
Powell River’s walkability forum held last spring included presentations from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) as well as others on the topic of active transportation. The topic has been highlighted by Plan H, a province-wide program which supports local government engagement and partnerships across sectors for creating healthier communities.
Attendees at the forum learned that chronic disease is not always about personal choices and that 60 per cent of population health outcomes are attributed to the places where people live and social and economic determinants.
Claire Gram is a lead policy consultant on healthy communities for VCH. “Our tendency is to say ‘you’ve got to get your 150 minutes of exercise each week or eat your six to eight servings of fruits and vegetables to be healthy’ and we forget to consider the context of their lives,” she said. “Is this choice possible for everyone? We need to look at the environmental factors as well as individual and make the healthy choice the easy choice.”
Gram spoke to Powell River audiences at three different events designed to help local government collect ideas and stimulate discussion about how to increase active transportation in the region. Presenters also included Dr. Chris Morwood, Powell River Cycling Association vice-president, Nicole Vaugeois, BC Regional Innovation chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development at Vancouver Island University, and Val Litwin, CEO of Whistler Chamber of Commerce.
The forum was organized by a partnership between VCH and Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation, the City of Powell River and Powell River Regional District. VCH has been involved in the past with consulting on official community planning, but the walkability forum was the first collaboration between local government and the health authority to implement activities on the ground.
According to Plan H, VCH met with local governments in 2014 and discovered a shared interest in healthy built environments in small and rural communities. “Walkability within Powell River was a natural choice in improving overall health of the region,” said Jennifer Kassimatis, VCH senior health officer.
It was noted that despite the region’s mild climate and extensive trail and path networks, people who live in Powell River are considerably car-dependent.
“Well designed, inclusive streets can create economic, carbon, social and health benefits for a community,” said Morwood.
It was also noted that access to trail networks tends to make communities more attractive and have a positive effect house prices.
Stronger connections between the health authority and local governments was recorded as an outcome of the forum. Since the forum other active transportation initiatives, such as the development of Powell River’s Municipal Cycling Plan and mapping of the region’s extensive mountain bike and walking trails, have been developed.
For more information and to read the Plan H report, readers can check online.
