Project: Healthy Places

WORK — PROJECT

How policy, design and community conversation come together to promote healthy built environments.

Funded by the Public Healthy Agency of Canada for the Active Neighbourhoods Canada (ANC) program, Healthy Places is a publication and conversation series, and now a national campaign. 2018 Healthy Places focused on healthcare campuses in Alberta; 2019 Healthy Places, on overarching provincial policy. Nationally, we launched the Healthy Places Policy Toolkit, Healthy Communities Policy Map, Healthy Places in the Making timeline and “Let’s have a conversation about healthy places” campaign with our partners, the Centre for Active Transportation in Toronto, and the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre (founder of ANC).

Canadians across the country are working towards healthy places! We’ve linked just a few resources below, shared by participants of 2019 Healthy Places, to help us take action.

Blogs
2021 TEDxYYC: Reimagining Public Space
2021 TEDxYYC: Reimagining Public Space
People in Healthy Places
People in Healthy Places

A photo essay by John Campbell and Roxanne LeBlanc spark questions about our next moves as a city. They set out on bicycles to photograph Calgarians as they found them, in the era of COVID-19.

Exploring the connection between urban planning and mental health
Exploring the connection between urban planning and mental health

By Deepak Dayal. There is much to be done to understand the causal relationships between urban development and mental illness, but urban planning is an important tool and could buffer the effects of poor mental health.

Can the Province target chronic disease via infrastructure?
Can the Province target chronic disease via infrastructure?

Yes.

The economic case for affordable public transit
The economic case for affordable public transit

By Celia Lee. A robust and affordable transit system is where social good, environmental good and fiscal conservativism meet.

Election 43 - Environment & Equity in Party Platforms
Election 43 - Environment & Equity in Party Platforms

By Katie Lore. The reality is that altering the built environment is more effective than retrofitting buildings or incentivizing electric vehicles - but are our federal parties talking about it?

Launching the "Healthy Places Policy Toolkit" on participatoryplanning.ca
Launching the "Healthy Places Policy Toolkit" on participatoryplanning.ca

“Building healthy and equitable places is not just possible, but attractive and cost-effective.”

Let’s have a conversation about Healthy Places!
Let’s have a conversation about Healthy Places!

“Obesity rates have tripled in less than 30 years in Canada.”

Is your city making you sick?
Is your city making you sick?

“People should consider how their current and future residential neighbourhoods potentially influence their health in the short and long term.”

Collisions and Neighbourhood Income: New research in Calgary
Collisions and Neighbourhood Income: New research in Calgary

“A high number of collisions may be an indicator that the street wasn’t built for pedestrians.”

Publications
Healthy Places: Designing for Health in Alberta
Healthy Places: Designing for Health in Alberta
Spur Line
Spur Line
Streets as Playful Places
Streets as Playful Places
Let's have a conversation about Healthy Places!
Let's have a conversation about Healthy Places!
Scoping Review on the Relations between Urban Form and Health: A focus on Canadian quantitative evidence
Scoping Review on the Relations between Urban Form and Health: A focus on Canadian quantitative evidence
Healthy Places: Integrated Health Care Facilities
Healthy Places: Integrated Health Care Facilities

Taking Action

Resources from collaborators:

The Outdoor PLAYbook

The Outdoor PLAYbook

Dialog’s Community Well-Being Framework

Dialog’s Community Well-Being Framework

The Vivo Play Project

The Vivo Play Project

What we heard at 2019 Healthy Places (more coming soon)

Celia LeeANC