1. Healthier Ontario Communities by Design
AMO 2016: Designing the Built Environment, Improving Quality of Life
Charles Gardner, MD, CCFP, MHSc, FRCPC Medical Officer of Health

2. Acknowledgement
Assistance (and much leadership) from Peel Public Health

3. Community Planning Impacts Health.
Physical Activity and related Chronic Diseases
Air Quality
Road Safety
Accessibility
Food Systems/Food Access
Social Capital & Connectivity

4. Prevention Power of Walking and Cycling
Decreased risk of death from all causes by 22 %
(29 minutes/day * 7 days/week)
Decreased risk of diabetes by 30 %
(2.5 hours/week)
Decreased risk of death from all causes by 28 %
(3 hours/week * 36 weeks/year)
Cycling

5. Yet we have engineered physical activity
out of our lives.

6. A Dramatic Increase in Obesity

7. Physical Inactivity in Canada and Ontario
In Canada, between 2012 and 2013
91% of children (aged 5 to 17)
78% of adults (aged 18-79)
did not achieve the recommended physical activity levels

8. Increasing Diabetes in Ontario
Source: ICES
† Projected rates for 2005/2006 onwards are based on straight line projection of age-adjusted prevalence rates for 1995/1996 to 2004/2005
‡ Age- and sex-adjusted

9. Recreation alone is not the answer.

10. In Ontario, people living in walkable neighborhoods…
drive less
walk, cycle and use public transit more
Booth, G, Creatore M, Glazier R, et al. Association of Neighborhood Walkability With Change in Overweight, Obesity, and Diabetes. JAMA. 2016;315(20).

11. In Ontario, people living in walkable neighborhoods…
and have a lower risk of diabetes:

12. Europe More walking/cycling
From: Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Pubic Health: Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany. Pucher, J, & Dijkstra, L. American Journal of Public Health. Public Health Matters, Sept 2003, Volume 93, No. 9.

13. …because it’s a lot safer.

14. Green space in our communities
Is good for health
Reduces heat island effect
Can provide opportunities for local nutritious food production
Increases physical activity
Improves health outcomes (reduced BP, blood cortisol, surgery recovery time)
Improves psychological / cognitive wellbeing / child development
Increases social wellbeing
Improves air quality and reduces related illness

15. A Happy Coincidence Healthy design also mitigates climate change.
LEED for Neighborhood Development criteria:
Walkable Streets
Compact Development
Connected and Open Community
Mixed-Use Neighborhood Centers
Mixed-Income Diverse Communities
Reduced Parking Footprint
Street Network
Transportation Demand Management
Transit Facilities
Access to Civic and Public Spaces
Access to Recreation Facilities
Local Food Production
Tree-Lined and Shaded Streets
Neighborhood Schools
Green Infrastructure and Buildings

16. A Shared Vision for Ontario

17. Many Advocating for Healthy Built Environments.

18. Projected Health Benefits from GTHA Transit Investment
*Under-estimate health impacts

19. Video used with permission from “Bicycle Dutch.”
Final Thoughts
In Ontario we have unwittingly created communities that challenge our health gains.
Places to Grow helped launch a surge of activity for healthy built environments throughout the province.
Public Health has joined the call to remake our communities for health.
Video used with permission from “Bicycle Dutch.”