Live Healthy Vote Healthy - More Information
More information on why these issues matter
1. An Action Plan to improve health for ALL BC’s citizens
There is a significant body of provincial, federal and international evidence which shows that disadvantaged citizens (those who live with low incomes or live without family or social support) experience higher rates of disease, injury and poor health.
With an action plan to improve health for all, it should be possible to lessen the load on the health care system itself and reduce the rate of growth of health care spending.
It is important to note that other provinces have adopted or are in the process of adopting Poverty Reduction Strategies. Quebec was the first to move in this direction and has already seen results. Newfoundland has more recently implemented such a strategy, Ontario tabled the Poverty Reduction Act in February 2009 and Nova Scotia is in the process of developing poverty reduction strategies as are a number of municipalities.
2. Expand access to early childhood development programs and quality childcare
A child’s early experiences and development establish a foundation that will impact school readiness, educational achievement and high school completion which ultimately contribute to employment and income security. With a strong emotional, social and intellectual foundation, come the skills for securing material resources and the conditions for a healthier life.
Multi-year studies have shown that disadvantaged children who participate in quality early childhood development programs have significantly better outcomes. A 2005 study of the costs and benefits of universal preschool in California notes that for disadvantaged children quality childcare can lead to the participants staying in school longer, earning higher wages later in life and committing fewer crimes.
BC’s StrongStart programs are a good start but don’t cover every community nor the children of working parents. Internationally renowned for his work in Early Child Development UBC Professor, Dr. Clyde Hertzman, argues that because the majority of vulnerable children live in middle class neighbourhoods, a strategy to provide universal access is favourable over targeted approaches.
3. Increase the availability of affordable housing
Housing is one of the most basic requirements for health. When people spend excessive amounts of income on housing, fewer resources are available for other essentials.
Studies suggest affordable housing improves health outcomes by freeing up resources for nutritious food and other essentials. It also reduces stress (including exposure to allergens, neurotoxins and other dangers) and provides the stability that enables those with chronic diseases to access and maintain the level of care they need.
In 2008 there were still 11,000 households on the wait list for subsidized units with BC Housing. BC has the highest basic housing need in Canada, since 15% of citizens spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
The homeless population almost doubled to 2,200 between 2002 and 2005 in the lower mainland and half of these persons were not staying in emergency shelters but living outside. Homeless people have a range of chronic health problems due to their extreme poverty, lack of stable housing and exposure to the elements on the street.
A 2001 study prepared for the Minister Responsible for Housing reported that the annual cost of providing services to a homeless individual ranged from $30,000 to $40,000 on average but to provide supportive housing ranged from $22,000 to $28,000 per person, per year.
The BC Government has demonstrated its commitment to the issues of affordability and homelessness with the provincial housing strategy, Housing Matters BC. Considerable progress has been made with the expansion of programs such as the Rental Assistance Program, Homeless Outreach Program, and with an increase of funding for emergency shelters to operate 24/7 in addition to the $80-million investment for 996 new units of supportive and affordable housing.
These efforts are to be commended and yet the need remains high.
4. Invest in programs to keep at-risk youth in school
There is strong evidence that those who graduate from high school show significantly better health and family functioning than non graduates.
The unemployment rate for youth with no more than a primary school education is four times the rate for young people with a university education. Parents' education levels also are strongly related to the school readiness of children.
Education and training are acknowledged as vehicles for overcoming low socio-economic circumstances including health status.
BC’s public education system already makes efforts to engage vulnerable students and encourage high school completion. If we are to overcome health inequities due to poor socioeconomic status, supports for specialized educational programs and services for disadvantaged youth need to be strengthened.
5. Support healthy infrastructure (funding for walking, cycling, parks and recreation facilities)
People who live in neighbourhoods offering a mix of shops and businesses within easy walking distance have a 35% lower risk of obesity. When compared to residents of car-dependent communities, residents of walk-able communities typically walk two to four times as much and drive five to 15% less. Studies suggest that creating and improving places suited to physical activity can result in a 25% increase in the percentage of people who exercise at least three times per week.
The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute found in a survey of Canadian Municipalities that “three in five communities report that an increase in the amount of walking, bicycling and multi-purpose trails was the most pressing infrastructure need in their community to increase physical activity levels among citizens”. Addressing this infrastructure deficit will help communities meet greenhouse gas reduction targets while building physical activity into the daily routines of citizens.
The BC Government currently supports local governments to develop health promoting environments through funding programs such as the Cycling Infrastructure Partnership Program, Bike BC, Towns for Tomorrow and others. But to build healthier communities throughout BC, more needs to be done.
The BCHLA recommends that at least 7% of all infrastructure funding allocated to urban transit, road and other transportation construction, should be set aside for Active Transportation infrastructure (e.g., bicycle facilities, walking trails/paths, sidewalks, signals, signage and traffic calming measures).
6. Increase access to fresh fruits and veggies
Evidence shows vegetables and fruit have a protective effect against the development of chronic disease. A one-serving-per-day increase of vegetable and fruit intake is linked to a 20% reduction in all causes of mortality. 61% of British Columbian children aged 12-18 do not eat the recommended minimum of five daily servings of vegetables and fruit.
Residents in the North, rural and remote communities face significant barriers to healthy eating – particularly in the high cost relative to income and the local availability of fresh produce.
Accessing healthy, affordable food can pose a significant challenge to those on low or fixed incomes. In 2007, it cost a family of four an average of $715 a month to purchase a basic healthy food basket in BC — an increase of 9% since 2006. At this amount, a family of four on income assistance would need to spend 42% of their income to buy a healthy food basket.
In 2006, 81,248 British Columbians — a 7.7% increase compared to 2005 — sought assistance from charitable food banks. The primary sources of income for food bank recipients are income assistance (42%), disability income supports (21.5%) and employment (11.5%).
Resources such as community gardens and farmers markets not only increase the availability of local food, they also create opportunities for community development and facilitate a better connection between residents and their food sources. However, in BC local food sources are unevenly distributed throughout the regions.
We look forward to seeing the full implementation of recommendations that are being developed by the Provincial Task Force assembled to advise on strategies to get fresh BC produce to remote communities.
7. Protect citizens from second-hand smoke on public patios
Second-hand smoke releases thousands of toxic chemicals into the air, more than 50 of which are known to cause cancer, including benzene, formaldehyde, cadmium and lead. Research indicates a strong association between second-hand smoke and breast cancer, cervical cancer, stroke and miscarriage.
Although current legislation limits smoking on patios to a degree, BCHLA would prefer to see smoking banned from all patios of public establishments to protect workers and patrons from second-hand smoke.
The Capital Regional District has already expanded their clean air bylaw to include outdoor pub, restaurant and coffee-shop patios. It would better serve the health of the public and support the efforts being made by local governments if all public establishments with outdoor areas were provided with clear direction to limit smoking zones.
8. Provide programs to help smokers quit
Smoking is still the single largest cause of preventable death, killing 6,000 British Columbians annually. Providing supports to people who want to overcome nicotine addiction will be an investment that pays out dividends in lower health costs, healthier environments and a healthier population. BCHLA encourages Government to subsidize cessation initiatives and Nicotine Replacement Therapies.
According to a survey commissioned by the Canadian Cancer Society, British Columbia and Yukon Division, “A high percentage of BC residents (87%) say they would support allocating a small portion of money from the sale of tobacco products to a fund that would subsidize the cost of cessation products, such as the nicotine patch and nicotine gum, for smokers who wish to quit.”
The BC Government could look to Quebec for an example of how a broad-based Nicotine Replacement Therapy program can be implemented.
If 10% of BC smokers were to quit, it would save the BC economy $2.9 billion over their lifetimes through reduced health care costs and avoided productivity losses due to premature mortality and illness.
9. Ban food and beverage advertising to children
According to the Canadian Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada (CDPAC), “since 1978, obesity rates for Canadian children and adolescents have more than doubled and the combined overweight/obesity has increased by 70%.
Numerous studies and reviews have found television viewing and the pervasive marketing of energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods to be casually related to children's food selections and strongly implicated in the causal pathway to obesity."
CDPAC has presented strong evidence for “restricting food advertising to children” as an “effective public health intervention to address growing obesity rates” in their ‘Background Paper: Marketing and Advertising of Food and Beverages to Children’.
Sweden, Norway, Italy, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Australia, the United Kingdom and the province of Quebec all have some type of regulation that limits advertising aimed at children.
We recognize that there are limitations to our ability to curb TV and Internet marketing which is often created in other jurisdictions. Nonetheless, BCHLA recommends that the BC Government invest in resources to restrict the advertising of those foods to children, as well as supports to communicate the new regulations and ensure adherence by industry.
10. Invest in disease prevention and health promotion
The percentage of people with serious chronic diseases in British Columbia is growing as our population ages. Policies and programs that make healthy choices easier will lessen this trend if we act today. Broad-based population measures will bring about behaviour change that will prevent chronic disease and benefit everyone.
The returns on investments in healthy living are well documented and provide a persuasive economic justification. A recent Trust for America's Health report concluded that an investment of $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent tobacco use could start to pay off within five years.
