APPENDIX

In 2005, BCAHL submitted The Winning Legacy – A Plan for Improving the Health of British Columbians  to the BC government, which included twenty-seven evidence-based recommendations. The government rose to the challenge and we are pleased to see progress on many of these through policy and regulatory action, including removing junk food from schools, tightening controls on tobacco and introducing physical activity into the school curriculum among others. A generous $25.2 million grant from the BC government has also enabled BCAHL to work on many of the recommendations through fifteen major initiatives. These initiatives support healthy living in three key areas, by improving opportunities for British Columbians to live smoke-free, be physically active and make healthier food and beverage choices. They will be coming to an end in the next few months and we shall be reporting on their results which will provide guidance to future policy and program priorities.

The creation of the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport, following on the success of ActNow BC, has also been an important step forward. By introducing a “whole of government” approach to healthy living, barriers can be reduced between departments and new understandings developed among all ministries of the role they play in improving the health of British Columbians. The World Health Organization has recognized the model of ActNow BC as an exemplary approach, one that should be considered by other jurisdictions. 

BCAHL’s initiatives also complement the activities of ActNow BC by building capacity at the community level so that health-promoting efforts can be sustained in the long-term — which is necessary if we are to realize continuous improvement in the health of British Columbians and sustainability of our health care system.

Many studies provide a strong economic rationale for investing in health promotion. The Winning Legacy estimated the costs that could be avoided should British Columbians achieve the healthy living targets established by BCAHL. 

BCAHL’s 2004 cost analysis calculated that $3.815 billion in costs to the BC economy could be avoided with the attainment of the targets; after which, $764 million in costs could be avoided annually.