BCAHL Blog
Municipalities across BC call on the province to fund infrastructure so residents can safely walk, bike and roll.
September 13, 2018 Resolution B15 calling for a Provincial Active Transportation Strategy passes at UBCM Convention and is supported by 125 endorsers of the Communities on the Move Declaration FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Vancouver, B.C., September, 13, 2018 - Delegates across BC voted in favour of an Active Transportation Strategy and Fund, supporting a resolution put forward by the District of North Vancouver and similar to resolutions advanced by Courtenay, Chase, Kent, Squamish, Vernon and...MediaRead More >
One family’s quest for a healthy lifestyle led them to Vernon
September 11, 2018 Cyndy and Peter Chung love to be active. They share their passion for the outdoors with their two young sons, Kenny age 4 and Nicky age 2. In fact, Cyndy and Peter make active living such a priority, they decided to move. “We visited Vernon, BC, last June and loved it so much,” said Cyndy. “It seems like every other driveway has a camper van or a boat. Everyone enjoys...Read More >
Why not start the new school year with a New Year’s resolution?
September 5, 2018 In the article, #20ReasonstoBike: Your kids will thank you for it, HUB Cycling’s Jel Kocmaruk cited a 2016 parent survey which showed that only 25% of Canadian children walk or bike to school, while 58% are driven. In turn, the 2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth[1] gave Canadian youth a D- in active transportation, meaning we are close to flunking on biking, walking, rolling, scooting...Read More >
BCAHL Welcomes Our Newest Staff Member
August 9, 2018 It is our pleasure to introduce you to BCAHL’s newest staff member Laurie Dawson, Manager of Communications & Projects. Most recently Laurie worked in UBC’s Access Diversity department, she also freelanced with CBC and has degrees in Communications and Literature. We are delighted to welcome Laurie to our team and her enthusiasm for healthy living and disease prevention! Rita Koutsodimos Executive Director
Come as You Are – Reconnecting Disengaged Youth with Physical Activity
August 8, 2018 On May 23rd, BCAHL hosted a webinar on new approaches to increase youth participation in physical activity. The teen years are a time when kids increasingly withdraw from sports and physical activity. For some youth, the barriers to participation are more difficult to overcome and motivation is a challenge for them and for those that are trying reach out to them. The session looked at what we know about why...WebinarRead More >
More Kids Need to Move More Often to Boost Brain Health
June 20, 2018 BC’s Physical Activity and Health Collaborative supports findings in the 2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth that links brain health with regular physical activity Only 35 per cent of 5- to 17-year-olds and 62 per cent of 3- to 4-year-olds are getting the recommended physical activity levels for their age group, the report card found, and this may be having an impact on the health of...MediaRead More >
BCAHL Announces New Executive Director, Rita Koutsodimos and Acknowledges Outgoing Mary Collins
April 3, 2018 “The Board of Directors wishes to thank Mary Collins for her leadership and the contributions she made to the BC Alliance for Healthy Living over the past decade” announced Shannon Turner, Chair of BCAHL and Executive Director, Public Health Association of BC. “After accepting Mary’s resignation, the Board established a Search Committee which undertook a thorough process, that included vetting and interviewing several interested applicants. As a result of this...Read More >
HandyDART Advocate Urges Improvements for Riders with ‘No Other Options’
November 14, 2017 Gary Brown is a regular HandyDART rider who has lived in Burnaby for 32 years, he used to work for Southern Rail, a job he loved, but that all changed in 1997. “I was diagnosed with MS in ’97, I tried to keep on working and would have stayed until I was 65 but I had to cut it short after five years.” He explains how mobility means so much...Read More >
Hashing it Out: Can We Learn About Cannabis From What We Know About Alcohol?
October 26, 2017 On October 25th, BCAHL hosted a webinar on the parallels between alcohol and cannabis. Over the last four years, the policy environment for alcohol and cannabis has undergone some massive changes. Since 2013, when the BC government released its Liquor Policy Review, we have seen a relaxation of regulations on alcohol – which has really changed the ways and places it can be sold. We can now buy it at...Read More >
Riding a Bike Gave Her Independence, Freedom and Health
October 16, 2017 Martia made quite the impression in Kelowna this year – pedaling around town with a big clunky air-cast on her left foot! Her voice shakes as she tells me her story but as we talk (and laugh!), it becomes clear that she is unwavering in her conviction that a bike is “not just a toy” but a vehicle for independence, community, health and joy. “As a kid, I had a...Read More >
