Our Approach

The choices we make are shaped by the choices we have.  Some communities have easy access to affordable fresh produce; others have only convenience stores and fast food outlets.  Some of us have nice homes, clean water and safe places to walk; others don’t.

Some people are less healthy than others due to low household income, low levels of education, lack of adequate housing or poor working conditions.  These social and economic conditions are the main cause of the health disparities that exist.

As recommended by the Senate Subcommittee on Population Health, successfully addressing these conditions requires a whole-of-government approach.  This approach recognizes that public policies are health policies; acknowledging that healthy public policy can diminish inequity and disparities in health.

Developing healthy public policy requires a process informed by and responsive to community voices.  In this way community development and healthy public policy are inherently linked.

A community development approach allows communities to address challenges they have identified and build the community capacity they require.  This means creating and supporting a process and system that meets locally identified needs, not implementing national or provincial priorities directed at local issues.