City seeks ideas on making Vancouver a healthy city for all

Citizens across Vancouver will have the chance to offer ideas and feedback on how we can all work together to make our city a healthier place for everyone, as the City launched its Talk Healthy City For All public engagement program today.

Over the next six weeks, a series of idea labs, online and social media forums, and special partner events will give people the chance to share innovative and creative ideas to help achieve health targets over the next decade.

The Healthy City Strategy is being developed as a long-term, integrated plan with 12 key goals that moves us towards ensuring that we have healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet. The strategy also aims to address the growing disparities and gaps in health and wellness between income classes in Vancouver and invites everyone to be part of the collective effort needed to address these issues.

Some of the key areas of the strategy focus on providing a good start in life for children; promoting inclusion, belonging and connectedness; and ensuring livability now and in the future. Reaching these ambitious targets will require the help of not only residents and stakeholders but also senior governments and community and organizational partners.

The City will host three idea labs, bringing together residents to brainstorm on ways to meet the Healthy City targets over the next 10 years. The idea labs will be held:

Monday, May 5, 2014 from 6:30 – 9pm at Trout Lake Community Centre, 3360 Victoria Drive
Saturday, May 10, 2014 from 1 – 3:30 pm at Vancouver Public Library Central Branch, 350 West Georgia Street
Thursday, May 15, 2014 from 6:30 – 9 pm at Ryerson United Church, 2195 West 45^th Avenue

The 10 most innovative ideas will be presented at the Social Innovation Exchange, a conference that brings together leading social innovation thinkers and practitioners from across the world to explore issues and at FUEL Vancouver, an event for leaders, entrepreneurs, designers and engaged citizens committed to creating a better world.

The top ideas from the idea labs will also be posted on an online platform where everyone will be able to vote and comment on ideas and share new ones.

People will also be able to learn more, interact and have their say through Twitter chats and other social media channels.

The City has convened a leadership table which brings together representatives from different sectors including healthcare, social justice, business, education, arts and culture and government. The leadership table will champion and guide the City and its citizens in developing the Healthy City Strategy.

The ideas and input received from the public and leadership table will help shape the Healthy City Strategy and its priority actions which will be presented to Council later this year.

To learn more about the Healthy City Strategy and upcoming engagement opportunities: vancouver.ca/healthycity4all

Vancouver seawall via shutterstock