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A healthy community is a community that makes it easier for people to maintain a high quality of life and productivity, making the healthy choice the easy choice.

A healthy community design offers opportunities for people to be physically active and socially engaged as part of their daily routine, improving the physical and mental health of its residents.  Environments such as our homes, schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods can either encourage, or discourage health. For example, our environment can make it very difficult to be physically active if there is a lack of bike lanes, facilities, sidewalks, and places to go within a short commute. 

This section provides information on healthy communities and community design as it pertains to issues such as: physical activity, safety, community cohesion, access to local food, transit and air quality.

What is the Elgin-St Thomas Healthy Communities Partnership?

The Elgin St. Thomas Healthy Communities Partnership is a local community group that works to identify and advocate for healthy public policies that ensure the healthy choice is the easier choice in our community. The Partnership is funded by the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport and membership includes staff and/or elected officials from most area municipalities, community members and local developers.

Locally, the partnership has the mandate to undertake the following:

• Coordinate planning, by engaging multiple networks, community leaders and decision makers
• Develop a community plan that meets local needs and aligns with ministry priorities
• Provide network support and develop partnerships and linkages to other networks to coordinate actions and avoid duplication.
• Mobilize community leaders, decision makers and organizations to work together

In 2011, the Partnership completed the Elgin St. Thomas Community Picture which is a compilation of local reports, statistics, community input and recommended actions for our community. 

Elgin St. Thomas Community Picture

Community Picture Summary – English

Other Website Links:

Elgin St. Thomas Public Health Healthy Communities Statement

Draft Checklist For Planners To Design Active Communities
Halliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge Health Unit 

Global Age-friendly Cities:  A Guide
World Health Organization 

Hamilton: A City for ALL Ages
Hamilton Council on Aging (HCoA)

Healthy Community Design: Policy Statements for Official Plans
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

Making the Case for Active Transportation
Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute

Shaping Active Healthy Communities
A Heart and Stroke Foundation built environment toolkit for change

walkON
A menu of program activities to engage the community in the creation of environments that support walking