Latest News

National, international experts gather to discuss Ontario alcohol policy and alcohol-related harms

March 1, 2010

As the question of how best to deal with privatization of alcohol sales and drinking and driving continue to be debated in Ontario, the Ontario Public Health Association and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) are pleased to present the seventh annual forum, aptly entitled Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity.

Public health professionals, addiction counselors and policy makers will gather from across the province to discuss Ontario’s alcohol policy and the actions that need to be taken based on current research, policy, and practical applications that address alcohol-related harm. For more information, please visit the Alcohol Policy Network's website.

TEIP's Tool being used for Built Environment info gathering

February 26, 2010

On behalf of Active Transportation Niagara Network, Kim Bergeron (consultant, Building Better Business) is utilizing the Toward Evidence Informed Practice: Program Evidence Tool to learn more about:

How are citizen groups promoting active transportation opportunities in their community?
How are citizen groups influencing the built environment (i.e. physical design of their communities) to support active transportation?

Citizen groups could also be called community partnerships. If you are aware of relevant resources, websites or journal articles that could provide information related to these question, please email kim@buildingbetter.biz and share. Response deadline: March 15, 2010.

Student Award Winner reflects on OPHA and the Conference

February 17, 2010

Carly Heung, co-winner of the OPHA 60th Anniversary Student Essay Contest (Video section) has written an article for the Community Calling magazine, a new magazine being released in March 2010 by Dr. Farhan Asrar. This magazine is the first of its kind in that it connects Community Medicine resident doctors all across Canada and is being launched in conjunction with the National Society for Community Medicine (NSSCM) specialists. In her article Carly summarizes the Conference, and states her belief that there is “no better time” to enter the field of public health.

To read Carly's article, and to view her video, click on Our Voice in Action, OPHA Conference, 60th Anniversary Student Essay Contest.

OPHA makes comments and submissions to several Government initiatives

February 12, 2010

The last two issues of the OPHA Ebulletin highlighted the many government consultations in which OPHA has recently been involved. In addition to our Pre-budget submission, we commented on two key Ministry of Education documents, added recommendations to our review of Dr. Charles Pascal's report on Early Learning, reaffirmed our position that the LCBO remain under provincial control, commented on the Waste Diversion Act and the private members' Bill C-391 relating to an amendment to the Firearms Act.

To view our complete list government submissions, click on Our Voice in Action, Government Consultations, List of Submissions.

Ontario Government Releases School Food and Beverage Policy

January 20, 2010

Schools have an important role to play in helping students lead healthier lives, including teaching students the skills to make healthy choices and reinforcing those lessons through school practices. Therefore, the Ontario Ministry of Education has issued Policy/Program Memorandum No.150 (“School Food and Beverage Policy”) [PDF]. School boards are required to ensure that all food and beverages sold on school premises for school purposes meet the requirements of this memorandum, including the nutrition standards set out in the Appendix to this memorandum, by September 1, 2011. The nutrition standards apply to all food and beverages sold in all venues (e.g., cafeterias, vending machines, tuck shops), through all programs (e.g., catered lunch programs), and at all events (e.g., bake sales, sports events).

RNFO: Application for Awards and Scholarships

January 10, 2010

The Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario raises funds and steward sound investments to provide awards and scholarships to Registered Nurses and nursing students in Ontario. Download the brochure outlining the many awards available. [PDF]

Application deadline: 4:30p.m. EST, Friday, February 12, 2010

CPHA: Call for Student Panelists/Appel aux panélistes étudiants

January 8, 2010

The Canadian Public Health Association is pleased to announce the Call for Student Panelists for the CPHA Centennial Conference. This event will be held in Toronto, Ontario on June 13, 2010. Download the PDF for further information. Deadline: February 22, 2010.

L’Association canadienne de santé publique est heureuse de lancer son Appel aux panélistes étudiants pour le débat de spécialistes qui aura lieu durant sa Conférence du Centenaire à Toronto (Ontario) le 13 juin 2010. Voir le fichier PDF pour de plus amples informations.

OPHA Announces New Board of Directors and New President for 2010

December 8, 2009

At OPHA's Annual General Meeting held on November 2nd at our annual Conference, OPHA President Carol Timmings "passed the gavel" to our incoming president, Elizabeth (Liz) Haugh. Liz is the Director of Health Promotion at the Windsor Essex County Health Unit and has been a valued Board member since 2004.

To see the full slate of new Board members, download our announcement [PDF].

To download contact information for our Board members, visit the About/Structure and Governance page of our website in the red Links box.

OPHA Announces Award Recipients at Awards Luncheon

November 3, 2009

OPHA is proud to announce the recipients of the following awards:

Dr. Sheela Basrur Scholarship: Ryan Alexander, Brock University
OPHA Honourary Membership Award: Ms. Paulina Salamo, Public Health Division, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
OPHA Life Membership Award: Ralph Stanley, Public Health Inspector
PHRED Student Research Award: Carolyn Hureau, University of Western Ontario
OPHA Award of Excellence: Moira Welsh, journalist
OPHA 60th Anniversary Student Essay Contest: Megan Misovic and Michele Cleghorn
OPHA 60th Anniversary Student Video Contest: Carly Heung and Kenny Wong

For more details about each award recipient, please download the info sheet [PDF].

OPHA Conference Proceeds as Scheduled! Health Care Leaders Confirmed to Attend

October 23, 2009

OPHA’s 60th Anniversary Conference — Building for the Future — will be held at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre, November 1-4, 2009 as planned.

In addition to a spectacular roster of speakers focusing on such areas as Health Equity, Innovation, Collaboration, Knowledge Exchange and the Public Health Workforce, this year’s conference features a strong scientific program of concurrent sessions covering the breadth of public health topics with presenters from across the province and beyond. Experts on key issues from various ministries are scheduled to speak about latest developments.

Special guests confirmed to attend the conference include: the Honorable David Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long Term Care; the Honourable Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion; Dr Arlene King, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Ms. Angela Longo. Deputy Minister of Health Promotion. Many of OPHA’s past presidents have also confirmed their attendance at the President’s Anniversary Reception on Monday November 2, 2009.

The conference also features the latest in scientifically verifiable public health information from experts at the forefront of the H1N1 pandemic—the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (OAHPP) and GlaxoSmithKline.

The conference has been approved for CME credits:

The College of Family Physicians of Canada – 17 Mainpro-MI credits
The Royal Collete of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – 17 Section 1 credits

For more information or to complete your online registration before October 27 visit www.OPHAconference.ca. We also welcome your onsite registrations at the conference.

Announcing CIHI's NEW Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI) eLearning Products

October 19, 2009

Are you involved in health planning? Do you want to know more about a population health perspective and its impact on decision-making? CIHI is very pleased to announce the availability of seven new population health distance-learning opportunities. These eLearning courses are designed to introduce population health and guide users through associated CPHI reports in order to better understand and apply report findings. These new education products are available to you and your colleagues at NO CHARGE. Here are some of the courses being offered.

An Introduction to Population Health (eLearning)
Exploring Positive Mental Health (Archived Resource)
Improving the Health of Young Canadians (eLearning)
Mental Health and Homelessness in Canada (eLearning)
Mental Health, Delinquency and Criminal Activity (Archived Resource)
Promoting Healthy Weights in Canada (eLearning)
Reducing Gaps in Health: A Focus on Socio-Economic Status in Urban Canada (Archived Resource)

OPHA Conference Early Bird Registration Extended Again

October 2, 2009

The Ontario Public Health Association is offering another extension of early bird registration for its 60th Anniversary Conference at specially reduced anniversary prices for one more week. Early Bird Registration, previously scheduled to close on September 25, 2009, was extended to October 2 and has been further extended to October 9, 2009.

This final extension recognizes the current challenges of managing HIN1 on public health practitioners and offers an opportunity to everyone involved those issues to enjoy the conference at our celebratory low price. GlaxoSmithKiline — a longstanding OPHA Conference Sponsor and the manufacturer of the H1N1 vaccine for Canada — will be presenting a special breakfast session to update professionals on this highly topical health issue.

The conference, themed “Building For the Future”, will be held at the Toronto Marriott, Downtown Eaton Centre, November 1-4, 2009. In addition to a spectacular roster of speakers focusing on such areas as Health Equity, Innovation, Collaboration, Knowledge Exchange and the Public Health Workforce, the conference will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the organization.

On Monday November 2, 2009 from 7pm to 9pm OPHA will host a special Presidents' Reception featuring a strong contingent of OPHA Past Presidents and a presentation from one of the most innovative musical groups in contemporary arts and entertainment.

Special conference guests include Minister of Health and Long Term Care The Honourable David Caplan and Minister of Health Promotion The Honourbale Margarett Best.

OPHA Conference Early Bird Registration Opportunity Extended

September 24, 2009

In celebration of its 60th Anniversary, OPHA is offering you the opportunity to register to attend its annual conference at specially reduced anniversary prices for one more week. Early Bird Registration, previously scheduled to close on September 25, 2009, has been extended to October 2, 2009.

The conference titled “Building For the Future” will be held at the Toronto Marriott, Downtown Eaton Centre, November 1-4, 2009. In addition to a spectacular roster of speakers focusing on such areas as Health Equity, Innovation, Collaboration, Knowledge Exchange and the Public Health Workforce, the conference will celebrate 60th anniversary of the organization.

On Monday November 2, 2009 from 7pm to 9pm OPHA will host a special Presidents’ Reception featuring a strong contingent of OPHA Past Presidents and a presentation from one of the most innovative musical groups in contemporary arts and entertainment.

Special conference guests include the Minister of Health and Long Term Care The Honourable David Caplan and the Minister of Health Promotion The Honourbale Margarett Best.

OPHA Conference 2009: Registration is now open

August 24, 2009

OPHA is pleased to announce that the online registration for our 2009 conference — Building for the Future — is now open. Please visit the conference website and follow the Registration link in the menu.

Hosted by OPHA and all its Constituent Societies, the conference celebrates 60 years of advocacy and interdisciplinary collaboration in public health with a thematic focus on Collaboration, Knowledge Exchange, Innovation, Health Equity, and Public Health Workforce.

Highlights of the four day event include a Presidents’ Reception on Monday November 2, 2009 at 7:00 pm celebrating key achievements in the history of the organization and honoring our past presidents, many of whom have confirmed attendance. Further information on this event will be provided in the coming months.

MOHLTC: Initial Report on Public Health released

August 21, 2009

We are very pleased to announce the release of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s (MOHLTC) Initial Report on Public Health.

On this website you will find:

the full report in PDF format
an interactive web version of the report for easy access to all sections of the report
additional support materials
- the survey tool that was used to gather governance and accountability information from public health units in October/November 2008
- a list of the case study submissions received from public health units

The following additional resources have been posted on the Public Health Ontario portal.

the report’s major data tables in a downloadable format
full results of the governance and administration survey

You Are Invited! Building for the Future: OPHA Conference 2009

May 20, 2009

From November 1-4, 2009, the Ontario Public Health Association invites you to be part of its long-standing annual tradition — hosting, engaging, and energizing the largest gathering of public health practitioners in Ontario at its annual conference.

This year’s conference promises to be bigger and better that ever. After all, it has been 60 years in the making! That’s right. OPHA is celebrating 60 years as the “voice of public health” across Ontario. An exciting roster of leading thinkers and speakers with keynote addresses, workshops, panels, roundtable discussions, and poster presentations that reflect the entire scope of public health practice.

The focus of this year’s conference — Building for the Future — will allow participants to immerse themselves in current thinking on: Collaboration, Knowledge Exchange, Innovation, Health Equity, and the Public Health Workforce. Public health professionals are invited to submit abstracts in any of the above formats for consideration. The deadline is May 11, 2009.

Members of OPHA and potential members are invited to attend OPHA’s Annual General Meeting, which will be held on Monday, November 2nd at 5:15p.m. This event provides a unique opportunity to learn about our advocacy activities, new dimensions of growth in the organization, and to exercise your right to debate and vote on the resolutions and position papers being considered for adoption by OPHA.

Please keep visiting OPHA’s conference website for details about all aspects of the conference — call for abstracts, keynote speakers, conference activities accreditation, registration, and much more — as they emerge.

Heart & Stroke Launches SPARK: Together for Healthy Kids

May 7, 2009

Heart & Stroke Foundation’s newest major public initiative aimed at reducing the deadly impact of childhood obesity on a future generation and the health of our communities. It is about working together to inspire individuals, families, communities, businesses, industry and government to spark collective change – in how we live, how we act, and how we think – to ignite a brighter future for our children.

OPHA/alPHa Release April SDOH Newsletter

April 17, 2008

Last year OPHA and alPHa launched a joint working group whose purpose is to provide leadership and common messaging related to the social determinants of health, and how Ontario's Public Health System can act. The Work Group has now released its second Newsletter.

Put Food on the Budget: Promote health and fight poverty

March 11, 2009

Nutritious food is essential for good health. As part of their belief that fighting poverty is the best medicine money can buy, the 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction, in partnership with alPHa, is launching an Ontario-wide campaign for a Healthy Food Supplement. The call is for an immediate introduction of a $100 supplement to the basic needs allowance for all adults receiving social assistance. Read the full press release [PDF]. To download the most frequently asked questions about this initiative, click here [PDF].

Launch of Sector Engagement on Building Public Health Capacity

March 11, 2009

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has announced the launch of a sector engagement strategy. The Public Health Division of MOHLTC and MHP is looking for public health stakeholder feedback on its discussion paper, Building Capacity for Local Public Health in Ontario. Using this link you can download the paper and complete the online survey. Deadline for submission: Friday, April 3, 2009. Read full Ministry announcement [PDF].

Request for Applications aimed to expand Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) program

February 13, 2009

The Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) has launched a Request for Applications aimed to expand its Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) program by offering start-up support for health care facilities and communities interested in implementing this best practice intervention. The primary goal of the ONF is to prevent and reduce the incidence of Inflicted Infant Head Trauma (also known as Shaken Baby Syndrome) by working with a greater number of partners involved in providing information, education and training to parents and caregivers.

The deadline for online application is 4:00 p.m. March 2, 2009. Download the Request for Applications [PDF]. Once ready to submit, please visit the Online Application Form.

OPHA 2008 Conference Presentations are now online

November 14, 2008

To download the those conference presentations and keynote speeches for which we received signed consent forms, please visit the conference website and click on the "Conference Presentations" link in the upper left side of the menu.

OPHA/alPHa Release Summer SDOH Newsletter

November 10, 2008

OPHA and alPHa have recently launched a joint working group whose purpose is to provide leadership and common messaging related to the social determinants of health, and how Ontario's Public Health System can act. For more information, please download our inaugural Newsletter.

OPHA Invites You to Launch of Sheela Basrur Centre

October 31, 2008

OPHA would like to invite you to lend your support to the launch of the Sheela Basrur Centre at a special event planned by the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion on November 27, 2008 at The Carlu. An invitation to the event is included at the end of this message.

As you may know, Dr. Sheela Basrur fought relentlessly throughout her career for social justice. The Sheela Basrur Centre is an institution devoted to providing opportunities for public health professionals to contribute to the promotion of social justice issues through advances in public health knowledge and practice. In this way we hope to honor and perpetuate the achievements and the memory of Dr. Basrur.

Download the full Letter and Invitation [PDF]

OPHA Launches Redesigned and Rebranded Website

October 27, 2008

Concurrent with the beginning of OPHA's Annual Conference, the Association has launched a completely redesigned website. With over 150 pages, the site offers extensive information on OPHA's advocacy, under the Our Voice in Action, through its government consultations, workgroups, coalitions, and collaborations. These partnerships with individuals and organizations across Ontario are the key to OPHA's rebranding. This exciting new look will help to emphasize the collaborative and consultative nature of OPHA's advocacy for Public Health issues. It is through the collaborative work among the variety of Partners & OPHA that we aim to improve the health of all Ontarians.

In addition to the refreshed content, there is an extensive Events Calendar where anyone can post a Public Health-related conference, forum, workshop, symposium, or teleconference. The entire website is searchable to make information even easier to find.

The media area is one-click browsing on our latest news, media releases, and briefing notes on issues related to work being done by OPHA's programs and workgroups.

We hope you find the new site fresh and easy to use. We welcome your comments and feedback as we continue to improve our communications vehicles.

We would like to thank the people at HBS Marketing for the refreshing and exciting new design and the “& OPHA” rebranding concept.

Dr. Ronald Sax Memorial Scholarship Fund

October 23, 2008

Dr. Ronald Sax was the Medical Officer of Health for both Waterloo Region and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph. Dr. Ronald Sax succumbed to cancer in 2001 after a brief illness. He left a mark wherever he worked, being a passionate advocate for social justice. A scholarship fund has been established in memory of Dr. Sax through the Family and Children’s Services Foundation of Waterloo Region. With this scholarship, local public health staff who worked with Ron hope to inspire and assist young people who have experienced difficult life circumstances to continue their education, while honouring the memory of Dr. Ronald Sax who believed strongly in providing opportunities for people to achieve full potential, thereby breaking the cycle of abuse and poverty. The seed money for the scholarship came from the proceeds of hosting the Ontario Public Health Association conference in Waterloo a few years ago.

Read the full Open Letter to Public Health Colleagues [PDF]. You can download a promotional pamphlet [PDF] providing the details of the scholarship, for your information and consideration.

OPHA Responds to the consultation on proposed reforms to the Liquor Licence Act – Special Occasion Permits (SOPs)

September 30, 2008

The OPHA Alcohol Workgroup was consulted and responded to the Ministry of Small Businesses and Consumer Services regarding proposed changes to the Liquor Licence Act (LLA), specifically as it relates to Special Occasion Permits (SOPs).

He's a player, she gets played: Challenging gendered stereotypes about youth sexual health

August 26, 2008

On Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 5:00 p.m., CIHR Café Scientifique will be holding a forum on gendered stereotypes and youth sexual health, featuring presentations by Dr. Jean Shoveller (UBC), Dr. Sarah Flicker (York U.) and Jessica Yee (Native Youth Sexual Health Network).

Young people of all genders and sexualities are sexually active; the average age that Canadians first have sex is 17. So why is it when a girl is sexually active, she can be considered to be easy, but when a guy is sexually active he can be called a stud? How do these gendered stereotypes affect young people’s physical, emotional and sexual health? How do they intersect with race, class, and oppression? In what ways do these stereotypes influence how parents, teachers, researchers and health care providers talk and think about youth sexual health? Join us as we challenge these stereotypes in a lively discussion with experts in the field of youth sexual health.

Location: Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street (Yonge/College).Light refreshments provided. Please RSVP to: ea-igh@exchange.ubc.ca

OPHA's input re the Review of the Personal Health Information Protection Act 2004

August 25, 2008

OPHA consulted and gave feedback [PDF] on the proposed review of the Personal Health Information Privacy Act, which covers sharing personal medical information of patients.

Doctors Point to Poverty as Major Cause of Illness

August 1, 2008

A new report by a group of Ontario doctors highlights the ways in which poverty affects the health outcomes of adults and children and the role health-care professionals can play in reducing the impact of poverty on people's health. The report, "Why poverty makes us sick," authored by The Ontario Physicians Poverty Work Group, reveals that poverty substantially raises the rate of chronic illness, infant mortality and lowers life expectancy.

Click here to read the full text of the press release from the Ontario Physicians Poverty Work Group. See also the Poverty and Health article series.

Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health, Commission on Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, 2008

July 10, 2008

Inequities are killing people on a "grand scale" reports WHO's Commission — Social justice is a matter of life and death. It affects the way people live, their consequent chance of illness, and their risk of premature death. We watch in wonder as life expectancy and good health continue to increase in parts of the world and in alarm as they fail to improve in others.

Visit the WHO's discussion page, which also contains links to the full report and its Executive Summary.

Nominate Someone You Know for the 2008 Ophea Awards

June 9, 2008

The four awards include: the Ophea Award of Distinction, the Ophea Award for Outstanding Contribution, the School Community Award, and the Outstanding New Professional Award. The 2008 Ophea Awards will be presented on Friday, October 17th, 2008 at the Ophea Kids’ Health Conference. Deadline for submissions: Friday, September 5, 2008.

To learn more about the Ophea Awards or to download a nomination form, visit: www.ophea.net/awards.cfm

Canada Health Day

May 12, 2008

Canada Health Day – is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of public health to the everyday lives of Canadians. For over 100 years, public health in Canada has been helping individuals take care of themselves, their families and communities. The major advances in life expectancy, overall health, and quality of life that occurred in the twentieth century were the result of public health initiatives – such as producing vaccines, clean water, pasteurization and better living conditions, among many.

On May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, health facilities and agencies, community health organizations and public health units will join together to celebrate Canada Health Day.

Canada Health Day is joint event coordinated by the Canadian Healthcare Association (CHA) in partnership with the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA). Since the inception of Canada Health Day in 1981, CHA and CPHA have worked in partnership to make this annual event a national celebration of health care in Canada.

This year, a new Canada Health Day logo will be launched. The logo highlights the pan-Canadian nature of public health and celebrates how its successes have contributed to the optimal health of Canadians.

For more information on how you can celebrate Canada Health Day in your facility or community, please visit the CHA website (www.cha.ca) for links to downloadable posters and cafeteria tray liners, fact sheets and more.

Ontario Task Group on Access to Recreation launches Promising Practices Initiative

April 28, 2008

On behalf of the Ontario Task Group on Access to Recreation for Low-Income Families, we are excited to announce the enhancement of the "Promising Practices" booklet that was created in October 2007 and provided to delegates at the Ontario Access to Recreation Policy Planning Institute on November 14, 2007.

The expansion of the Promising Practices booklet, funded by the Canadian Recreation and Parks Association (CPRA), Everybody Gets to Play™ initiative, builds on the positive outcomes of the recent Ontario Access to Recreation Policy Institute and feedback from participants and other collective Ontario members in recreation delivery who continue to ask for examples of promising or emerging policies and practices being undertaken in communities that enhance access to recreation for low-income families.

Further development and enhancement of the Promising Practices booklet will result in the creation of a comprehensive provincial Promising Practices Guide.

This Guide strives to support organizations in removing barriers to recreation for low-income families, as it will:

Provide municipalities and grass root community organizations across Ontario with solid examples of practices that have been successful in increasing access to recreation for low-income families; It can also be used by CPRA under the Everybody Gets to Play™ banner as a resource for other provinces and territories;
Enable municipalities and grass root community organizations to adopt and/or adapt the promising practices to increase access to recreation for low-income families;
Be utilized in the future to inform the creation of policy templates and a policy toolkit that will be distributed through PRO and the Ontario Task Group on Access to Recreation to communities across Ontario. This work will provide important research for future policy work.

This project is unique as we are engaging not only recreation delivery stakeholders in Ontario to share promising practices, but also members of allied organizations, especially social services and public health, that are part of the Ontario Task Group on Access to Recreation.

This "Promising Practices" initiative provides communities that are progressive leaders in supporting and implementing access to recreation for low-income policies and initiatives with an opportunity to share their success stories with other communities across the Province.

If you have an initiative you would like to share for inclusion in the Access to Recreation for Low-Income Families Promising Practices Guide, please download the Promising Practices Submission Guide from the LIN website. This Submissions Guide details the Submission Process and also includes the Application form.

If you have any questions, please contact Diane English, Communications Officer at PRO at denglish [at] prontario.org or 416-426-7306

The Ontario Public Health Association is proud to be a partner in this initiative.

Translated Canada's Food Guides Now Available

April 28, 2008

Health Canada's Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion (ONPP) has released Canada's Food Guide in 10 languages in addition to English and French. Translated directly from the 2007 Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, these resources are available in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi (Persian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu. These languages reflect the nation's top 10 non-official languages spoken in the homes of recent immigrants.

Providing access to healthy eating information for Canadians who are new to the country, or less familiar with English and French, is important to Health Canada. The translated Food Guides are a practical complement to existing Food Guide resources, including Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, the resource for educators and communicators, and the Food Guide Web site. Canada’s Food Guide integrates the latest science on nutrition and health into a practical pattern of eating, and acknowledges the changing ethnic makeup of Canada by including a range of foods from a variety of ethnic cuisines. The Food Guide Web site features interactive tools, such as My Food Guide Online, which allows individuals to create a customized printout in the same 10 languages, as well as in English and French.

ONPP invites you to share this information and hopes that you will find it valuable. For more information please visit www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide

Annual Addictions Ontario Conference

April 23, 2008

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, Addictions Ontario is very pleased to be hosting our Annual Addictions Conference, June 2nd and 3rd at Stage West Hotel in Mississauga. This year's conference is about topics that convey knowlege, experience and perspectives on those areas of innovation and progress in the field of addictions and mental health.

The conference format opens with a delegate address by Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the Honourable George Smitherman followed by our keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Reid, Associate Director, Minto Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and an Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. Dr. Reid is one of Canada's leading health behaviour change experts. In his presentation, Transforming Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Nicotine Addiction: Lessons Learned from the Ottawa Modell, the co-developer of the Ottawa Model describes the birth and evolution of the Model and the lessons it can teach us about not only treating nicotine addiction, but how to engage organizations in processes that transform the delivery of patient care.

Monday and Tuesday are filled with workshops followed by sector meetings on Wednesday. As well, the Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday evening, which will include a celebration of the Association's 40th year of service. Schedule details are shown on the Program at a Glance.

If you require further information please do not hesitate to contact Janis Cramp, our conference coordinator at ph: 1-800-965-3307, email: info [at] addictionsontario.ca, fax: 1-866-295-6394.

Minister Best officially launched healthy living video and poster contest for youth

April 8, 2008

On March 20, 2008, Minister Best released the following news release and photo. If you haven’t yet spread the news about this exciting campaign, don’t worry! You still have time as the contest closes on April 25, 2008.

For all of the contest details, including rules and judging criteria, visit www.notgonnakillyou.ca.

If you would like to promote the contest on your website, here are some helpful tips:

The following sticker(s) can be used as a button on your website. English ; French
The URLs below can link from the button(s).
English: www.notgonnakillyou.ca/contest
French: www.canevapastefairemourir.ca/concours
The copy below can be used to further explain the contest, if space permits.
Youth Video and Poster Contest Promotes Healthy Living
Do you know a young, budding filmmaker or graphic designer?
If so, we want to hear from them!
Visit www.notgonnakillyou.ca/contest for all the details.
Hurry – Contest closes on April 25, 2008.

Concours de vidéos et d’affiches s’adressant aux jeunes et faisant la promotion d’une vie saine
Vous connaissez un cinéaste ou graphiste en herbe?
Si oui, nous aimerions entendre parler de lui!
Consultez le site www.canevapastefairemourir.ca/concours pour obtenir tous les détails.
Faites vite, le concours se termine le 25 avril 2008.

New & Improved Online Resource for Public Health Decision Makers

March 28, 2008

www.health-evidence.ca is a free, searchable online registry, of published research evidence, in the form of systematic reviews, evaluating public health interventions. This registry houses over 1,100 reviews and is updated quarterly. All reviews on health-evidence.ca have been assessed for methodological quality to help you quickly find the best research evidence available to support the decisions you make. Health-evidence.ca has been a go-to resource for Canadian public health decision makers since its launch in 2005.

Click here [PDF, 89kb] for more information or visit the website.

OPC/Health Nexus Conference

March 13, 2008

Mark your calendars for Friday, May 23, 2008 when Health Nexus (the renamed OPC) will be holding a conference on Working Together to Prevent and Manage Chronic Disease: Ideas, Innovation, and Insight

Brochure [PDF, 95kb]
Flyer [PDF, 33kb]
Registration Form and Program [PDF, 30kb]

Women's Health Matters Seminar: "The Heart of the Matter: Women and Heart Disease"

February 26, 2008 - 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Women's Health Matters has launched a new seminar series covering the latest information, news and research findings directly from the women’s health experts of Women’s College Hospital. These seminars are FREE, and open to the public. Have your questions answered and learn what you can do to have a positive impact on your health. Light refreshments will be served.

This month's seminar is a discussion about women and heart disease, risk factors, primary and secondary prevention – presented by the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative.
Speakers:

Dr. Len Sternberg - Medical Director - Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative
Shelly Sharma - Physical Therapist and Exercise Coordinator
Helen Emanoilidis - Registered Dietitian

When:
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008; 6pm – 8pm (followed by 1/2 hour reception) at the Cummings Auditorium, Women’s College Hospital, 76 Grenville St., Toronto
RSVP:
Please call: 416-323-7322 to reserve your spot.

Warning Against Fraudulent Conference Invitation

January 10, 2008

Please be advised that fraudulent invitations to a conference are being circulated on the Internet. The event in question is entitled: "2008 Conférence annuelle de la Fondation pour La Coopération et Du Développement".

The invitation implies that the Ontario Public Health Association, and other organizations are partners and that GlaxoSmithKline is a sponsor.

To read more about the details of this fraud, refer to the January issue of the OPHA Ebulletin.

CDPAC Winter/Spring Series Fireside Chat — Infrastructure and Chronic Disease Prevention

January 9, 2008

CDPAC is pleased to announce the second Fireside Chat of the Winter/Spring Series 2007-2008 to be held on January 16, 2008, 10:00 am -11:30 am (EST).

Making healthy choices is facilitated by healthy environments. Building an infrastructure which supports physical activity is a key strategy to address obesity. Healthy infrastructures include such community designs that promote walking, cycling, and offer access to safe routes for active transportation. This design also allows for easy access to parks, greenspaces and recreational opportunities (such as recreation centres, sports and exercise facilities). It is well-documented that people who live in areas that do not facilitate active living have increased risk of obesity. Infrastructure design is therefore a primary prevention strategy for chronic illness.

Attend this web workshop to understand how the way in which communities are designed and built influences chronic disease in Canada and discuss the federal and provincial policy levers that influence development of healthy built environments. Please note that this web lecture will be held in English.

Presenters:

Elizabeth Votta - Program Lead, research and Reports (including the recent report on Urban Spaces and Health), Canadian Population Health Initiative
Stephen Samis - Director Health Policy, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Michael Haynes - National Coordinator for Active Transportation, Go for Green

Who can attend:
This web workshop is being promoted widely to provincial and national stakeholders. Please share with members and individuals within your organization or alliance. We have capacity for 90 participants so register early. The web workshop is free.

To register for this Fireside Chat:

Email dbonnenfant [at] uottawa.ca with the subject line "Registering for CDPAC Jan 16 Fireside Chat"
In the email body, be sure to include the following:
Name, Title and Organization, Telephone number, Email address (this will be used to send chat access information), Learning objectives for the session and if your contact information can be shared with CDPAC.
Confirmation and access instructions will be sent from CHNET-Works! staff via email several days (and again several hours) prior to the Fireside Chat.

For assistance or for more information, contact Kim Black at CDPAC: kblack [at] cdpac.ca, or 613-565-2522 ext 306.

Local Champions for Children's Health and Environment Workshops

January 2, 2008

The Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment (CPCHE) invites persons interested in gaining more information and experience with issues associated with Children's Health and the Environment to become Local Champions in their communities.

Local Champions are people dedicated to issues affecting health and the environment and who would like to learn more about how to avoid exposures to environmental contaminants that can impact health outcomes for children (and adults!). Local Champions will receive training, resources and support at an upcoming two-day training workshop in Toronto, Ontario. These workshops are held free, through the generous support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

If you or someone you know would be interested in becoming a Local Champion for Children's Health and Environment, please download this flyer. The first training workshop is January 24-25, 2008 and the second workshop is February 26,-27, 2008. Please contact Beth Anne Currie, Local Champion Project Coordinator at: 416-979-3939 ext. 5 or Bethanne [at]healthyenvironmentforkids.ca for more information or to register.

School Health Environment Survey

October 30, 2007

In 2004, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) released the Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives report calling on all levels of government, the health care system, communities and individuals to take action on Ontario's obesity epidemic. The Ministry of Health Promotion (MHP) responded to the report by acting to create healthier environments through the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity, and in 2006 released Ontario's Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL). The School Health Environment Survey (SHES) [PDF, 3.3MB] was developed to assess and monitor the progress of the HEAL initiative, as well as other local and provincial policy and program interventions related to healthy schools.

Click here [PDF, 88kb] for more background on the SHES.

Pre-election All Party Debate on Poverty and Health

July 26, 2007

On Tuesday, September 25, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Carol Goar will moderate a pre-election debate on Poverty and Health at Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto). This event is co-sponsored by Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, Income Security Advocacy Centre, and Health Providers Against Poverty.

Nutrition information, only a click or a call away! EatRight Ontario

July 16, 2007

EatRight Ontario telephone service (1-877-510-510-2) has been designed to help consumers improve their health and quality of life through healthy, nutritious eating. This free resource connects people directly with qualified individuals who can discuss healthy food choices and explain diet-related health risk factors. The service is available Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST in over 120 languages including Mandarin, Korean, Polish, German, Spanish, Ukrainian, Punjabi, Hungarian, Portuguese, Italian, and Arabic.

With in-depth feature articles written and reviewed by Registered Dietitians, EatRight Ontario website provides comprehensive health information on nutrition and healthy eating, with topics including Family Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Healthy Weights, Seniors' Nutrition, and Disease Prevention.

The service will provide easy-to-use nutrition information to help you make healthier food choices and improve diet-related risk factors. The interactive "Ask a Dietitian" feature enables consumers to ask nutrition-related questions and receive feedback from a Registered Dietitian.

The Nutrition Resource Centre at the Ontario Public Health Association is please to be able to participate in this website and share with consumers a number of resources that have been developed to help them make healthy choices. These include cultural adaptations to Canada's Food Guide, which will be updated soon to reflect the new Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, and other resources in partnership with resource centres.

Canadian Public Health Association Announces New CEO

July 5, 2007

CPHA's Board of Directors has appointed Debra Lynkowski as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPHA. Ms. Lynkowski will assume her new role as CEO on August 20, 2007. See full announcement [PDF].

Ontario Health Plan for an Influenza Pandemic (OHPIP) 2007

June 25, 2007

The province's updated Pandemic plan is available on their website.

Canadian Health Network – Health Promotion User Survey

May 22, 2007

For more than three years, the Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse (OPC) and the University of Toronto's Centre for Health Promotion have served as the Health Promotion Affiliate of the Canadian Health Network. During this time, we have been rebuilding the Health Promotion resource collection on CHN -- work that continues. We have also been working with the other CHN Affiliates to strengthen the health promotion content of CHN across the determinants of health.

We are asking individuals and organizations (including our CHN Network Contributors) to pass along information, if possible, about our user survey to relevant audiences. The results of the survey will help us better understand the information needs and interests of both the health practitioners and the general public who come to the Health Promotion page on CHN.

Take a tour and take a short survey.

Visit the Health Promotion collection, by selecting the Health Promotion page on the left-hand side of the CHN Homepage at: http://www.canadian-health-network.ca. Select "Guided Search" half-way down the page to see the resources in the Health Promotion collection. The collection includes resources on the determinants of health, chronic disease prevention, population health, health promotion tools, policy and research, and community action.

Help us to better understand your information needs by taking our user survey - just 10 quick questions.

Canada Health Day 2007 is an opportunity to celebrate public health in our everyday lives

March 15, 2007

For over 100 years, public health in Canada has been helping individuals take care of themselves, their families and communities. The major advances in life expectancy, overall health and quality of life that occurred in the twentieth century were the result public health initiatives - providing vaccinations, clean water, pasteurization and better living conditions.

On May 12, 2007, hundreds of health facilities and agencies, community health organizations and public health units will join together in celebrating Canada Health Day. Celebrated on the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, Canada Health Day is jointly sponsored by the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Canadian Healthcare Association (CHA). Since the inauguration of Canada Health Day in 1981, CPHA and CHA have worked in partnership to make this annual event a national celebration of health care in Canada.

For more information on how you can celebrate Canada Health Day in your community, contact the Canadian Public Health Association or go to the Canada Health Day web site where you'll find background information, fact sheets, ideas for special events and more!

Why Health Care Renewal Matters: Lessons from Diabetes

March 1, 2007

One in three Canadians has a chronic health condition like diabetes or heart disease. Can we prevent and better manage these illnesses to build a healthier tomorrow? The Health Council of Canada says – yes.

You will be able to download the report after the launch on Monday, March 5th: Why Health Care Renewal Matters: Lessons from Diabetes [PDF].

Have your say during their online public consultation from March 5 to April 15 at www.healthcouncilcanada.ca. You can also view the webcast of the report's launch at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 5th.

Valentine's Day hype can fuel youth dating violence

February 14, 2007

At least one in five Canadian teens experience dating violence. There's nothing romantic about getting hurt—but in fact, misconceptions about romance can fuel assaults. Unfortunately, the romantic messages around Valentine’s Day stop far short of helping youth understand healthy romance.

The Canadian Red Cross has put out a press release from their RespectED program [PDF, 221kb] on violence prevention in teens.

OPHA President Announces "New" Executive Director

February 7, 2007

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA), I am thrilled to announce that our Interim Executive Director Connie Uetrecht has accepted the position on a permanent basis. Connie’s secondment from her position at Toronto Public Health will end February 28, 2007 and she will officially become Executive Director of OPHA on March 1, 2007. This is a great opportunity for Connie to help us lead OPHA into the future and to support colleagues in all areas of public health in Ontario.

Download the full announcement [PDF].

Call for Abstracts: CPHA 98th Annual Conference

September 16-19, 2007

The Canadian Public Health Association 98th Annual Conference will be held in Ottawa, Ontario. The theme: Public Health in Canada: From Politics to the People.

The Conference Steering Committee invites submissions for oral presentations, posters and workshops. Deadline for submission: March 15th, 2007.

Environmental Public Health Week 2007

January 15-21, 2007

Environmental Public Health Week recognizes the hard work of all Certified Public Health Inspectors/ Environmental Health Officers across Canada and the importance of environmental health programs in our healthcare system. We are dedicated professionals who are committed to promoting and protecting public health and continually meeting new challenges from our environment that can affect human health.

Dr. Sheela Basrur, CMOH/ADM resigns for health reasons

December 5, 2006

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care put the following press release on the wire on Tuesday in which Dr. Basrur tended her resignation effective immediately.

CCHSE Healthcare Management FORUM

Submission deadline: December 15, 2006

This is the second in a series produced by this peer-reviewed journal, which covers issues related to advances in health services management, theory and practice in a Canadian context. They are inviting the submission of manuscripts on a topic that is on the minds of many health leaders — pandemic planning.

Manuscripts can be sent to lwilson[at]cchse.org. A PDF version of the call can be downloaded from the website [PDF].

Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Conference

November 29-30, 2006

Please refer to an invitation from the Minister of Health Promotion [PDF], Jim Watson, regarding the upcoming Healthy Eating and Active Living Conference to be held on November 29-30, 2006 in Toronto, ON. Registration opens October 13th. Please consider attending and send this forth to others who may be interested in attending, as well. Program-at-a-Glance [PDF]

Veuillez trouver une invitation du ministre de la Promotion de la santé [PDF], Jim Watson, pour la conférence sur la saine alimentation et la vie active le 29-30 novembre 2006 à Toronto, ON. Cette conférence soutien le plan d'action de l'Ontario en faveur d'une saine alimentation et d'une vie active, récemment annoncé par le ministre.

STAND UP to Make Poverty History

October 15 and 17, 2006

OPHA is actively involved in Campaign 2000, a cross-Canada public education movement to build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. As part of the United Nations Millenium Campaign against poverty, there is now a global call to "stand up" against poverty on October 15th. Please read the complete joint press release [PDF] from Laurel Rothman, Director of Social Reform and National Coordinator, Campaign 2000 and Dennis Howlett, Make Poverty History. See also the Stand-Up flyer [PDF].

Juvenile Obesity Workshop

November 6, 2006

A one-day workshop for health professionals entitled "Juvenile Obesity Epidemic: The Problems and Solutions – A Multidisciplinary Approach by the Children's Exercise & Nutrition Centre of McMaster Children's Hospital" will be held on Monday, November 6, 2006 at Carmen's Banquet & Convention Centre in Hamilton, Ontario. Registration fee is $140.00 For further information/registration, view our flyer or contact Shirley Lampman at lampman [at] hhsc.ca or 905.521.2100 ext. 77615. This workshop is accredited for 6 MAINPRO-M1 credits.

walkON has identified a need to support the development of walkable communities

July 27, 2006

walkON is a partnership of Central West Ontario Heart Health Coordinators that have identified a need to support the development of walkable communities. They believe that together, we can build sustainable, walkable communities to improve the health of our communities. walkON's mission is to promote the development of communities that support walking for transportation, health, and recreation.

Since its inception in 2004, walkON has conducted a three-prong Environmental Scan, undergone extensive planning and development, and is now moving into the program delivery phase. The Highlight Report [PDF] contains the results of the scan and the future direction of walkON.

We encourage you to read their report and visit the website, www.walkon.ca for further information about their project. If you are interested in learning more, or would like to become involved in their quest to improve the built environment and mobilize communities to become more active through walking, contact information for the Heart Health Coordinator in your area can be found on the website.

Ministry’s Active Living Strategy a step in the right direction

June 21, 2006

The Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) welcomes the province's new strategy to improve the health of Ontario’s families. Ontario's Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living, unveiled yesterday by Ontario Minister of Health Promotion Jim Watson, builds on the foundation of the Chief Medical Officer of Health's 2004 Report Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives, which was released at that year's OPHA Conference.

Visit our website to read OPHA's full press release [PDF].

Niagara Region Public Health to Host Annual CIPHI Conference

June 20, 2006

The 2006 Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (Ontario Branch) Educational Conference is being held September 10-13, 2006 in Niagara Falls, at the Fallsview Casino Resort.

To learn more about the conference, visit the CIPHI website.

Nominate Someone You Know for the 2006 Ophea Awards

June 14, 2006

Do you know someone you would like to see recognized for their contribution to the fields of health, physical activity, and health and physical education? Take this opportunity to nominate deserving individuals for one of the 2006 Ophea Awards. The four awards include: the Ophea Award of Distinction, the Ophea Award for Outstanding Contribution, the School Community Award, and the Outstanding New Professional Award.

The nomination deadline is September 8, 2006. To learn more about the Ophea Awards or to download a nomination form, visit the Ophea website.

Smoke Free Champions to receive awards

June 13, 2006

On June 15, 2006, OPHA joined with alPHa to present Smoke-Free Champion awards to 22 people who have made significant contributions to the struggle against tobacco in the province. View alPHa's press release [PDF].

Study finds children may be exposed to polluted air on school buses

May 11, 2006

The March 2006 issue of the Ontario Medical Association's Ontario Medical Review highlighted the results from the OPHA Environmental Health Program's report, School Buses, Air Pollution and Children's Health: Improving Children's Health and Local Air Quality by Reducing School Bus Emissions. (See the full article [PDF, 77kb]). The full report [PDF, 4.9MB] is available from the Resources section of the OPHA website.

Smog Summit 2006: Partnerships for Clean Air

May 11, 2006

Since 2000, the annual Smog Summit has brought together representatives from all levels of government, and community and business partners to enhance the implementation of actions that reduce air polluting emissions. The theme of this year's Summit is: Partnerships for Clean Air. It will be held on June 7-8, 2006 in Toronto. Download the brochure and agenda [PDF, 1.9MB] or visit the website for more information.

OPHA members are now invited to submit position papers, resolutions or motions for adoption at the OPHA Annual General Meeting

May 4, 2006

The OPHA Annual General Meeting will be held in conjunction with the Annual OPHA Conference on October 26, 2006. Please review the Guidelines and Questions to Consider before submitting a paper, resolution, or motion. Also note that submissions are to be received no later than July 1, 2006.

Capacity Review Committee Report will strengthen public health in Ontario: OPHA

May 4, 2006

The OPHA strongly encourages Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to implement all of the recommendations contained in "Revitalizing Ontario's Public Health Capacity: The Final Report of the Capacity Review Committee (CRC)"

"We congratulate the Committee for recognizing the importance of autonomy and sustained funding...accountability and governance are two other areas in which OPHA's recommendations were reflected.". Please refer to the full copy of the press release [PDF].

OPHA joined with the OMA, Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto, Community Medicine Residents and the Professional Association of Internes and Residents of Ontario to urge the Minister of Health and Long Term Care to implement the recommendations in the CRC's report. View the letter here [PDF].

Ontario Health Promotion Summer School

May 4, 2006

The Centre for Health Promotion at the University of Toronto holds a week-long conference aimed at health professionals. This year's theme: Creating Supportive Physical and Social Environments. The conference will be held at the Bank of Montreal's Institute for Learning from June 26-29, 2006. There is also a "Pre-school" geared to those new to the health promotion field.

HPSS Brochure - English [PDF]
HPSS Brochure - French [PDF]

Sudbury and District Health Unit Board of Health adopts School Bus Report recommendations

April 4, 2006

On February 16, 2006 the Sudbury and District Board of Health considered the "School Buses, Air Pollution and Children's Health: Improving Children's Health and Local Air Quality by Reducing School Bus Emissions" [PDF, 4.9MB) issued by the Environmental Health Workgroup at OPHA. It examined children's exposure to air pollutants from school buses and recommended that actions be taken nationally, provincially, and locally to reduce these exposures.

The Board of Health adopted the recommendations contained in the report and acknowledged relevant local efforts to improve air quality. Please refer to our website for the full text of the SDHU resolution [PDF, 56kb].

"Perspectives on Canada" Conference focusing on "Health, Well-Being and Quality of Life"

April 3, 2006

The "Perspectives on Canada" Conference focusing on "Health, Well-Being and Quality of Life" promises to be an informative event designed to stimulate ideas and new approaches in the public and private marketplaces. This conference will be held in Toronto on Thursday, April 6, 2006

We are very pleased to announce Dr. Sheela Basrur and Dr. Douglas Norris as our two keynote speakers at this year's event.

Dr. Sheela Basrur is Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Health Division, Ministry of Health Promotion and oversees the work of over 6,000 staff in 36 public health units and a wide range of public health services and programs. Dr. Basrur, with her extensive knowledge in the field of public health, will provide an inside perspective on health-related matters.

Dr. Douglas Norris is the former Director General, Census and Demographics, Statistics Canada, and after 30 years at Statistics Canada has joined Environics Analytics as their Senior Vice President and Chief Demographer. Dr. Norris is also an adjunct professor at Carleton University and the University of Alberta. Dr. Norris will use his statistical expertise to address the implications of socio-demographic trends affecting the health and well-being of Canadians.

There will be two dynamic and information-rich panel discussions:

Joseph Wong, Chair of the Yee Hong Wellness Foundation
Marc Hamel, Assistant Director, Health Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
John Burrett, Senior Manager, Social Policy, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Armine Yalnizyan, Consulting Economist and Research Associate with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Judy Cutler, Director of Government and Media Relations, CARP, Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus
Alan Flint, Vice President, Membership, Marketing and Sales, Canadian Marketing Association

This conference will stimulate thought for new approaches and opportunities whether you offer products or services in the health field, to ethnic communities, or to the senior population. Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone who might be interested in attending this conference.

When: Thursday, April 6, 2006 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm)
Where: Arcadian Court - Simpson Tower
401 Bay Street, Toronto
Price: $525 + GST (Group Discounts are available for groups of four or more persons)

For detailed information and registration form, visit the website.

Canada Health Day - May 12, 2006

March 9, 2006

For over 100 years, public health in Canada has been helping individuals take care of themselves, their families and communities. Canada Health Day 2006 is an opportunity to celebrate public health in our everyday lives. On May 12, 2006, hundreds of health facilities and agencies, community health organizations and public health units will join together in celebrating Canada Health Day. This year's theme: Public Health working for you.

There are a variety of promotional materials available to highlight Canada Health Day, including posters, buttons, biodegradable balloons, T-shirts, cafeteria tray-liners, bookmarks and baseball caps. Over the years, the number of participants and events celebrating Canada Health Day has grown. Activities, such as displays by hospitals, community health centres, local health facilities; health fairs/clinics with blood pressure and blood sugar screening, cholesterol testing, heart health, smoking cessation and HIV information set up in malls and schools; contests and quizzes for school age children; media donated time spots and interviews with health professionals, occur all across Canada on May 12th.

For more information on how you can celebrate Canada Health Day in your community, or to order your promotional resources, go to the Canada Health Day web site.

OPHA Announces Date for Annual Conference

February 27, 2006

The annual OPHA conference will be held on October 25 to 27, 2006 at the Nav Canada Conference Centre in Cornwall. This year’s conference is brought to you by the Ontario Public Health Association and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit.
The Call for Abstracts will be posted shortly to the conference website: www.OPHAconference.ca. Abstracts will be accepted in both French and English. The deadline for submissions is: May 15, 2006.

Chief Medical Officer to Release Report on the State of Public Health

January 17, 2006

A press conference will be held on Wednesday, January18, 2006 by Dr. Sheela Basrur to release her first report on the state of public health - Building the Foundation of a Strong Public Health System for Ontarians. This report can be thought of as a check-up on the province's public health system, and points to the progress made over the past two years and the areas of continuing concern. This report will be submitted directly to the Legislature tomorrow morning, and is now an annual requirement as part of the additional powers and more independence granted to the Chief Medical Officer of Health under legislative amendments passed in 2004. Dr. Basrur is giving advance notice of the release of this report, as it is of direct interest to public health professionals. By tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., Dr. Basrur's full report will be posted on the Ministry's web site under "What's New" at: www.health.gov.on.ca. It will also be posted in "Ministry Reports". Hard copies of the report will be mailed out tomorrow. Dr. Basrur looks forward to hearing any feedback on the report from staff, stakeholders, media or members of the public within your communities.

OPHA Releases the School Bus Report

November 21, 2005

On November 21, 2005, the Environmental Health Workgroup at OPHA released the School Buses, Air Pollution and Children's Health: Improving Children's Health and Local Air Quality by Reducing School Bus Emissions Report [PDF, 4.9MB). Over three years this project has examined emissions from school buses, the health implications associated with those emissions, and the actions that can be taken to reduce those emissions to improve the health of Ontario's children.

The background report, Emission Reduction Options for Ontario School Buses [PDF, 465kb] was also released. The full press statement [PDF, 18kb] can be viewed online.

OPHA Smoke-Free Award Winner Announced

November 9, 2005

In June, 2005, with the passage of the Ontario Smoke Free Act, Ontario became a smoke-free province. In recognition of this public health victory, OPHA has created the Smoke-Free Award, to be given to an individual who has been instrumental in the passage of the Act. The award recipient is the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, who has enthusiastically supported tobacco initiatives in Ontario.

The award will be presented at the alPHa/OPHA Annual Conference, on November 22, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. Full press release [PDF]

MOHLTC Capacity Review Report

The Interim Report of the Capacity Review Committee is now available on the MOHLTC website.

Child Health and the Environment – A Primer

October 18, 2005

As a proud member of the Canadian Partnership for Child Health and the Environment (CPCHE), the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) is pleased to announce the release of CPCHE’s Child Health and the Environment – A Primer. This 130-page, full colour document provides a thorough introduction to this important and complex child health issue. Playing it Safe: Childproofing for Environmental Health, a brochure that provides practical childproofing tips to protect children from environmental threats to their health, accompanies the Primer. The release of these documents marks the launch of CPCHE’s national awareness campaign: Childproofing for Environmental Health.

These materials are being released in conjunction with the Toronto Public Health report - Environmental Threats to Children: Understanding the Risks, Enabling Prevention, a detailed document that summarizes the current science on this topic and calls for action by all levels of government and communities.

The OPHA has been actively involved in the development of the CPCHE Primer and brochure through its Environmental Health Workgroup. Together with the Toronto Public Health, these documents create a tiered series of resources that will be of great value to the public health sector in addressing this increasingly important issue.

For more information, please visit the CPCHE website.

National Strategy on Violence Prevention

September 19, 2005

On Monday, September 19, 2005, at the 96th Annual Conference of the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA), over 70 professionals endorsed efforts by the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) and CPHA to initiate a national strategy on violence prevention. Download the full press release in English [PDF] or in French [PDF].

OPHA Sent Submission to Public Health Agency of Canada

September 15, 2005

As part of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care's proposed Public Health Goals for Canada, OPHA engaged in an extensive consulation with staff, workgroups, project, and consituent societies. We submitted our response [PDF] in early September.

The plan is that these common goals will provide a framework to enable federal, provincial, and territorial governments to align their individual and joint public health efforts. Each jurisdiction will establish related targets by which action will be monitored. After a heavy consultation process, a national meeting will be held in the autumn to ratify the goals and provide advice to First Ministers regarding how to advance the next phase of the process, including establishing targets to monitor progress towards achievement of the goals.

The goals serve as a basis for co-ordinated planning, policy and program initiatives, regardless of which level this is, provincial, national or international. However, there are some issues that need to be considered in order for the goals to really serve their purpose. Dr. Garry Aslanyan discussed these issues iin more detail in the May/June issue of the OPHA News.

First Air Standards Update In 25 Years Will Reduce Pollution Limits; Improve Air Quality

August 29, 2005

Press Release, August 29, 2005 - The Ontario government is protecting the health of Ontarians and improving air quality with tough air pollution limits for industry, Environment Minister Laurel Broten announced today.

See a full copy of the Minstry of the Environment press release and a supporting quote from OPHA.

Public Health Goals for Canada - Give your input!

Federal, provincial and territorial governments have embarked on a national consultation process with public health stakeholders, experts and concerned Canadians to define public health goals for Canada. This initiative follows agreement among Canada’s First Ministers on the need to better co-ordinate inter-governmental efforts to improve the health and safety of their citizens. If you haven’t done so yet, OPHA suggests you check out the proposed public health goals for Canada available through a dedicated website and complete the survey. With each of us taking the time to provide input we will be active in helping create renewed health goals for Ontario.

New Ministry of Health Promotion, Jim Watson, Minister

June 29, 2005

The Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) welcomes the McGuinty government announcement on the appointment of Jim Watson to the new portfolio of Minister of Health Promotion. Click here for OPHA's full press release [PDF], and the Provincial Government's June 29th press release.

New Manager, Nutrition Resource Centre

The OPHA is pleased to announce that Marie Traynor, MSc, PHEc, RD, will begin her post as Acting Manager, Nutrition Resource Centre (NRC) beginning on June 27, 2005. Marie comes to the position with over 12 years of experience in public and community health, most recently as a public health nutritionist at the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Health Unit in Kingston. Her educational preparation includes an Honours B. Sc. from Brescia College, University of Western Ontario, and a M.Sc. from the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University in Montreal. We look forward to Marie’s leadership at the NRC.

Rubella Outbreak in Southern Ontario

May 3, 2005

Please download an Important Health Notice [PDF] being sent today to Healthcare Providers in the province about Rubella Outbreak in Southern Ontario.

Information about the outbreak of Rubella
Risk of Rubella to pregnant women
Advice on diagnosing Rubella

This document can also be accessed on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Web site under "What's New". It can also accessed online in the Emergency Management Unit section in the "Health Care Providers" channel. You will find links to both sections on the main page. Alternatively you can use this direct link http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/emu/ihn.html, for the current index of Important Health Notices.

If you have any enquiries please email us <mohltc30@moh.gov.on.ca>, or call the MOHLTC 24/7 Healthcare Provider Hotline: 1-866-212-2272.

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