Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition (OHCC)

Based on evidence of the important role that social, economic and environmental factors play as determinants of health, the Healthy Communities model was developed in 1984 to promote comprehensive community planning processes based on:

  • wide community participation;
  • involvement of many sectors of the community;
  • local government support; and
  • development of healthy public policy.

From an informal provincial network formed in 1986, the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition was formalized in 1992 and is now an incorporated, registered charity with over 350 members. OHCC works with the diverse communities of Ontario to strengthen their social, economic and environmental well-being.

OPHA is integrally involved in the progress of the OHCC as a member of its Board of Directors. Both organizations also actively collaborate on a wide variety of program initiatives such as:

  • Building Healthy Communities, initially funded as "Healthy Communities and Built Environments" by the Public Health Agency of Canada, which focuses on multi-sector collaborative strategies to increase healthy, sustainable land use planning and community design.
  • FoodNet Ontario, a community food security network whose development is funded by a Trillium grant and supported by OPHA’s Food Security Workgroup.

Objectives

  • To support, strengthen and build capacity of community organizations and coalitions in Ontario to effectively address social, economic and environmental issues through the services of regionally-based Community Animators and consultants;
  • To promote Healthy Community planning processes through presentations and educational materials;
  • To facilitate local, regional and province-wide networking around Healthy Communities through our bilingual website, monthly eBulletin, semi-annual newsletter, and provincial and regional conferences.

OHCC in Action…

  • Engaging community organizations, coalitions and members in Healthy Community initiatives;
  • Responding to requests for assistance by providing training, consultation, information, networking and referral services to build capacity for the development of Healthy Communities; and
  • Working collaboratively with members and colleagues on projects of shared interest.

Impacts

  • A literature review, e-scan, indicators and case studies for the Healthy Communities and the Built Environment (HC&BE) project are available from the OHCC website. A final publication will be distributed in December 2008.
  • Currently, OHCC, OPHA, and others are working together to establish FoodNet Ontario, a provincial network for food security practitioners, researchers and advocates to share their knowledge, tools and resources.
  • HC&BE literature review and e-scan are complete. The Literature review has been completed and disseminated. The e-scan will be distributed in 2008.
  • Development of HC&BE case studies and success stories are in progress. A call for success stories will be issued in 2008.
  • In 2007-2008, 15 community workshops and five regional forums were delivered in different regions of the province to raise awareness of the health impacts of the built environment and promote multi-sector initiatives to plan and develop Healthy Communities through community design and land-use planning
  • In 2007-2008, OHCC provided 591 services to 8,137 contacts through the Healthy Communities Resource Centre, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. We worked with 150 organizations and coalitions in 85 locations in all regions of the province.
  • In 2007-2008, OHCC provided another 212 services through FoodNet Ontario, which is sponsored by OHCC, reaching more than 2,400 contacts.
  • In March 2006, OHCC successfully completed a participatory action project, "Creating Inclusive Community Organizations" in which four not-for-profit organizations worked through an organizational change process to increase the diversity within their organization and their effectiveness in working with all members of a diverse community.

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