WEBINAR – Alcohol Policy: How communities can act on a local level
Join a PlanH Healthy Public Policy webinar on January 30, 2025, to hear how the District of Tofino is adapting its municipal alcohol policy to support its residents.
With the BC Cancer Foundation reporting that alcohol consumption is linked to seven types of cancer, healthy public policies such as those being adapted by Tofino are becoming increasingly important. The webinar will also discuss 11 recommendations from the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE) to help citizens and communities become more aware of alcohol harms.
Presenters include Tofino, B.C., Councillor Tom Stere, Dr. Silvina Mema, Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer at Interior Health, and Dr. Nancy Poole, the Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health. PlanH Delivery Lead Connie Allsopp will be hosting the webinar.
Speaker bios:
Dr. Nancy Poole, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health
Nancy is the Prevention Lead for the CanFASD Research Network, guiding a pan-Canadian network of researchers, service providers, policy analysts and community-based advocates working on FASD prevention. She is the Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, a research and knowledge exchange centre focused on improving girls’ and women’s health and advancing gender equity. Nancy has a doctorate in education and in 2021 was awarded a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) by the Justice Institute of BC in recognition of her contributions to women’s health, including trauma-informed practice and the treatment of substance use and addiction. She was a member of the scientific committee that prepared Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health.
Tom Stere, District of Tofino Councillor
Longtime Tofino resident Tom Stere is a rescue specialist at the Tofino Coast Guard station and an instructor in the Canadian Coast Guard Medic-A program. He has served on the District of Tofino council since 2018 and is a Director on the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District. He is also a volunteer board member with the Rainforest Education Society and worked with the Clayoquot Biosphere Project as the Field Station’s manager from 1992-2000.
Dr. Silvina Mema, Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer
Dr. Silvina Mema is a public health and preventive medicine specialist. Since joining Interior Health in 2016, Dr. Mema has worked as a medical health officer (MHO) partnering with community organizations to promote health in rural communities. She is currently Interior Health’s deputy chief MHO and also working on a part time secondment with the Office of the Provincial Health Officer. In 2020 Dr. Mema lead the Alcohol and Health in BC’s Interior Region report which includes recommendations to balance social and economic benefits while preventing and mitigating health and social harms of alcohol.