BC Healthy Communities

Age-friendly Communities webinar
2025-06-04 10:30 - 11:30 UTC
Join our upcoming Age-friendly Communities webinar on June 4, 2025, at 10:30 am to explore how local governments can create transportation systems that support older adults.
Helping older adults stay active and independent is an important part of healthy aging. To do this, we need to make sure they can get around safely and easily. This webinar will talk about real-life solutions to build better transportation for older people.
We’re pleased to welcome two leading voices in the field. Kate Hosford, whose doctoral research focused on designing age-friendly cities using a mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative and qualitative data. She’ll be joined by Helen Cook, a board member of the Gabriola Community Bus Foundation. Helen led an Age-Friendly transit project improving rural transport for older adults.
This one-hour session includes presentations from both speakers, a case study from a B.C. community implementing age-friendly transportation strategies, and a Q&A. The webinar is free and open to anyone interested in inclusive, age-friendly environments.
Register here

PlanH Grants Info Session
2025-05-29 14:30 - 15:30 UTC
Applications for the 2025 PlanH Healthy Communities Grants open May 12, 2025. Administered by BC Healthy Communities, the grants support projects through two funding streams: Community Connectedness and Healthy Public Policy. Join us for an info session on May 29 at 2:30 pm to ask questions and learn more about the application process. Register for the info session here.
The Community Connectedness funding stream offers grants of up to $5,000 each for projects that foster relationship-building among community members and create long-lasting social networks. The Healthy Public Policy stream provides grants of up to $15,000 each for projects that seek to develop new or amend existing policies to improve the health and well-being of community members. Projects for both streams must use an equity lens to ensure their outcomes benefit those historically excluded from local decision-making processes, or whose needs have not been adequately met by existing policies and programs.

Join the Nanaimo Young at Heart Senior Expo 2025
2025-05-28 11:00 - 15:00 UTC | Country Club Centre Mall, 3200 North Island Highway, Nanaimo
Mark your calendars for May 28, 2025! The Country Club Shopping Centre in Nanaimo, B.C. is the place to be from 11 AM to 3 PM for an exciting day dedicated to health, wellness, and community connection just for seniors!
Dive into a vibrant atmosphere filled with engaging activities, where you can explore a variety of vendors showcasing the latest in health products and services. Discover invaluable community resources, join local clubs, and connect with others who share your interests!
Get ready for fun and excitement with games that spark joy and laughter—plus, don’t miss your chance to win fantastic prizes throughout the day! Whether you’re looking to enhance your well-being, make new friends, or simply enjoy a delightful outing, there’s something for everyone.
Join us for a day of empowerment, discovery, and connection. We can’t wait to see you there!
Visit our website for more information! youngatheart.blackpress.ca/nanaimo-2025/

HPP WEBINAR Alcohol Policy: How communities can act on a local level
2025-01-30 13:30 - 14:45 UTC
Join a Healthy Public Policy webinar on January 30, 2025, to hear how the District of Tofino, B.C., has adopted a 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 Councillor Tom Stere, Dr. Silvina Mema, Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer, and Dr. Nancy Poole, the Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health.

Register: bit.ly/alcohol-planh

How to enhance older adult participation in community programs
2024-12-04 10:30 - 11:30 UTC
Join an Age Friendly Communities’ webinar on December 4 when our panel of experts will offer strategies for municipalities to increase attendance in community programs and broaden the diversity of attendees. Presenters will include Sahra-Lea Tosdevine-Tataryn, Age Friendly Strategy for Seniors Project Manager for the City of Surrey; Dr. Joanie Sims-Gould, Executive Director of the Active Aging Society; Christa Hoy, Program and Evaluation Manager with the Active Aging Research Team; and Harveen Basra, a Research Coordinator with the Active Aging Research Team.

Register Now

Webinar on Toolbox of design actions to nurture well-being in multi-unit housing
2024-10-03 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Hey Neighbour Collective & Happy Cities will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, October 3, from 10 to 11 a.m. PT, to discuss the practical applications and design principles of their Housing Toolkit. If you would like to attend, please register for free here.

A path to resilience: How communities can strengthen child and youth mental well-being
2024-09-25 10:30 - 11:30 UTC
Join our second 2024 PlanH- HPP webinar hosted by Connie Allsopp, PlanH Delivery Lead, to dig deeper into the four protective factors- Play, Safety, Participation and Social Connection and Belonging- that strengthen the mental well-being of children and youth in BC communities. We will also feature details of the new resource guide created in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).
Register here

Webinar: Connecting Communities Across Generations with an Intergenerational Approach
2024-08-21 11:00 - 12:00 UTC
Intergenerational programs unite the young, old and in-between in ways that enrich participants’ lives and help address community challenges.
Join us for an engaging webinar exploring the impact of intergenerational programs. Learn how bringing together different age groups promotes mutual learning, strengthens community bonds and enhances quality of life. Our speakers will present success stories and practical approaches to designing effective initiatives that connect generations.
When: August 21, 11 am PST
Where: Online, Zoom
Speakers: Rachelle Patille, Caitlyn Swail, Yola Switkowski
>> REGISTER

Info session on 2024 Age-friendly Communities Grant application process
2024-07-23 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Sign up for an info session to learn more about the application process for 2024 Age-friendly Communities Grants. The session will be co-hosted by Stacy Chappel, Grants & Engagement Coordinator, and Alyssa Roehrich, Community Well-being & Age Friendly Specialist.
Sign up here

Communities Going Active: Addressing Barriers to Active Transportation
2024-06-27 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Vancouver)
The BC Alliance for Healthy Living is holding a webinar on June 27 to address active transportation barriers and how those barriers can be reduced effectively in different communities. The webinar will run from 9-10:30 am PST. Register here
Active transportation has many benefits: it can reduce traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage communities to be physically active, which in turn helps prevent chronic diseases and fosters mental wellness.
We are fortunate to live in a beautiful province with many natural trails and built environments that foster active transportation in our communities. However, many people who live in British Columbia experience real and perceived barriers that prevent them from using active transportation infrastructure: this is why, if we want to encourage and support residents in using active transportation, we must help them overcome those barriers.
Programs designed to improve confidence, competence, motivation, knowledge and awareness are proven to address barriers that prevent people from using active transportation.
Join us on June 27 to hear from three B.C. communities that launched projects that helped motivate and support their communities to move more and use active transportation, and how other organizations and local governments can launch similar projects to support active transportation uptake in their communities.
Speakers:
Brendon James is the Transportation Demand Management Coordinator at the District of North Vancouver, where he works on programs and tools to help reduce single-occupancy vehicle use in the community and instead, choose other transportation modes, such as active transportation, public transit, and car-sharing.
Danica Burwash is the Project Manager with Doctors and Nurses for Planetary Health, which has members throughout the Kootenay-Boundary region. The organization advocates for policies, practices, and projects that protect and restore planetary health, while also benefitting human well-being.
Glen Cheetham is the Climate and Sustainability Manager at the City of Kamloops, where his team focuses on working with the city’s residents and businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, around buildings, transportation and waste, including supporting community members as they start using active transportation modes.

Sign up for an Info Session on Child and Youth Mental Well-Being guide - June 27
2024-06-27 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) partnered with BC Healthy Communities to create a series of guides (https://bchealthycommunities.ca/index.php/child-and-youth-mental-well-being-resources/) to help local governments understand how to promote the mental well-being of children and youth through existing roles and assets. The guides include research, examples and information sources to inform and inspire action on key protective factors that young people need to thrive.
Online information sessions on the guides will occur on June 12, 18 and 27. Please complete this form to be sent a Zoom invitation to the meeting time that works best for you.

Sign up for an Info Session on Child and Youth Mental Well-Being guide – June 18
2024-06-18 08:00 - 17:00 UTC

Sign up for an Info Session on Child and Youth Mental Well-Being guide – June 12
2024-06-12 08:00 - 17:00 UTC

Sign up for an info session on Child and Youth Mental Well-Being guide
2024-04-08 08:00 - 2024-04-18 17:00 UTC
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) partnered with BC Healthy Communities to create a series of guides (https://bchealthycommunities.ca/index.php/child-and-youth-mental-well-being-resources/) to help local governments understand how to promote the mental well-being of children and youth through existing roles and assets. The guides include research, examples and information sources to inform and inspire action on key protective factors that young people need to thrive.
Online information sessions on the guides will occur from April 8-18. Please complete this form to be sent a Zoom invitation to the meeting time that works best for you.
REGISTER HERE

PlanH webinar: It’s time to supersize the Vancouver Special
2024-04-03 11:00 - 12:00 UTC
Planners are working on a toolkit to solve the housing crisis. Learn more at a PlanH webinar on April 3.
