BC Healthy Communities

Advancing the Accessible BC Act: A community belonging project shares recommendations for all municipalities
2026-05-13 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
A free webinar will provide practical tools and recommendations for addressing ableism and promoting participation and belonging for children with disabilities in communities across British Columbia and beyond.

Co-hosted by BC Healthy Communities and the City of Powell River, the one-hour online session will demonstrate how municipalities can advance the BC Accessibility Act by transforming programs, services, spaces, communications, and policies to better serve children with disabilities and their families.

The webinar centers on four protective factors for child and youth well-being published by BC Healthy Communities and Vancouver Coastal Health: Participation, Play, Safety, and, Social Connection and Belonging. By shifting away from ableist practices, local and Indigenous governments can create environments that support these important factors.

Participants will learn about a comprehensive community-led process that includes leadership from project advisors with lived experience, equity site visits of municipal facilities, an environmental scan and a facilitated policy impact forum involving staff from across all departments.

Three ready-to-use resources will be offered to all participants – particularly local and Indigenous governments – to adopt or adapt for their own communities:

A detailed summary report with evidence-based recommendations

An accessible video

A user-friendly client services handbook for staff

The session will feature presentations from municipal staff and a Community Belonging Project Advisor, showcasing real-world implementation supported by the University of Victoria’s School of Child and Youth Care. A Q&A session will provide opportunities for discussion and knowledge sharing among participants.
REGISTER HERE

First Nations Climate Action Network Map Webinar
2026-04-29 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Register Here
The First Nations Climate Action Network Map is a tool for First Nations communities and coordinators to identify and connect with potential partners, organizations, and communities working on similar climate resilience priorities.
The Network Map helps create and strengthen connections between First Nations working on climate resilience and supports us in building off one another’s work. It includes resources, trainings, and case studies to inspire and empower First Nations leadership in climate action.
Agenda:

Introduction and background on CFN-GBI
Overview of the Map, live demonstration
Open period with audience exploration of the Map
Q&A

Building sustainable Age-friendly communities through partnerships and community connection
2026-04-28 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
REGISTER HERE
BC Healthy Communities is hosting a free webinar exploring how municipalities and Indigenous governments can build more sustainable age-friendly communities through meaningful partnerships and collaborative leadership.
As British Columbia’s population ages, communities face growing pressure to adapt programs, services, and policies to better meet the needs of older residents. The webinar will examine how cross-sector collaboration — spanning local and Indigenous governments, regional health authorities, and community organizations — can strengthen the resilience and inclusivity of age-friendly initiatives over the long term.

Mario Paris

The session will be led by Mario Paris, Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at the Université de Moncton and a leading voice in social gerontology. For more than a decade, Paris has studied the Age-friendly Cities program across Quebec, New Brunswick, and at the national and international levels. His research also spans community-based housing models for older adults and the intersection of climate change and population aging.
Drawing on his extensive research, Paris will cover both theoretical frameworks and practical strategies for relationship-building and shared leadership, offering participants tools they can apply directly in their own communities.
BC Healthy Communities will also use the webinar to introduce its new Age-Friendly Communities (AFC) Recognition Program, which is designed to celebrate community achievements and encourage continued action toward Age-friendly goals. The program aims to help communities build momentum and advance sustainability by recognizing progress and supporting ongoing improvement.
The webinar is open to anyone working in or interested in age-friendly community development, from those just getting started to experienced practitioners looking to deepen their impact.

2026 PlanH Grant Info Session
2026-04-16 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Thinking of applying for a 2026 PlanH Program Grant? Join our info session on April 16 at 10 am to learn about the funding program and get tips for applying. The session will be hosted by Laura Chambers, Grants & Engagement Coordinator and Erica McCollum, PlanH Program Lead. Register now to ask questions and connect with the PlanH team.
We look forward to having you attend the event!
REGISTER HERE

How Salmon Arm built an anti-racism strategy through collaboration
2026-02-25 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Register
Building equitable public policy starts with strong relationships – and the City of Salmon Arm is offering a real-world example of how collaboration across sectors can drive meaningful change.
On February 25, a one-hour PlanH webinar will explore how Salmon Arm developed a community-wide anti-racism strategy through partnership, respectful engagement, and the inclusion of lived experience. The session will provide practical insights for local and Indigenous governments, community organizations, and practitioners working to embed equity into planning and policy development.

The session includes an interactive Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and explore how collaborative, equity-focused approaches can strengthen community planning and policy development in other local contexts.

AFC grants infosession
2026-02-04 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
An information session will be held on February 4 at 10 a.m., providing an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the application process for the 2026 Age-friendly Communities grants. Register here to attend.

Aging playfully: reimagining the possibilities
2026-01-27 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join a webinar on January 27, 2026, to explore how playful urban design combats loneliness in older adults. Experts discuss innovative research on creating age-friendly, joyful public spaces for seniors.

Webinar: wellbeing economy and public health
2026-01-26 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver)
Public Health Association of BC hosts a webinar on The Wellbeing Economy and Public Health, exploring wellbeing-focused policy and public health’s role in equitable, sustainable societies.

Sign up for an AFC webinar on emergency preparedness
2026-01-14 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Learn how inclusive, age-friendly and Indigenous-guided strategies can improve local emergency preparedness across B.C. communities. Read More.
>> Register here

PlanH Webinar: Creating Attainable Housing through Innovative Land Use Planning
2025-10-01 10:30 - 11:30 UTC
BC Healthy Communities invites local governments, planners and community partners to join our upcoming PlanH webinar exploring how land use planning can unlock more attainable housing options across B.C. communities.
Through the lens of collaborative consensus-building, this session will highlight strategies that link housing with social infrastructure, re-think land use and build effective policy initiatives. Attendees will hear insights from:

Steven Collyer, Housing and Policy Initiatives Manager, City of Penticton
Erika Sagert, Director of Sector Capacity Services and Acting Director of Policy and Education, BC Non-Profit Housing Association

The 60-minute session will feature expert presentations, a real-world community example, and an interactive Q&A to engage participants in practical, actionable dialogue.
Register now to reserve your spot and explore how your community can create more inclusive and attainable housing solutions.

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.
