Findings, Gaps and Recommendations Report for Health Impact Assessment in Canada 

As concerns grow about the ways in which new policies, programs and projects may affect people’s health, Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has become an important tool for decision makers. This report presents the results from the first national scan related to the involvement of Canadian public health professional s in HIA. The findings from our online survey and key informant interviews are summarized, the gaps in practice and challenges faced are reviewed, and recommendations for improving practice are made.

Read the paper

Announcements

New Healthy Built Environment Newsletter

• The NCCEH has created a new newsletter for those interested in receiving updates on topics related to the Healthy Built Environment.  Sign up is simple: go to our automated email management page (don't be alarmed that the page doesn't recognize you), enter your email address, select "Healthy Built Environment Newsletter" from the list of newsletter options and then click "Submit".  Your existing account will be updated with the new subsciption.

Radon Topic Page

• In recognition of Radon Action Month, we have updated our radon topic page. The page aggregates resources related to the health effects of radon and it outlines strategies proven to be useful in mitigating high radon levels in the indoor environment. Relevant NCCEH resources are highlighted as well as other select resources from around the world. Of particular interest to our Canadian readers will be our links to some new initiatives occurring in local health units in Ontario. A rich set of peer reviewed articles is also provided for those looking to take a deeper dive into the scientific literature.

Healthy Community Design Baseline Project: Neighbourhood Design Survey and Physical Indicators

• This collaborative project incorporated the expertise of public health and municipal planning professionals in creating a set of tailored baseline measures of healthy community design features. This project involved the collection, analysis, and presentation of physical design data and residents’ perspectives regarding neighbourhood design, transportation networks, natural environments and food environments. Final reports were written for the 4 communities involved and a blog was created to explain the findings to the members of those communities.

Evidence-Informed Decision Making (EIDM) Casebook

• The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (www.nccmt.ca) has recently launched the third issue of the Evidence-Informed Decision Making (EIDM) Casebook. Learn how Canadian and international public health practitioners use evidence to inform public health practice, programs and policy. Engage with the authors of the stories in the third issue of the EIDM Casebook by registering for their Peer-to-Peer Webinar Series.

Guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment for Environmental Impact Assessment in Alberta, Version 2

• Environmental assessment is a key element of Alberta's process for the review and approval of new major industrial projects. The process requires the preparation of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, which includes information on the potential human health impacts of the proposed project. The primary objective of this document is to provide general guidance for the completion of a Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) as part of an EIA, with the overall goal of ensuring quality, consistency and completeness of risk assessments conducted in Alberta.

New Video: Finding Safe Drinking Water in an Emergency

• In an emergency or disaster, access to safe drinking water is essential to survival. Preparation is key! This short explainer video provides some tips on preparing for a water emergency, and principles for treating drinking water in an emergency.

Free Course on Climate Change and Health

• Climate change media coverage tends to be suffused with images of polar bears and smokestacks but very little coverage is dedicated to look at the many and the large health impacts of climate change. This free course provides evidence of the link between climate change and the health of populations.

Ready-to-Eat Meats: Assessing the Food Safety Risks

• The Ready-to-Eat Meats: Assessing the Food Safety Risks is available for free.

In the Blog

• Incorporating Health in Urban Planning: Quebec City Case Study
• Palytoxin: a potent but poorly understood marine toxin found on aquarium coral
• Guest Blog: Training and Support for Managing Drinking Water Systems in First Nations Communities in Ontario
• September Research Scan
• Wading through the mire: Keeping up with new and changing Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines
• The CanDR2 Network: Improving Disaster Health Outcomes and Resilience through Data and Research
• eTick.ca: A public platform for image-based identification and population monitoring of ticks in Canada
• August Research Scan
• Cannabis poisoning in BC: Insights from poison control centre calls
• Rising concern of tick-borne diseases in Canada
• May research Scan

In the Healthy Built Environment Online Forum

• Introduction to Forum Champions
• Introduction to Kristen Boulard, Urban Planner, Brant County Health Unit, ON
• Introduction to Cora Janzen, Health Promoter, Population & Public Health, Saskatchewan Health Authority
• Mitigating social isolation with municipal planning in British Columbia
• Video: What is population health?
• Costing of Cycling Infrastructure and Programs in Canada
• Increasing Cycling in Canada: A Guide to What Works
• StatCan: Walkable neighbourhoods & physical activity in Canada

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Production of the NCCEH eNews has been made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada through the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health. NCCEH is one of six National Collaborating Centres for Public Health.