Healthy Planning Workshop - Smart Growth

Yesterday I attended a Healthy Planning Workshop sponsored by Interior Health and the City of Kelowna, along with the Planning Institute of BC and the Ministry of Health. This was an excellent opportunity to look at determinants of health in relation to urban planning. I was pleased to see councilor Robert Hobson in attendance.
Dr. Larry Frank of UBC, a recognized expert in the interaction between land use, travel behavior and public health, was the keynote speaker.
I have always been supporter of "Smart Growth" principles and would like to share this quote from Dr. Frank:

"At its best, Smart Growth is like a medicine that treats a multitude of diseases - protecting respiratory health, improving cardiovascular health, preventing cancer, avoiding traumatic injuries and fatalities, controlling depression and anxiety, improving well-being. In the medical world, such an intervention would be miraculous. In the worlds of land use and transportation, it is a thrilling, and attainable, opportunity."

Development proposals are already vetted for environmental impact and economic impact - it is now time to do the same for health impact with a detailed set of standards. I look forward to working with the IHA and planners to develop and implement this assessment tool.