In collaboration with a selection of local and Indigenous government partners, BC Healthy Communities (BCHC) is launching a new speaker series to bring fresh ideas for healthy public policy to local and Indigenous government leaders in B.C.
This year, one of the focus areas of BCHC’s PlanH program is the importance of developing Healthy Public Policy at the local government level. Rather than directly addressing physical health or health care provision, these policies make changes to living conditions—such as housing, transportation and income—in order to improve a community’s overall health and well-being. As a part of these improved health and well-being outcomes, healthy public policies also positively impact issues directly within local government purview, including community safety, local economic activity, social service delivery, and sustainability.
So far in 2021, PlanH has devoted a dedicated grant stream to support Healthy Public Policy and developed a new Healthy Public Policy page for the Take Action section of the PlanH website, including ideas for action in this area from leading communities across the province. Now, we’re excited to present our new Local Government Leaders Speaker Series, focusing on Creating Healthy Public Policy.
In this series, healthy public policy leaders from local and Indigenous governments across the province discuss one policy implemented by their government, reflecting on why the policy was chosen, the implementation process, and the impacts they’ve seen as a result of adopting the policy. Designed for elected officials and staff in decision-making roles, each event in the series provides participants with the opportunity to explore whether a similar policy fits their community’s needs, and to consider the next steps needed to advance action towards adopting such a policy.
Part I: Living Wage Policies
Part I of the series, Living Wage Policies, takes place on June 23, 2021 at 11am. This session will explore the City of Victoria’s experience in adopting a Living Wage policy in 2020. Living Wage policies have been enacted by 10 governments across the province, ranging from major metropolitan cities to smaller rural and Indigenous governments. These policies align minimum wages in an organization with the actual costs of living in a specific community.
Speakers:
- Jodi Jensen, Head of Human Resources, City of Victoria
- Anastasia French, Campaigns and Operations Organiser, Living Wage for Families Campaign
Following the presentation, attendees are invited to stay for an optional virtual networking session to meet with other local government leaders interested in adopting similar policies, using small group breakout rooms to explore specific topics.
Learn more and register for this event here. Future events covering topics including land use and housing policies, anti-racism policies, and Indigenous representation policies are slated for August, October and November 2021.
The Local Government Leaders Speaker Series focusing on Creating Healthy Public Policy is supported through PlanH, a partnership between BC Healthy Communities Society and the BC Ministry of Health and is informed by health authorities and other stakeholders. PlanH creates healthier communities by supporting partnerships across sectors, providing learning opportunities, resources, and consultation, and facilitating collaborative local action.
To learn more about PlanH, please visit planh.ca.