Born in Singapore and having spent many years living in a “vertical village,” Francis Heng has seen firsthand how communities can flourish in high-rises. But when they first arrived in Vancouver 17 years ago, Heng experienced culture shock. In contrast to their...
How can residents living in high-rise buildings better connect with one another? Through a PlanH grant, the City of Vancouver has been working to help residents living in higher-density buildings feel more connected to one another. In fall 2017, they took a diverse...
In the last six years, two local studies have both found that many citizens of the Lower Mainland experience loneliness and isolation. Social isolation is a serious health risk in communities; in fact, engaging in a social activity such as joining a club can reduce a...
Did you know that 7 out of the 10 Canadian municipalities with the largest portion of seniors are located in B.C.? As a result, more communities are exploring what it means to become age-friendly, supporting all stages, from childhood through to later years....
Inspired to build social connectedness in you own community, but not sure where to start? Communities across the globe have come up with a variety of innovative approaches to fostering connection. Here’s a glimpse at the wide variety of unique initiatives out there:...
At first glance, rural communities appear to have nothing to worry about when it comes to social connectedness. After all, rural communities generally report higher levels of many indicators of social connectedness than urban communities, including better access to...
In Spring 2017, PlanH launched a new funding stream aimed at helping communities thrive by creating strong social environments and communities in which all people feel welcome and included. Social connectedness — both the sum of individual relationships and a sense of...
The Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation works to improve understanding of issues and opportunities that are of common interest to rural residents across Canada. Their members include rural leaders, rural organizations, development practitioners, government policy...
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken [adults]” Frederic Douglas – 1855 Foundations matter, and so when a community builds a program they must pay attention to what they build on. Vernon, a city of 40,000 in the Okanagan, knew this well when...
This year, through our PlanH initiative, we sponsored and participated at the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation’s 29th Annual Conference: Different by Design: Exploring Innovation for Rural Prosperity in Nelson, BC. At this 4-day event, a series of sessions...