Community Design

Where we live, work, play, learn, and age can shape the overall health of individuals and communities. ¹ ² ³ Designing communities that make it easier for people of all ages, abilities, identities and means to safely meet their everyday needs and foster healthy choices can:¹ ³

Reduce the risk of chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes)
Improve social, and mental well-being
Increase sense of safety
Reduce risk of injury
Reduce health inequities
Reduce exposure to health hazards

Neighbourhoods

Housing

Transportation

Public Spaces

Food and Nutrition

Resources and Tools

Get Involved

Everyone has a part in the design of healthy communities. The Citizen’s Guide to Land Use Planning can explain how the land use planning process works in Ontario and to be involved. To learn more about land use planning within Middlesex-London, visit:

Resources

References

¹BC Centre for Disease Control. (2018). Healthy Built Environment Linkages: A Toolkit for Design: making the links between design, planning and health, Version 2.0 Retrieved from
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-professionals/professional-resources/healthy-built-environment-linkages-toolkit

²Middlesex-London Health Unit. (2013). Linking Health and the Built Environment in Rural Settings. Retrieved from
http://www.healthunit.com/uploads/linking-health-and-the-built-environment-in-rural-settings-evidence-and-recommendations-for-planning-healthy-communities-in-middlesex-county.pdf

³Public Health Agency of Canada. (2017). The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2017: Designing Healthy Living. Retrieved from
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/2017-designing-healthy-living/PHAC_CPHO-2017_Report_E.pdf

Date of creation: November 23, 2016
Last modified on: October 2, 2024