News from Niagara, Ontario’s Regional Government
August 18th, 2015– Niagara Region is among 45 communities selected to take part in The Healthy Kids Community Challenge, which promotes healthy eating, physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices for children. The region is receiving $1.125 million from Ontario to fund local community projects.
Niagara Regional Headquarters
The Niagara Healthy Kids Community Challenge has been championed by the region’s 12 local area municipalities, key community partners and the local business community, who will come together to deliver programs for children and their families that support healthy habits.
The Healthy Kids Community Challenge combines a community-based approach with centralized provincial supports to help communities develop and implement policies, programs and environmental supports that enable one common outcome: healthy children.
Encouraging children to be active and healthy is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.
QUOTES
“I am extremely excited to launch this program in Niagara Region. The idea is to get kids to start learning about healthy living from an early age. Good habits learned in childhood will serve them well throughout their lives.” — Dipika Damerla, Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
“This investment in children in Niagara is precisely what is needed to launch them on a path to good health and will pay dividends in developing a healthy lifestyle in their later years.” — Jim Bradley, MPP, St. Catharines
“On behalf of all 12 municipalities and our community partners who contributed, Niagara is delighted to have been selected as one of the 45 communities participating in the Healthy Kids Community Challenge. It is an opportunity to design innovative, community-driven activities to support our children to develop healthy, active lifestyles.”
— Alan Caslin, Board of Health and Niagara Regional Chair
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario is offering communities participating in the Healthy Kids Community Challenge up to $1.5 million over four years to fund local community projects focused on promoting healthy living and eating for children.
- The Healthy Kids Community Challenge builds on steps the government has already taken to implement recommendations from the Healthy Kids Panel, including a 24-hour support line for breastfeeding moms and expanding Ontario’s Student Nutrition Program.
- In 2009, the economic cost associated with physical inactivity and unhealthy weight in Ontario was $4.5 billion.
- Supporting community-based activities to promote healthier living is a key recommendation of the Healthy Kids Panel report.
LEARN MORE
The Healthy Kids Community Challenge
Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care
Healthy Kids Panel report
Continue to visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary.
(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)
Niagara At Large 