The provincial government is pouring cash into building a healthier Squamish.
On May 21, officials announced that two $5,000 grants are being put toward the District of Squamish and the Squamish Nation to plan for healthier communities.
The municipality is using the money to look over its Official Community Plan and land use planning policies with a health lens, district planner Sarah McJannet said. The district is teaming up with Vancouver Coastal Health to examine how its regulations decisions impact the community’s lifestyles.
“At the end of the day it is about exploring different opportunities,” she said.
The health authority has already initiated a health survey to gauge Squamish residents’ lifestyle choices, McJannet noted. The municipality, health authority and Sustainability Solutions Group are contributing $7,180 worth of time and in-kind services to make the study a reality.
“The work has to be done by summer 2015,” she said.
The Squamish Nation will put the money into two learning events that bring Squamish municipal representatives and First Nation Chiefs to the table to discuss community wellness.
The grant was awarded by the Healthy Communities Capacity Building Grant, which supports local government in learning about the needs of residents in the fields of mental health, physical activity and literacy. More than 150 applications were received from across the province.
Although B.C. is one of the healthiest provinces in Canada, governments must work together to maintain and promote that, Minister of Health Terry Lake said.
“It is important for healthy living to start where we live, work, learn and play,” he said. “These grants help support local governments to work collaboratively within their communities to make lasting changes in the health of British Columbians.”
