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The Toronto Central LHIN has just released a Health Equity Discussion Paper, outlining a comprehensive and strategic approach to implementing effective health equity activities. The discussion paper, authored by Bob Gardner - the Wellesley Institute’s Director of Policy and Research, provides a 12-point action plan and accompanying recommendations designed to address and reduce inequitable access to healthcare, target disadvantaged communities and critical barriers, and encourage system change and innovation to engender and environment for equity in Toronto.

Health Equity Discussion Paper
Health Equity Discussion Paper - Executive Summary

"The toxic combination of bad policies, economics and politics is, in large measure, responsible for the fact that a majority of people in the world do not enjoy the good health that is biologically possible."

That's the strong conclusion of the World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health in their powerful new report, Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health, which was released in Geneva earlier today.

The report is comprehensive - with more than 250 pages that touches on the latest research, actions, resources and mobilization. The final chapter - "Building a global movement" - is a powerful call to action.

The Wellesley Institute has been committed to advancing urban health by mobilizing around the social determinants of health since we formed a decade ago. The WHO report is a good blueprint on a global level and can also be a road-map for national and local initiatives.  

Here is more from the introduction:

Wellesley Institute, Canada’s leading urban health institute, is focused on improving health equity through applied research, community engagement, public policy and social innovation. This year Wellesley celebrates its 10th Anniversary as the successor organization to the Wellesley Hospital which had served Toronto for 90 years before closing its doors, a consequence of the Hospital restructuring program of the mid-1990s.

Over the past decade Wellesley Institute has emerged as a champion for communities in the areas of housing and homelessness, immigrant health, healthcare reform and social innovation. It was amongst the first not for profit organizations to truly embrace the social determinants of health (SDOH) which provided the lens by which Wellesley launched innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives in urban health.

Eligibility

The award has been developed to recognize the “unsung” heroes that have made a significant contribution to the health of urban communities in the GTA from 1998-2008.The award wishes to recognize those teams or groups of people who tend to “fly under the radar”; that is they are not the usual large service providers and agencies that tend to be prominent in the public eye.

It is refreshing to see that Canada's national newspaper supports government spending in infrastructure and community services as a way making sure that we are competitive in our ability to attract business investment.  An editorial in todays edition points out that Canada already has one of the most competitive business tax rates among G7 nations and cautions against assuming that lowering tax rates further will entice more business investment.

They cite a KPMG report that says, among other things:

On average, companies say that tax makes up only one-fifth of their  "location-sensitive" costs

The Globe editorial points out the need for government investment, supported by a strong tax base, in things like transportation infrastructure and health care.  They also mention quality of life indicators like crime rates and public schools.

ENP - Toronto (short for Enterprising Non-Profits - Toronto) has been launched to seed and support social enterprise among third sector groups in our city - and the Wellesley Institute is delighted to be a partner in this important work.

ENP - Toronto is a project of the Centre for Social Innovation and B.C.-based  Enterprising Non-Profits.

Social Enterprises are businesses operated by non-profits, with the dual puprose of generating income by selling a product or service in the marketplace and creating a social, environmental or cultural value.

ENP-Toronto is a partnership of 12 foundations and business organizations that promotes and supports social enterprise development and growth as a means to build strong non-profit organizations and healthier communities.

The first orientation session drew a capacity crowd of 42 participants from a wide variety of organizations. To learn more, or sign up to attend a future orientation session - log onto the ENP-Toronto web site. 

Mark your calendars and plan to attend this important event on July 24: