The April 14 ITE/APPI joint luncheon has been cancelled due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

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April 14, 2020 NACITE Luncheon: Addressing Today’s Community Health and Wellbeing Priorities: Opportunities for Transportation

Non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and strokes, diabetes, cancers and mental health conditions are now the leading causes of mortality and morbidity, and healthcare costs, across provinces in Canada.  Our populations are also aging.  The scientific evidence is growing about the role that community and street designs play in impacting people’s ability to be regularly active through active transportation like walking, cycling and transit use, and in people’s ability to access healthy foods and beverages and active recreation opportunities which also support healthier dietary behaviours and physical activity.  Community and street designs supportive of active transportation modes have also been shown to be associated with decreased social isolation, sense of stress and crime, and with increased economic benefits such as retail sales and job creation.  This presentation will discuss these issues and case studies illustrating global best practices and the opportunities for collaboration between transportation and health professionals.

About the Speaker

Dr. Karen Lee, MD, MHSc, FRCPC is author of the new book Fit Cities.  She is an Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Dept of Medicine at the University of Alberta. Dr. Lee recently returned to Canada from a decade and a half away in the U.S., undertaking work first for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Epidemic Intelligence Service and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, followed by her position for nearly 9 years in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as Inaugural Director of Healthy Built Environments and Deputy to the Assistant Commissioner of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control during Mayor Bloomberg’s administration. She has acted as Special Advisor to multiple World Health Organization regional offices on intersectoral collaboration issues to address the social and environmental determinants of health, and to improve health equity.  Dr. Lee was awarded the Canadian Institute of Planners President’s Award in 2017.  More information on her work and available free resources can also be found at www.drkarenlee.com .