BCAHL Blog
Healthy and Resilient BC: A Voter’s Guide
September 23, 2024 BC is facing a perfect storm of intersecting crises: affordability, extreme weather due to climate change and a healthcare system under strain. All of these issues are adding to poor mental health, which is making the opioid and substance use crisis worse. The good news is that with the upcoming provincial election on October 19, we have the chance to call on our candidates to act on these issues. Our...Read More >
Communities Going Active: Addressing Barriers to Active Transportation recording
July 8, 2024 We know active transportation has many benefits: it can reduce traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage communities to be physically active, which in turn helps prevent chronic diseases and fosters mental wellness. Yet, many people living in British Columbia can't participate, whether they feel it takes too long to walk or bike, they don't feel safe, they don't feel like they have enough skills or that perhaps bikes...Read More >
$1.5M Investment Inspires More People to Get Moving in B.C.
June 25, 2024 BC Alliance for Healthy Living (BCAHL), in partnership with Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I·SPARC) and the Ministry of Health, is excited to announce 39 communties across the province have been funded to lead local active living projects as the first recipients of the Active Communities Grant Program. The generous $1.5 million investment from the province provides resources to Indigenous and local governments to create or expand accessible...MediaRead More >
Introducing the After-School Active Play Club
March 18, 2024 The After-school Active Play Club provides a unique opportunity for elementary and middle school children to engage in unstructured play on their school grounds after the school day ends. Under the light supervision of an adult, children are free to explore, create, and interact, fostering their physical, social, and emotional development. We are trialling an early version of this program across schools in B.C., and includes an Active Play Grant...Read More >
Active Transportation Highlighted in the News
March 5, 2024 The Community Active Transportation Engagement (CATE) Grant Program provides funding to promote the use of recently built active transportation infrastructure by addressing behavioural, or individual level, barriers. We at the BC Alliance for Healthy Living (BCAHL) are excited to see these projects funded by the CATE Grant making a difference in communities across the province. One of these projects is the Town of Sidney's active transportation engagement initiative, which addresses...MediaRead More >
Communities Going Active Toolkit
January 31, 2024 Active transportation has many benefits: it can reduce traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage communities to be physically active, which in turn helps prevent chronic diseases and foster mental wellness. However, many people in British Columbia experience barriers that prevent them from using active transportation infrastructure. In order to address individual barriers, we have developed the Communities Going Active Toolkit to support communities in promoting the use of...Read More >
BCAHL’s Reflections & Accomplishments: 2023
December 13, 2023 What a year 2023 has been. We’ve seen how resilient people across BC can be: from a difficult summer of wildfires to increasing food prices, we’ve seen our friends and families adapt quickly, give generously and support each other. With activities and events now back in full swing after the pandemic, many have been able to get back to enjoying amenities and recreational facilities once again. Throughout this past year,...Read More >
Alcohol & Safety: A Conversation on Community Policies recording
December 12, 2023 On November 16, Vancouver Coastal Health and the BC Alliance for Healthy Living hosted a dialogue, where participants discussed alcohol consumption and how to keep community members safe and aware about alcohol-related health risks. The event started with presentations from Dr. Mark Lysyshyn (Vancouver Coastal Health), Kate Vallance (Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research), and then Councillor Tom Stere (District of Tofino). Dr. Lysyshyn discussed alcohol-related harms, specifically in the...Read More >
Investing in Healthy People for a Healthier BC: Province Announces $4M in Funding to Create More Affordable Physical Activities to Get More People Moving
October 5, 2023 BC Alliance for Healthy Living (BCAHL) applauds the Ministry of Health’s $4 million investment in physical activity. Through this funding, more communities will have access to inclusive physical activity opportunities which will make a significant contribution towards improving the health and well-being of people across British Columbia. Physical activity has been recognized as one of the most effective ways to decrease the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, hypertension,...MediaRead More >
Active Communities Grant Program
October 5, 2023 Physical activity is important at every age, and it has been recognized as one of the most effective ways to decrease the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type-2 diabetes, and several types of cancers. Physical activity can also support positive mental health and well-being as it helps with stress management and fosters social connectedness. Most of us know that being physically active is important to keep...Read More >
