Health Inequities

Access to income, affordable housing, healthy food, education, early childhood development, and recreational opportunities influence our ability to make healthy choices.

The opportunity for health begins in our families, neighborhoods, schools and jobs.

Access to income, affordable housing, healthy food, education, early childhood development, and recreational opportunities influence our ability to make healthy choices and ultimately the state of our physical and mental health as well as life expectancy.

Despite BC’s excellent average health status, there is still a large gap between the healthiest British Columbians and those who suffer from ill health.

BC data shows that Indigenous peoples, immigrants, those with mental health issues and other low income British Columbians are more likely to have poorer health.

The stress and lack of resources from living on low income makes it extremely difficult for people to live healthy lives, putting them at a higher risk for lung and heart diseases, cancer and diabetes.

BCAHL’s public polling report, A Healthier Recovery for BC, highlights policy options that address the underlying social determinants of health as the province moves forward from the pandemic, as well as the importance of disease prevention. We continue to advance policies that give every British Columbian the chance to be healthy.

BCAHL recommends policies in the following areas:

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