Item - 2015.HL3.2
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Board of Health on April 27, 2015 and was adopted without amendment.
HL3.2 - The Unequal City 2015: Income and Health Inequities in Toronto
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Wards:
- All
Board Decision
The Board of Health:
1. Requested the Chair of the Board of Health and the Medical Officer of Health to meet with the Deputy Mayor, City Manager and Deputy City Manager, Cluster A to ensure that strategies and actions proposed in the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy address income-related health inequities;
2. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to meet with the heads of relevant City Agencies and Divisions to share the findings of the report and identify opportunities to reduce health inequities which are feasible within their mandate;
3. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to consult with academic partners regarding the feasibility of collaborating on an economic analysis of the costs of health inequities;
4. Requested the Board of Health to endorse a living wage for Toronto to increase income security and reduce health inequities;
5. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report periodically to the Board of Health on key health inequity indicators for the City of Toronto;
6. Requested the Board of Health to advocate for enhanced monitoring of health inequities and social determinants of health by:
a. Calling for the re-instatement of the mandatory long-form census by all federal party leaders; and
b. Requesting the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to link provincial databases to better measure and monitor health inequities.
7. Forwarded the report (April 13, 2015) from the Medical Officer of Health to: the City Manager; the General Managers of Employment and Social Services, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, Children’s Services, Affordable Housing Office, Economic Development and Culture, and Social Development, Finance and Administration; Urban HEART; Ontario Ministers of Health and Long-Term Care, Community and Social Services, Children and Youth Services, and the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction and Social Inclusion; Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health; Public Health Ontario; the Association of Public Health Epidemiologists of Ontario; the Association of Local Public Health Agencies; the Ontario Public Health Association; the Association of Ontario Health Centres; all Ontario Local Health Integration Networks and members of the Urban Public Health Network.
Origin
Summary
Toronto residents don’t all have equal opportunities to be healthy. Major differences in health status exist between income groups in Toronto. People with the lowest incomes tend to have the worst health and health status usually improves with income level. The attached report, The Unequal City 2015: Income and Health Inequities in Toronto, describes the current relationship between income and health in Toronto for 34 health status indicators and measures changes in this relationship over approximately ten years. While there is extensive evidence showing a clear link between income and health, this report is the first to analyze how health inequities have changed over time in Toronto.
The Unequal City 2015 report demonstrates that low income groups in Toronto often have worse health and that overall, health inequities in Toronto have not improved over time. This report provides compelling evidence for strengthening efforts to develop healthy public policy, planning focused and responsive public health services and advocating for the needs of low income people. This report will inform future action on health equity at Toronto Public Health (TPH), including strengthened advocacy and monitoring, intersectoral leadership within the City of Toronto and engagement with key partners.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-79094.pdf
Attachment 1: What does Toronto Public Health do to Reduce Health Inequities
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-79095.pdf
Attachment 2: The Unequal City 2015: Income and Health Inequities in Toronto
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-79096.pdf
Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health on The Unequal City 2015: Income and Health Inequities in Toronto
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-79533.pdf
Communications
Speakers
Motions
That a public speaker be permitted to speak on the item after the public speaking period was completed.