The Board of Health:

1.         urged the Federal Minister of Health to support the immediate implementation of the Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada and to provide adequate funding to support the Strategy;

2.         requested the Sodium Working Group to accelerate the development of the monitoring and evaluation plan in the Sodium Reduction Strategy, including clear indicators upon which progress is measured;

3.         urged the Federal Minister of Health to introduce and enforce a regulatory approach within two years if annual monitoring shows that the recommended targets are not met;

4.         requested the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport to establish funding initiatives to promote and support sodium reduction programs provided by public health units in Ontario;

5.         urged the Ontario Minister of Education to include the Sodium Reduction Strategy in Ontario’s new Nutrition Standards for schools; and

6.         forwarded this report to the Federal Minister of Health, the Ontario Minister of Health Promotion and Sport, the Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ontario Minister of Education.

Canadians consume more sodium than necessary to maintain good health. According to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, a Canadian adult consumes an average of 3100 mg of sodium daily, which far exceeds the recommended amount of 1500 mg.

A high intake of sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for stroke, heart and kidney disease. It has been estimated that more than one in five adult Canadians suffer from high blood pressure and that over 90% of adults in Canada will eventually develop high blood pressure if they live an average lifespan.

To address the health risks associated with a high sodium intake, Health Canada established The Sodium Working Group (SWG), a multi-stakeholder working group to develop and oversee strategies to reduce sodium intake. The Working Group released a Sodium Reduction Strategy report on July 29, 2010.

The purpose of this report is to update the Board of Health on the public health impact of excessive sodium intake, review the Sodium Working Group’s report and recommendations, and outline local strategies to reduce individual and population level sodium intake in Toronto.

The Board of Health requested the Federal Government to reverse its decision to discontinue the mandatory long form census.

The Board of Health requested:

1.         the Toronto Transit Commission to reaffirm their existing practices by incorporating requirements in their advertising contracts to prohibit commercial advertising targeted to children under thirteen years of age;

2.         the City of Toronto Public Realm Section, Transportation Services, to reaffirm their existing practices of not targeting children under thirteen years of age with commercial advertising;

 3.        the City Manager to develop a corporate policy on commercial advertising at City facilities, events and public locations that includes the prohibition of advertising targeted to children, for City Council’s consideration; and

4.         the TTC and other City ABCs to develop policies on commercial advertising that include a prohibition of advertising targeted to children.

In February 2010, the Board approved a recommendation calling for “a total ban on all commercial advertising targeted to children under 13 years of age”, in order to support parents and protect children as part of an overall health strategy. This report responds to a request from the Board of Health to assess local children’s advertising practices at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and Transportation Services - Public Realm Section, which manages the Street Furniture program.

Children today continue to be exposed to a greater intensity and frequency of advertising messages through a variety of media than any previous generation. However, the vast majority of child-targeted advertising appears via television, the Internet and through a myriad of sophisticated techniques such as product placement, viral marketing, product tie-ins, sponsorships, and more.

Based on the regulations used in Quebec, children’s advertising is defined as an ad whose content specifically appeals to children so as to arouse their interest and is broadcast, shown or displayed in a child-targeted context (such as a children’s TV program). At the local level, Toronto Children’s Services and the Toronto Public Library Board have implemented rules to restrict commercial ads to children in their facilities.

An examination of advertising practices at the TTC and the City’s Street Furniture program found no evidence that either regularly engage in commercial advertising targeted to children. However, both organizations rely on private sector contractors to administer advertising contracts and neither the TTC nor Public Realm Section has explicit policies or guidelines prohibiting advertising targeted to children.

The Board of Health:

1.         requested the Medical Officer of Health to distribute the Shade Guidelines to the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects to use in their professional practice;

2.         forwarded the Shade Guidelines to the Chief Planner and Executive Director and the Design Review Panel for consideration in the appropriate planning policies, design guidelines and site plan review process for the City of Toronto; and

3.         circulated the report on the Shade Guidelines for the City of Toronto to the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the Conseil scolaire de district du Centre Sud-Ouest and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud and encouraged all the school boards to adopt these Guidelines in their playground renovation and redevelopment.

The Board of Health requested that, during the detailed design phase of the Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link project, Metrolinx update the noise and vibration assessments to reflect current information on train volumes, locomotive technologies, and the noise and vibration characteristics of those technologies.

The Board of Health recommended that City Council adopt the following recommendations contained in Executive Committee Item EX46.63 entitled “Toronto Public Health 2010 Budget Adjustment for Low Income Dental Program”:

1.         City Council approve a one-time budget adjustment of $2,439,397 and $0.0 net to the Toronto Public Health (TPH) 2010 Approved Operating Budget including $2,240,000 gross and $0.0 net to expand the existing community-based infrastructure of dental clinics, and $199,397 gross and $0.0 net to support initial start-up of the new Low Income Dental Program, with 100 per cent funding provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

2.         City Council approve the creation of an in-year Capital project to be added to the Toronto Public Health 2010 Approved Capital Budget for the acquisition of a mobile dental clinic in the amount of $450,000 with one-time 100 per cent funding provided by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC).

3.         City Council approve a base budget adjustment of $2,848,809 gross and $0.0 net to the TPH 2010 Approved Operating Budget and 41 permanent positions with on-going 100 per cent funding provided by MOHLTC.

4.         City Council authorize the Medical Officer of Health to negotiate, award, amend and execute contracts with the following five agencies to construct and equip dental clinics in their facilities and that the contracts will be in a form that is satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the City Treasurer:

a.         Parkdale Community Health Centre;

b.         Anishnawbe Community Health Centre;

c.         St. Michael’s Hospital;

d.         Stonegate Community Health Centre; and

e.         Carefirst Family Health Team.

5.         City Council authorize the Medical Officer of Health to negotiate, award, amend and execute purchase of service contracts for the ongoing implementation and delivery of the new dental program for children and youth in low-income families with the five agencies engaged to construct dental clinics and that the contracts will be in a form that is satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

6.         City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board of Health and the Executive Committee in 2011 on the contracts awarded to the five agencies to construct and equip dental clinics, and annually on the purchase of service contracts awarded for the ongoing implementation and delivery of the new low income dental program.

The Board of Health Budget Sub-Committee on August 9, 2010, considered a report (July 29, 2010) from the Medical Officer of Health, addressed to the Board of Health and the Budget Committee, entitled “Toronto Public Health 2010 Budget Adjustments for Low Income Dental Program”, and forwarded its recommendation to the Board of Health.

The Board of Health recommended that City Council adopt the following recommendations contained in Executive Committee Item EX46.64 entitled "Creation of ChemTRAC Toxics Reduction Grants Program Through Live Green Toronto":

1.         City Council grant authority to the Toronto Environment Office to administer the toxics reduction grants under the Live Green Community Investment Program, on an annual basis beginning in 2010, and to make any necessary adjustments to the Live Green Community Investment Program in order to accommodate the addition of the toxics reduction grants.

2.         City Council delegate authority to the Director, Toronto Environment Office, and the Medical Officer of Health, to award funds, totalling $50,000 in 2010, for the toxics reduction grants under the Live Green Community Investment Program.

3.         City Council direct the Medical Officer of Health in collaboration with the Director, Toronto Environment Office, to report annually to the Board of Health on the grants program and any proposed changes deemed necessary.

Toronto’s new ChemTRAC program is designed to protect public health and stimulate the greening of local businesses by tracking and reducing toxic chemicals found in the local environment. The program includes the Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 423), which came into force January 1, 2010. Toronto Public Health coordinates ChemTRAC in partnership with the Toronto Environment Office, Economic Development and Culture, Toronto Water and other city divisions.

ChemTRAC is a key part of City Council’s efforts to improve environmental sustainability within the corporation and among its residents, businesses and community organizations. It adds support for toxics reduction to the suite of City environmental programs such as those encouraging water conservation, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction.  This program will identify new opportunities for many Toronto businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to reduce or find safer alternatives for toxic chemicals that enter our local environment from their operations.

Toronto Public Health seeks to partner with the Toronto Environment Office to establish a grants program that would offer a total of $50,000 in toxics reduction grants through the “Live Green Community Investment Program,” on an annual basis beginning in 2010. The grants would be directed to eligible business associations, non-profit organizations and labour groups to provide training, education, pilot programs and community partnerships to promote reduction of toxic chemicals, particularly those listed under the Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw. Toronto Environment Office would administer the grants program through the Live Green Community Investment Program, which offers an established infrastructure to enable Toronto Public Health to commence offering grants as early as Fall 2010. This report requests that City Council grant authority to the Toronto Environment Office to administer these toxics reduction grants in collaboration with Toronto Public Health. The Director of the Toronto Environment Office concurs with the recommendations in this report.

The Board of Health Budget Sub-Committee on August 9, 2010, considered a report (July 29, 2010) from the Medical Officer of Health, addressed to the Board of Health and the Budget Committee, entitled “Creation of ChemTRAC Toxics Reduction Grants Program through Live Green Toronto”, and forwarded its recommendation to the Board of Health.

The Board of Health recommended that City Council adopt the following recommendation contained in Executive Committee Item EX46.62 entitled "Toronto Public Health 2010 Operating Budget Adjustment for Youth Engagement":

1.         City Council increase the Toronto Public Health 2010 Operating Budget by $289,973 gross and $0.0 net, and two temporary positions, to reflect confirmed one-time funding from the Ministry of Health Promotion for the Smoke-free Ontario Youth Engagement Strategy.