Building healthy communities: An examination of Winnipeg neighbourhoods

Increasing criticism by a number of professional fields, including planning, indicates that there is a decline in public health because of poor urban planning practices cannot be ignored. Urban planning, however, cannot be held solely accountable for this decrease as implied by a number of journalists during the last few years (Kirkey, 2006; Skelton, 2006; Ma, 2006; Harder, 2006; Harder, 2007). This research examines to what extent urban planning has contributed to the current health level of citizens, and explores how development policies address the criticism that urban planners are encouraging developments with limited opportunities that promote an inactive lifestyle. The Seven Oaks Community in Winnipeg, along with health initiatives in Saskatchewan and Ontario are considered and compared in case studies, to help examine if the available planning tools in other jurisdictions are more effective in designing or supporting healthy living opportunities than those in Winnipeg.;Despite the limited guidance from planning legislation, the community of Seven Oaks in Winnipeg has succeeded in implementing several healthy community initiatives. These initiatives are successful because of partnerships created between agencies, communication with the public, and most importantly, the passion by the stakeholders to develop healthier living opportunities within their community. Part of the success can be attributed to urban planners in Winnipeg following recommendations of healthy community movements and healthier planning and development principles.;The future of healthy communities depends on planners having a knowledge of health promotion in planning, and embracing the principles in their everyday practice. This infusion of knowledge should begin in the University classroom and continue throughout the planner's professional life by mandatory topic study in required Continued Professional Learning as directed by the Canadian Institute of Planners.;Key Words: urban planning, healthy communities, public health, lifestyle diseases, sprawl, holistic planning.;The findings show policy tools currently available for planners in Winnipeg to use are inadequate to ensure that all new developments conform to the healthy communities philosophy. Urban planners need to advocate for their city councils and regions to adopt healthy communities development policies, and planners and policy makers need to be vigilant in following those principles when considering any new land use or development.