Notice

The following content is relevant to the IPPH Healthy Cities priority area which was in operation from 2016 until July 2019. All Healthy Cities activities and opportunities are now available under the CIHR Healthy Cities Research Initiative (HCRI).

Healthy Cities amplifying impact

Healthy Cities

Overview

Canadian researchers have already been instrumental in identifying what makes a city healthy, yet challenges remain in scaling this research into real-world applications that benefit everyone. With 82% of Canadians now living in cities, and urbanization a growing global trend, research on implementing tested interventions is essential for maximizing the health-promoting potential of urban environments.

Our Healthy Cities Research Initiative represents IPPH’s largest collection of efforts and has the ultimate goal of improving health and health equity for Canadians. We believe the biggest opportunities in healthy cities research lie in scaling-up evidence-based population health interventions that promote health, equity, and well-being. This will require both financial resources and partnerships not only across all levels of government and sectors but also with international organizations and other research funders. In support of this goal, IPPH is leading a Federal Table on Healthy Cities to unify priorities across governmental sectors, as well as an International Funders Forum that will help to create a sustainable large-scale initiative.

Activities and Goals
CIHR Directive Objective Activities
Funding Strengthen Canada’s global leadership in healthy cities research Supporting opportunities for large-scale, interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral, pan-Canadian intervention and implementation science initiatives in urban environments
Training Train future researchers in implementation science for healthy cities Developing a national strategic training initiative for doctoral and post-doctoral students on the science of implementing tested solutions in cities
Knowledge Translation Support evidence use in urban planning and policymaking Facilitating opportunities for healthy cities research to be co-owned by researchers, policymakers, implementers, and the communities they serve

Initiative info

Partnerships

  • Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Statistics Canada, Urban Public Health Network (UPHN), Public Health Agency of Canada, Wellcome Trust, The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
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