February 18, 2023 | Prince Edward Island | Public Health Agency of Canada
Physical activity, eating healthier and tobacco cessation help improve health, well-being and quality of life, and also reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Engaging communities, especially those who are socially and economically marginalized, to support the health of their communities is important to foster environments where people adopt and maintain healthy behaviours.
Today, Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $252,000 through the Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund to support a project in Prince Edward Island (PEI) to promote healthy behaviours.
The funding will support the province's Live Well PEI initiative. The project will feature interactive online tools and resources that support communities to take action on healthy eating patterns, physical activity, and tobacco cessation with the goal of reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes, as well as improving overall health among PEI's population. The project will engage a range of community leaders including 75 PEI residents who are at increased risk of CVD and diabetes, including individuals and families who are from low-income households, have lower educational attainment, or are unemployed.
This federal funding builds on the work of the Government of Prince Edward Island, to promote and protect the health of Islanders and prevent disease and injury. The provincial approach to promoting wellness, Live Well PEI, is focused around the WHO's behavioural risk factors for chronic disease prevention: physical activity; healthy eating; low-risk alcohol use; tobacco control; and mental wellness. The PEI Chief Public Health Office has partnered with community organizations on over 100 health promotion projects since 2015.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with partners to ensure that everyone in Canada can lead a healthy life.
