Healthier communities

What is a Healthier Community Partnership?

Fraser Health began working with municipal leaders across our region in 2008 to establish formal partnerships between local governments and community organizations. The goal of these partnerships is to promote health and well-being in communities. To date, we have established 13 Healthier Community Partnerships (HCPs) across the region.

What is the purpose of a Healthier Community Partnership?

To engage a broad group of people to work in partnership with us to collectively address the social, economic, environmental and physical determinants of health.

What is the role of Fraser Health?

Each HCP across our region is supported by a dedicated triad consisting of:

• a Community Executive Director (ED), who provides clinical and acute care expertise
• a Medical Health Officer (MHO) who provides population and public health expertise and
• a municipal Community Health Specialist (CHS) who provides community development expertise.

Together, we work to support, connect and facilitate local health promotion and chronic disease prevention activities across the community.

Fraser Health staff such as Dietitians, Healthy Schools Public Health Nurses and Healthy Built Environment Specialists also act as liaisons for Fraser Health programs, facilitate community and partnership development, advance health equity and address the social determinants of health, and provide information about services to community partners. Fraser Health epidemiologists, policy analysts and evaluation leads support health promotion work in the community as well.

What is the role of the municipalities?

Municipal representatives lead and co-chair the Healthier Community Partnerships. They engage partners, develop relationships and champion action.
In many communities across the region, the Healthier Community Partnerships are structured as a committee of municipal Council and/or report to City Council. As such, municipal representatives develop Healthier Community Partnership action plans and ensure alignment and coordination with existing municipal strategic plans and efforts.

Healthier Community Partnership membership

Membership can vary by community but typically includes:

• Fraser Health staff and medical staff
• Indigenous organizations
• Partners from the municipality
• School district representatives
• Libraries
• RCMP
• Ministry of Child and Family Development
• Divisions of Family Practice
• Post-secondary institutions
• Faith- and community-based organizations.

Examples of HCP success stories

• Langley HCP - the Aldergrove Neighbourhood House and Firehouse Café
  • The Langley HCP Poverty Reduction Task Group had identified a need for a ‘Neighbourhood House’ in Langley. Thus, the Aldergrove Neighbourhood House and Firehouse Café is a space to support the community and offer a range of programs, services and gathering places. It provides opportunities to increase access to healthy, safe, culturally appropriate food and programs along with local community partnerships that enhance local and regional food security. Further, Langley Meals on Wheels operates a social enterprise café at the Firehouse Café serving everything from beverages, meals and delicious pastries – including amazing cinnamon buns. Learn more: Intelligent Community Forum Top 7: Aldergrove Neighbourhood House - YouTube.
• Surrey HCP - Creating an inclusive policy framework for 2SLGBTQ+ populations in Surrey
  • This community engagement session highlighted the community’s strong interest in community space and services for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Through collaboration between Fraser Health and the City of Surrey, the City of Surrey Parks, Recreation and Culture Department redeveloped its Gender Equity policy, by widening the scope and definition of gender. This initial work served as a strong example for members of the HCP table to review and re-develop their policies. Further, the table will serve as a support system for partners as they review their organizations’ policies and identify ways to be inclusive of gender identities.
• Burnaby and New Westminster HCP – WALK30 ChallengeThe WALK30 Challenge is a five-week challenge that inspires people to walk more, increase overall wellness, make community connections, and rethink how we get around. The Walk30 Challenge was created in New Westminster and has since grown to become a successful annual campaign promoting active living. The City of Burnaby and Burnaby HCP joined the WALK30 challenge in 2017. In 2022, more than one million minutes were recorded by one thousand participants from three different municipalities. Learn more: https://www.walk30.ca/.