New research reveals four critical barriers to building healthier Canadian cities

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Many streets world wide have gotten increasingly inhospitable to children and the elderly due to growing traffic and road safety problems that discourage these groups from engaging in lively transport corresponding to walking or cycling. Recently, there was an emphasis on designing cities that support the well-being of people of all ages from eight to 80 shouldn’t be only a catchy phrase, but a crucial requirement to adapt to changing demographic realities.

Likewise the concept City quarter-hour has gained a whole lot of attention in recent times – despite baseless conspiracies accusing local authorities of conspiring to confine residents to a small radius around their homes.

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In a 15-minute city, an important thing is accessibility, saving time and expanding opportunities for everybody, not only the richest. Achieving this goal and designing healthier spaces starts with a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the urban environment on our health and well-being, in addition to a practical have a look at current barriers to healthier city design.

Our recent research — conducted with the assistance of research assistants Shanzey Ali and Agnes Fung and the Regina and Saskatchewan City Health Authority and currently awaiting peer review, aimed to understand these barriers.

Designing higher spaces

Research shows that the layout of streets, access to grocery stores, the choice of building materials when designing apartments and the distribution of public services all play a key role in influencing our health and well-being.

Neighborhoods with accessible public and social spaces and community events have been shown to improve mental health, increase happiness and offer sense of belonging and community. At the identical time, grocery stores, community gardens, and farmers markets have been shown to be easily accessible improve mental, social and physical health.

A vendor sets up his pumpkin stand at a farmers’ market in Montreal, October 6, 2020. Access to social spaces like farmers’ markets has been shown to improve mental, social and physical health.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

So how can we create more favorable built environments? This is where urban planning comes into play, as city policymakers develop and implement policies that may change the structure, use, and regulation of public spaces in cities.

A sophisticated dance between urban planning and health takes place deep historical roots. The early use of sanitation and zoning to control epidemics of infectious diseases within the nineteenth century is well established and these efforts proceed to today.

Meanwhile, global agencies corresponding to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) are advocating for the combination of health and equity into city governance. Actually, UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 goals to create inclusive, resilient, protected and sustainable cities. Cities are subsequently well placed to protect population health and reduce health inequalities in a changing climate.

Daily challenges

So why aren’t we seeing more urban design policies specializing in the health and well-being of residents? Our findings make clear four key issues.

1 – Lack of shared understanding of health equity

Policymakers lacked a shared understanding of health and equity, highlighting the complexity of addressing health inequalities and implementing effective policies. Although the importance of physical and mental health has been widely known, there’s a glaring gap in the popularity of this health social dimension of health.



Policymakers often struggled to find common ground on health and equity, making meaningful motion difficult. As one policymaker noted, “I don’t think our (design) standards have ever been considered from a health perspective.”

2 – Evidence will likely be unavailable

Although policymakers recognized evidence (data) as a necessary element of policymaking, they explained that there have been significant barriers to accessing it. Administrative roadblocks, corresponding to lack of coordination between and inside provincial and municipal governments, can prevent access to key data needed to inform policymaking.

Financial barriers corresponding to paywalls can block access to research. Meanwhile, technical barriers – including the educational community’s use of jargon and overly technical language – can hinder the accessibility of educational literature.

A large building in the background, a field and flower beds in the foreground.
The Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in town of Regina, Sask. The lack of inter- and intra-governmental communication may impede free access to relevant evidence and data in provincial and municipal governments.
(Shutterstock)

As one decision maker put it, “There’s a lot of academic knowledge and terminology used that can be overwhelming, and no one wants to leave the room feeling stupid.” As a result, sometimes one of the best approach shouldn’t be well understood by city actors, creating greater demand for knowledge translation and accessible research.

3 – Government structures are fragmented

Another obstacle is the fragmented management structure, marked by siloing. Lack of coordination between various departments and divisions within the municipality may lead to missed opportunities for cooperation. Differences in the usage of terminology can exacerbate the issue, causing confusion and hindering cross-sectoral work.

Conflicts between the goals of various departments, for instance between lively transport planners and traffic engineers, highlight the challenges that siled management creates. As one policymaker noted, “We seemed to have implemented many policies that largely favored vehicle traffic over pedestrian and cyclist traffic.”



Adding complexity to the combo is limited legal power of local governments in Canada. Considered “provincial creatures”, municipalities can only exercise powers delegated to them by the provincial government, which implies that, in theory, municipalities’ powers may be modified or withdrawn at their discretion.

Ambiguity over the roles and responsibilities of municipalities versus provincial governments creates tensions and costs as municipalities struggle with disagreements over whose jurisdiction falls on certain issues. Most often, this ends in financing decisions that impact healthy urban design.

4 – Political ideologies get in the way in which

In addition to bureaucratic challenges, different political ideologies pose a formidable barrier.

Elevated highway with long lines of traffic.
The Gardiner Expressway is visible during heavy traffic in Toronto, Ontario. The costs to society of driving may be up to 900 times higher than cycling or walking the identical distance.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj

The integration of health in city design is rooted in the thought of ​​collectivism, which goals to maximize advantages for the community as an entire. Although the present favoring of car-oriented roads in most areas reflects a libertarian individualism at odds with collective ideals in urban design.

This imbalance is especially striking when taken into consideration much higher costs to society from driving fairly than walking or cycling.

Policymakers have noted that these political ideologies pervade public opinion, creating resistance to policies perceived as infringing on individual freedoms, while policies that only profit minorities are met with opposition in the event that they involve personal disadvantages.

We found that an example of this problem was the fierce resistance to proposals to provide safer conditions for sex employees from those that wanted them in out-of-sight areas.

Overcoming these barriers

The path to creating healthier and more equitable cities is fraught with challenges. From a scarcity of shared understanding to unavailable evidence, fragmented governance and legal constraints on municipalities, and different political ideologies, the barriers are multifaceted. However, understanding these challenges is step one towards meaningful change.

By fostering collaboration, restructuring governance, empowering local governments and promoting a collective mindset, we will pave the way in which for higher integrating health into urban policies that actually support the well-being of entire communities.

Rome
Romehttps://globalcmd.com/
Rome Founder & Visionary Leader of the GlobalCommand Project: GlobalCmd.com, GLCND.com, and GlobalCmd A.I. Rome is the driving force behind the GlobalCommand Project, a revolutionary ecosystem designed to empower individuals, freelancers, entrepreneurs, business professionals, and small business owners with tools that simplify decision-making and maximize efficiency. At the center of this vision is GlobalCmd.com—a platform built to help users take control, solve problems, and achieve success faster and smarter. GlobalCmd.com: Smarter Solutions, Simplified GlobalCmd.com is a streamlined platform designed to replace complexity with clarity. Using intelligent AI Forms, the platform enables users to tackle challenges, optimize workflows, and reach actionable solutions in just a few steps. These forms guide users through simplified inputs to deliver clear, focused, and practical outputs—whether for crafting a business strategy, solving operational problems, or scaling their ideas. Unlike traditional chat-based AI systems, GlobalCmd.com focuses on results, not conversations. With an intuitive and targeted design, it helps users make decisions quickly, stay efficient, and focus on what matters most: growing their business and achieving their goals. How GLCND.com and GlobalCmd A.I. Support You GlobalCmd.com is powered by a larger ecosystem that enhances its capabilities and makes it the ultimate tool for users at every level: • GLCND.com: A content hub delivering practical insights and actionable advice on Business, Science, Health, and more. The curated knowledge from GLCND.com enriches GlobalCmd.com’s outputs, ensuring users are equipped with the latest trends and ideas to stay ahead. • GlobalCmd A.I.: The powerhouse behind GlobalCmd.com, built on the proprietary RAD² Framework (Research, Analysis, and Development with Rapid Asset Deployment). It transforms user inputs into powerful, tailored solutions, including predictive insights, scenario modeling, and personalized recommendations—all designed to make complex decisions effortless. Why GlobalCmd.com is Built for You Whether you’re a freelancer managing projects, an entrepreneur launching a new idea, a business owner optimizing your operations, or a professional solving daily challenges, GlobalCmd.com is designed to meet your needs. It simplifies the decision-making process, saves you time, and delivers clear, actionable results to help you move forward with confidence. GlobalCmd.com eliminates the guesswork, enabling you to focus on your goals, grow your business, and create lasting impact. It’s built for individuals and small teams who demand efficiency, value simplicity, and need powerful solutions without unnecessary complexity. Take Control Today Rome’s vision for the GlobalCommand Project is simple: to empower users to achieve their goals with the right tools and the right solutions—fast. With GlobalCmd.com at the center, supported by GLCND.com and GlobalCmd A.I., this ecosystem offers everything you need to make smarter decisions, streamline your work, and maximize your potential. Visit GlobalCmd.com today and take control of your success with tools designed to simplify, accelerate, and transform the way you work.

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