Ministers' Messages

Honourable Theresa Oswald,
Minister responsible for Healthy Living

As Minister responsible for Healthy Living, I am pleased to welcome you to our Healthy Schools website. In recent years, health has become an overriding priority for all Manitobans, young and old. This government remains committed to helping individuals, families and communities, lead healthier lives. More and more Manitobans are beginning to recognize the benefits of healthy living and are making different, healthier choices in their diets, exercise regimens and other facets of their lives.

Schools play a vital role in our communities. Dedicated teachers and staff have the challenging task of teaching, guiding, working with and caring for our children, roughly six hours a day, five days a week. Since so much of our children’s living is done in school, it’s important that schools provide some of the information and education they need to help them make better choices and live healthier lives.

Manitoba’s comprehensive Healthy Schools initiative is designed to promote the physical, emotional and social health of students, their families, school staff and neighbouring communities. The website, in turn, provides Manitobans with web-based resources that can be used to teach students the value of healthy living and the impact it has on their daily lives.

I encourage you to explore this website to learn more about the Healthy Schools Framework, along with ways to incorporate healthy living practices into your daily routines. You will also find links to other health websites that offer helpful information and advice.

Peter Bjornson
Minister of Education, Citizenship and Youth

Thank you for visiting this website, showing your interest in Healthy Schools, our government’s comprehensive school health initiative. The Healthy Schools initiative encourages the development of healthy school environments and community partnerships that foster the well-being of everyone associated with our schools.

Research continues to show that good health has a positive effect on learning so naturally, schools have a significant role to play in promoting healthy living. Considering schools tend to be focal points in our communities, they are excellent places to educate the citizens, present and future, about the value of taking a proactive approach to one’s own health.

I invite you to further explore this site where you will find information and ideas about how to improve the physical, emotional and social health of students, school staff, families and school communities. By working together, we can create healthier communities that will benefit the entire province for many years to come.

For more information about Healthy Schools, please contact: Healthy Schools Phone:  (204) 788-6679 Email:  healthyschools@gov.mb.ca