NEWS RELEASE
December 4, 2006
McGuinty Government Invests in Niagara Region Public Health Department
$1.2 Million In Funding Supports Heart Health And Smoke-Free Strategy
ST. CATHARINES – Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson and Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor today announced $1.2 million in health promotion funding to support the Niagara Region Public Health Department’s work on the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy and the Ontario Heart Health Program.
“Our government is on the side of Ontario families who want the best health care,” said Watson, speaking at the offices of the Niagara Region Public Health Department. “With the help of partners like the Niagara Region Public Health Department, we are helping the residents of Ontario live healthier, more active lives.”
The funding announcement includes:
- $1.1 million in funding for the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy, which represents a 50 per cent increase over $738,509 received the previous year. This provincial funding will help prevent young people from smoking, enforce regulations that eliminate smoking in the work place, and help smokers quit. This investment will help the government reduce tobacco consumption by 20 per cent from 2003 levels.
- $99, 848 under the Ontario Heart Health Program for the health unit’s Healthy Living Niagara program. This project promotes healthier lifestyle choices, including the development and promotion of walkable communities through WalkON, and healthier eating choices with the Savoury Sampling Food Bank Program.
Minister Watson also presented a Heather Crowe Award to the Niagara Region Public Health Department for helping the province dramatically reduce smoking rates. The government created the award to honour the leadership and commitment of tobacco control activist Heather Crowe, who fought to improve the health of Ontarians by eliminating second-hand smoke in the workplace and in enclosed public places.
"The Niagara Region Public Health Department does an excellent job of promoting healthy lifestyles, and that's important," said MPP Kim Craitor. "Particularly with our youth, if we can encourage them to engage in healthy lifestyles now, they will be more likely to maintain that lifestyle as they grow older. I want to thank Minister Watson for his constant support in making this happen."
“I want to recognize the staff of the Niagara Region Public Health Department for their commitment and professionalism in protecting our residents and visitors from second-hand smoke, helping to prevent strokes, cancer and heart attacks,” said Dr. Robin Williams, Niagara’s Medical Officer of Health. “I also wish to congratulate the Province on their leadership in implementing the Smoke-Free Ontario Act which supports our work."
Earlier in the day, Minister Watson gave the opening address to the Ontario Tobacco Control Conference 2006 in Niagara Falls where he outlined the McGuinty government’s investment in the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy.
Smoking kills an average of 16,000 people in Ontario each year. Tobacco-related diseases cost the Ontario economy at least $1.7 billion for health care annually, result in more than $2.6 billion in productivity losses, and account for at least 500,000 hospital days each year. Ontario’s tobacco consumption has fallen by 18.7 per cent or more than 2.6 billion cigarettes since 2003. During that time, the government has increased its investments in tobacco control six-fold to a total of $60 million, including a $10 million increase in 2006 over the previous year.
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For further information:
Adam Grachnik
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497
Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833
