To:Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee

Board of Health

 From:City Clerk

 Subject:Towards a Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network

 Recommendations:

 The Children's Action Committee recommended to the Community and Neighbourhoods Services Committee:

 1.That Council endorse the following principles contained in the report "Towards a Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network" and that the Children's Action Committee be requested to take an active role at both the national and provincial levels when such a network is established:

 "-That the mission of the Network should be to protect the environment, and to protect the fetus/child from environmental hazards;

 -That the Network should focus on advocacy, education, public awareness and some research-related activities;

 -That the Network should be housed in the non-governmental (NGO) sector, but that it should be based on a partnership with national, regional and local agencies/groups in diverse sectors;

 -That the Network should develop a website and use computer-based technology to connect its partners and to disseminate information to a broad audience."

 2.That Council endorse the Canadian Institute of Child Health in taking a leadership role in housing the merging Children's Environmental Health Network.

 3.That Council urge all levels of government to move with all possible speed to set up this network

 The Children's Action Committee also advises that it has adopted the following recommendation:

 "That the Children's Action Committee be on record as acknowledging the impact of environmental stressors on the health of Toronto's children."

 and directed that the Committee's actions be forwarded to the Board of Health.

 Background:

 At its meeting held on June 12, 1998, Dr. Jack Lee, Regional Director of the Downtown Health Area, Public Health Division, Community Services, introduced Dr. Monica Campbell, Public Health Research and Education Unit, and Siu Fong, Environmental Protection Office, Public Health Division, to the Committee, and submitted a communication which provided information on the City of Toronto Environmental Protection Office and an overview of work on Children's Environmental Health Issues. Dr. Monica Campbell gave a slide presentation.

 The Committee's action is set out above.

 City Clerk

  cc:Shirley Hoy, Commissioner of Community and Social Services

Marna Ramsden, General Manager, Children's Services

Dr. Jack Lee, Public Health Division

Dr. Monica Campbell, Public Health Division

Nancy Matthews, Coordinator, Children's Action Committee

Councillor Chow, Chair, Children's Action Committee

  980612.1

  CITY OF TORONTO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICE

An Overview of Work on Children's Environmental Health Issues

 The Environmental Protection Office (EPO) is located within Toronto Public Health and promotes environmental health through its research, policy, education, and advocacy. The EPO provides information and support to the community, Board of Health, and City Council on environmental health issues. EPO staff expertise most relevant to the work of the Children's Action Committee includes toxicology, epidemiology, and social policy development and analysis.

 Historical examples of EPO initiatives relevant to children's health include:

• technical reports on air quality and respiratory health, electromagnetic fields, phthalates in infant formula, chemical contaminants in food, children's exposure to lead in mini-blinds;
• comments on federal and provincial government strategies affecting children's health;
• project advisory committee role for the development of a Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network.

 Currently, the EPO is:

• preparing a report on the health and environmental impacts of pesticide use in residential and other outdoor settings;
• implementing a corporate smog alert response plan that includes a focus on high risk groups, including children;
• partnering with Greenest City, a community group, to publicize the idling control by-law in Toronto Community Council area schools;
• preparing comments on federal proposals to reduce the level of sulphur in gasoline and diesel fuel.

 Children's health and the environment is relevant to the work of the Children's Action Committee for the following reasons:

• Children's health is uniquely and directly affected by our environment. Their physical environment cannot be separated from their social and cultural environment. Children living in poverty may be at greater risk to environmental hazards.

• Children face a myriad of exposures to environmental contaminants, many of which can have permanent and irreversible effects on their health and development. Compared to adults, children are more susceptible to environmental hazards because their bodies are still developing and they eat proportionately more food, drink more fluids, and breathe more air.

• Preventing and reducing exposure to environmental contaminants will enable children to have healthier lives and benefit socity in general.

 The EPO will continue to support the development of the Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network and is available as a resource to the Children's Action Committee on children's environmental health issues.

 Contact: Steve McKenna, Acting Manager

Enviromental Protection Office

(416) 392-6788

Towards a Canadian Children's Environmental Health Network

 There is a growing consensus among the public, academic and government sectors of the benefit of establishing a national network devoted to the protection of the fetus and child from environmental hazards. In Ontario, where the interest level is particularly high, work is underway to develop a pilot project to begin to consolidate the Network. To facilitate creation of the Network, staff of Toronto Public Health undertook survey research to determine the perceived benefit of a Children's Environmental Health Network, and to identify some guiding principles to shape its mission, goals and objectives.

 More than 100 representatives of diverse Ontario-based agencies/groups responded to the survey, resulting in a 55% response rate. The responses were overwhelming positive in support of creation of a Network, with 85% of respondents indicating that a Network was 'very beneficial' or 'essential' to facilitating the protection of children's health from environmental risks. Based on the survey results, the following guiding principles are presented:

• That the mission of the Network should be to protect the environment, and to protect the fetus/child from environmental hazards;

• That the Network should focus on advocacy, education, public awareness and some research-related activities;

• That the Network should be housed in the non-governmental (NGO) sector, but that it should be based on a partnership with national, regional and local agencies/groups in diverse sectors;

• That the Network should develop a website and use computer-based technology to connect its partners and to disseminate information to a broad audience.

 Based on the survey research, the Canadian Institute of Child Health (CICH) has emerged as the NGO agency with a strong willingness to house the emerging national network. This agency currently has a multi-year program focussed on children's environmental health issues. Over the past two years, City staff have participated in important conferences, advocacy initiatives and public awareness activities with CICH. Continued support and participation in the emerging Network will assist Toronto in putting children's environmental health issues on the national agenda.