Elections: Health matters

Get informed. Get involved. Go vote.

When you vote, you register your opinion on how you think the government should operate. It is your right. Voters consistently rate health care as a top concern and the public health system is a powerful resource to help increase health opportunities for everyone in the community.

Voters: What to consider

Governments play an important role in shaping policies that impact all aspects of our lives, including our health. Public Health Sudbury & Districts aims to highlight several key public health issues for candidates and voters to consider during an election cycle. We are counting on you to make health matter in your election journey and beyond.

Decide how you will vote by:

• Visiting the websites of municipal council candidates to better understand their platform and promises.
• Comparing your ideas and values with those of municipal council candidates. Find out which platform you most identify with.
• Asking questions to municipal council candidates who come to your door or reach out to politicians by email and social media or at public debates.
• Ask municipal council candidates about the positions and issues that most impact your life and that of your community.

Browse this section to learn about how you can get informed, get involved, and go vote.

• Mental health
• Food insecurity
• Housing
• Indigenous health and well-being
• Anti-racism
• Infection prevention and control (IPAC)
• Substance-use/drug poisoning epidemic
• Climate change
• Public health

Mental health

Get informed.

• Just like physical health, mental health and well-being are influenced by the social, economic, and physical environments in which people work, live, and play. Populations with socio-economic disadvantages are disproportionately affected by mental health problems and challenges. There is no health without mental health.
• Mental well-being is a concern with an increasing percentage of Ontarians who report their mental health as fair or poor, and who have experienced mental health challenges or illnesses, especially since the pandemic began. Almost half of Ontarians believe that COVID-19 played a major role in worsening of their mental health.
• The social determinants of mental health are key factors that impact mental health on a population level, and include:
  • freedom from discrimination and violence
  • social inclusion
  • access to economic resources

Key recommendations:

1. Promote infant, child, and youth mental health through public health programming including school health, healthy families, and healthy communities while increasing access to mental health services and decreasing wait times.
2. Support strategies that target the social determinants of mental health across the lifespan of individuals, with a focus on reducing stigma and increasing inclusion and support.
3. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

Food insecurity

Get informed.

• Not having enough money to buy food and other necessities of life affects about 16% of households in Ontario and is a serious public health problem.¹ Adults who do not have enough money for food are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and anxiety. Children and teenagers living in households that do not have enough money for food are more likely to experience mental health problems.²
• Current unprecedented levels of inflation will make this problem worse.³
• The main source of a household’s income is a strong predictor of whether the household will have enough money for food. In Ontario in 2021, 67% of households who rely on social assistance do not have enough money for food.⁴
• Female single-parent families, those who rent rather than own their housing, and people who identify as Indigenous or Black have a greater probability of not having an adequate income for food.⁵

Key recommendations:

1. Advocate for federal and provincial government policies and programs to ensure adequate incomes for all.
2. Facilitate local level initiatives that increase economic resilience for individuals/families living with very low incomes such as free income tax filing assistance and targeted support for access to and training for jobs with livable wages and benefits.⁶
3. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Housing

• Safe, affordable, quality housing is important for health, wellbeing, and inclusion.⁷
• Affordable housing means having enough money after paying for housing to spend on other necessities of life like food, transportation, childcare, and other basic needs.⁸
• In 2018, more than 1.6 million Canadian households were spending more than 30% of their before-tax income on housing.⁹
• In 2021, the rental vacancy rate in Greater Sudbury fell to 1.8% – its lowest in 10 years. This drove the cost of rental accommodation up 8.4% for a two-bedroom unit.¹⁰
• In 2021, almost 70% of those who are homeless in Sudbury say that high rents are preventing them from being housed.¹¹

Key recommendations:

1. Advocate for federal and provincial government funding and policies to enable the approval and building of more affordable housing.
2. Develop and implement a strategy to ensure affordable, accessible, and supportive housing for all.
3. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Indigenous health and well-being

Get informed.

• 12.5% of Sudbury & Districts population identify as First Nation, Inuit or Métis.¹²
• Approximately 53% of Registered First Nations reside in rural and urban settings in Sudbury and districts.¹³
• First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals, families, and communities experience disproportionate health concerns linked to processes of racism and discrimination.
• Some of these health concerns include increased rates of diabetes, hypertension, substance misuse, mental health concerns, and overall morbidity and mortality.

Key recommendations:

1. Develop and implement a plan to provide municipal employees with cultural safety training.
2. Develop and implement a plan to support responsibilities as treaty partners of the Robinson Huron Treaty and Treaty 9.
3. Advocate for federal and provincial funding and support strategies for improved social determinants of health for Indigenous peoples.
4. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Anti-racism

Get informed.

• In Sudbury, as across Canada, discrimination is commonly experienced by racialized groups. Although it may be more common among Black or Indigenous people, it is also increasing among those who are Chinese or South Asian. Racism against members of this population have been recently reported on social media in Sudbury.
• Systemic racism and discrimination lead to unequal distribution of resources, including income, education, employment, housing, and health care. These inequities impact the mental and physical health of racialized populations. Despite an increased awareness of the effects of systemic racism, concrete progress is needed to make Canadian communities more equitable and inclusive for all.

Key recommendations:

1. Ensure that hate-motivated crime and hate-bias incidents are investigated and result in appropriate consequences.
2. Develop and implement municipal anti-racism initiatives that are informed and led by racialized populations.
3. Encourage the creation of inclusive community spaces for all in municipalities.
4. Promote the collection and reporting of socio-demographic and race-based data in the social and community health services to identify and correct inequities in the access of the resources.
5. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Infection prevention and control (IPAC)

Get involved.

• Infectious diseases disproportionately affect health outcomes of individuals who live in retirement homes, long-term care homes and other congregate living settings.
• The Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Hub model enables Public Health to strengthen the local network of IPAC experts and provide specific and timely life-saving guidance.
• In the first six months of 2022, Public Health’s IPAC Practitioners provided proactive infection prevention and control assessments, trainings and recommendations and responded to more than 70 outbreaks in retirement homes, long-term care homes and other congregate living settings.¹⁴

Key recommendations:

1. Support Ontario’s IPAC Hub model as a sustained initiative to ensure that highest risk settings are adequately supported in enhancing resident health and preventing tragic outcomes.
2. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Substance use/drug poisoning epidemic

Get informed.

• According to preliminary estimates received from the Office of the Chief Coroner, there were 36 opioid-related overdose deaths among residents of Sudbury and districts from January to March 2022.  This represents a rate of 18 deaths per 100,000 population, which is the highest rate of any health unit in the province.  The corresponding rate for Ontario overall was 4.3 deaths per 100,000 population.¹⁵
• Unregulated drug supply, mainly fentanyl, has greatly contributed to opioid-related deaths in recent years. Since the beginning of the pandemic there has also been an increased incidence of unregulated substances such as benzodiazepines, methamphetamines and cocaine contributing to the complexity and severity of drug poisonings.^16,17
• The COVID-19 Pandemic contributed to an increase in the disparities experienced by marginalized communities, especially people who use substances.^18,19,20 Drug poisonings rose 38% within the first 3 months of the pandemic compared to the previous 3 months prior.²¹ This increase in drug poisonings is influenced by an array of factors including more people using alone due to barriers to harm reduction programs, and treatment services, in addition to social-distancing requirements.^22,23 Now, three years into the pandemic, we continue to see the drug poisoning epidemic worsen and lives being lost.

Key recommendations:

1. Advocate for funding of evidence-based programs (such as safer supply, harm reduction and diverse treatment options) led and/or directed by people who use substances. Ensure a dedicated focus on stigma and discrimination is embedded in all programming.
2. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Climate change

Get informed.

• The transportation sector is the leading source of climate emissions, responsible for 35% of Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions.²⁴
• Many people do not drive because of their age, income, ability, or choice. Access to efficient public transit provides an independent way to access jobs and essential services and allows people living on lower incomes to direct more of their earnings to food, clothing, and rent.²⁵
• In rural areas, transit solutions can take innovative forms including on-demand services, publicly-owned ride shares, and volunteer community car-pooling.²⁶
• The effects of public transit are even more impactful when transit vehicles are electric powered and emit no pollutants.²⁷
• Physical activity is a well-known benefit to mental and physical health. Active transportation (replacing car trips with walking or cycling) is an ideal way for busy people to build healthy activity into their lives.²⁸
• Neighbourhoods and streets that are more walkable and cycle-safe in their design benefit people of all ages and income levels.²⁹

Key recommendations:

1. Invest in public transit and active transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby creating healthy and green communities that increase physical activity.
2. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Public health

Get involved.

• Public health continues to play an essential role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging infectious diseases. Our efforts reduce community spread and protect health. While we remain committed to this important work, we must refocus our energies to our other responsibilities.
• It is clear, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already existing health inequities. Locally, many marginalized individuals and groups disproportionately experienced the negative impacts of the pandemic resulting in an even greater need for ramping up other critical public health programs and services outside those from the pandemic response.
• Public Health is inextricably connected with the local municipal government. Municipal-Public Health partnerships and collaborations are vital to many upstream public health initiatives targeting the social and structural determinants of health. These actions, in turn, contribute to thriving, resilient, and economically prosperous communities where everyone has an opportunity for health.

Key recommendations:

1. Ensure adequate funding and investments to support recovery efforts to reduce the backlog in Public Health programs and services to meet community needs, including the ongoing supports to prevent and reduce transmission of infectious diseases, foster the health and well-being of individuals and communities, and reduce the burden on our local health care system.
2. Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ election primer for candidates. (PDF, 4 MB)

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Federal, provincial, and municipal elections

For information on upcoming and past elections, candidates, political parties, electoral districts, and voter registration visit the following websites:

Provincial (Elections Ontario)

Federal (Elections Canada)

Municipal (Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

 

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1. References

   1. Tarasuk V, Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA. (2022) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2021. Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Accessed August 17, 2022: Household Food Insecurity in Canada, 2021 – PROOF (utoronto.ca)
   2. Ontario Dietitians in Public Health. (2020). Position Statement and Recommendations on Responses to Food Insecurity. Accessed April 25, 2022:  https://www.odph.ca/upload/membership/document/2021-04/ps-eng-corrected-07april21_3.pdf
   3. PROOF Food Insecurity Policy Research. (2022). What does record inflation mean for household food insecurity in Canada? March 16, 2022. Accessed April 28, 2022: https://proof.utoronto.ca/2022/what-does-record-inflation-mean-for-household-food-insecurity-in-canada/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20potential%20impact,are%20forced%20to%20make%20compromises
   4. Tarasuk V, Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA. (2022) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2021. Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Accessed August 17, 2022: Household Food Insecurity in Canada, 2021 – PROOF (utoronto.ca)
   5. Ontario Dietitians in Public Health. (2020). Position Statement and Recommendations on Responses to Food Insecurity. Accessed April 25, 2022:  https://www.odph.ca/upload/membership/document/2021-04/ps-eng-corrected-07april21_3.pdf
   6. Tarasuk V, Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA. (2022) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2021. Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Accessed August 17, 2022: Household Food Insecurity in Canada, 2021 – PROOF (utoronto.ca)
   7. Centre for Addictions and Mental Health. (2022). Housing and Mental Health Policy Framework. https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/pdfs—public-policy-submissions/housing-policy-framework-pdf.pdf
   8. Public Health Sudbury & Districts. (2019). Circles Sudbury Story Map. https://www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/health-equity/a-community-approach-to-poverty-reduction
   9. Statistics Canada. (2020). One in ten Canadian households living in core housing need in 2018. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/201002/dq201002a-eng.htm
   10. Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (2022). Rental Market Report. https://assets.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/sites/cmhc/professional/housing-markets-data-and-research/market-reports/rental-market-report/rental-market-report-2021-en.pdf?rev=a5a0eaac-6f70-4058-8aa3-e6d307685910
   11. City of Greater Sudbury. (2022).  2021 Point In Time Homelessness Enumeration Results Report. https://www.greatersudbury.ca/live/homelessness-initiatives/reports-and-research1/2021-homelessness-enumeration-report/
   12. Statistics Canada, 2016 Census
   13. Ibid
   14. Case and Contact Management Contact Tracing Software, Ontario Ministry of Health. Custom report “PHSD Outbreaks_All” extracted August 12, 2022 at 9:15 am.
   15. Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario. (2022).
   16. Gomes T., Iacono A., Kolla G., Nunez E., Leece P., Wang T., Campbell T., Auger C., Boyce N., Doolittle M., Eswaran A., Kitchen S., Murray R., Shearer D., Singh S., Watford J. on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Lives lost to opioid toxicity among Ontarians who worked in construction. Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2022. Lives Lost to Opioid Toxicity among Ontarians Who Worked in the Construction Industry (clickdimensions.com)
   17. Gomes T., Murray R., Kolla G., Leece P., Bansal S., Besharah J., Cahill T., Campbell T., Fritz A., Munro C., Toner L., Watford J. on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Changing Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2021. Preliminary Patterns in Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic (publichealthontario.ca)
   18. Gomes T., Iacono A., Kolla G., Nunez E., Leece P., Wang T., Campbell T., Auger C., Boyce N., Doolittle M., Eswaran A., Kitchen S., Murray R., Shearer D., Singh S., Watford J. on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Lives lost to opioid toxicity among Ontarians who worked in construction. Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2022. Lives Lost to Opioid Toxicity among Ontarians Who Worked in the Construction Industry (clickdimensions.com)
   19. Gomes T., Murray R., Kolla G., Leece P., Bansal S., Besharah J., Cahill T., Campbell T., Fritz A., Munro C., Toner L., Watford J. on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Changing Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2021. Preliminary Patterns in Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic (publichealthontario.ca)
   20. Kolla G., Touesnard N., Gomes T. (2022). Addressing the overdose crisis in North America with bold action.  Addiction 117(5), 1194-1196. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15844
   21. Gomes T., Murray R., Kolla G., Leece P., Bansal S., Besharah J., Cahill T., Campbell T., Fritz A., Munro C., Toner L., Watford J. on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Changing Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2021. Preliminary Patterns in Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic (publichealthontario.ca)
   22. Gomes T., Murray R., Kolla G., Leece P., Bansal S., Besharah J., Cahill T., Campbell T., Fritz A., Munro C., Toner L., Watford J. on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Changing Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2021. Preliminary Patterns in Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic (publichealthontario.ca)
   23. Kolla G., Touesnard N., Gomes T. (2022). Addressing the overdose crisis in North America with bold action.  Addiction 117(5), 1194-1196. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15844
   24. Government of Canada. (2022) Provincial and Territorial Energy Profiles – Ontario. https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles-ontario.html#:~:text=GHG%20Emissions,-Ontario’s%20GHG%20emissions&text=The%20largest%20emitting%20sectors%20in,9.3%20MT%20CO2e
   25. Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity. (2021). Public Transit – Good for health, social equity and the planet! https://chasecanada.org/2021/11/11/public-transit-good-for-health-social-equity-and-the-planet/
   26. Government of Canada. (2022) Rural Transit Solutions Fund. Accessed July 29, 2022: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/rural-trans-rural/details-eng.html.
   27. Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity. (2021). Public Transit – Good for health, social equity and the planet! https://chasecanada.org/2021/11/11/public-transit-good-for-health-social-equity-and-the-planet/
   28. Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity. (2021). Public Transit – Good for health, social equity and the planet! https://chasecanada.org/2021/11/11/public-transit-good-for-health-social-equity-and-the-planet/
   29. Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity. (2021). Active Travel – Good for health, social equity and the planet! https://chasecanada.org/2021/11/09/active-travel-good-for-health-social-equity-and-the-planet/

This item was last modified on October 3, 2022