Driving Health Equity in Canada: From Strategy to Action and Impact

Moderated by Rolf Rosenbrock



Local planning and community-based initiatives are part of the repertoire of policy interventions addressing health disparities in many countries. While the roots of these health disparities lie in wider structures of social inequality and exclusion, addressing inequities within the healthcare system itself remains critical. This talk focuses on lessons learned from developing a comprehensive health equity strategy for the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHINs are Ontario’s regional health authorities) as well as from work on the equity strategy at the Ontario (provincial) and national levels. This has included equity-focused planning, performance management, developing measurement tools, mobilizing community-based networks, organizing collaborations and other interventions. This work has been much informed by European and other international experience.

Bob Gardner, Ph.D., is Director of Healthcare Reform and Public Policy at the Wellesley Institute, an independent non-profit research and policy think tank in Toronto. Dr. Gardner has worked in academic institutions, as a public sector executive and consultant, and has many years experience working with community-based organizations in the fields of HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and other issues. His current research and consulting activities focus on health equity policy. He works with governments, planning authorities, service provider networks and community partners to develop effective strategies and action plans to enhance health equity. In 2008 he developed a comprehensive health equity strategic framework for the Toronto Central LHIN, subsequently co-authoring reports on equity-focused planning and building equity into performance management systems. He is a member of the Ontario Health Quality Council.

The lecture is followed by discussion in German and English.

Rolf Rosenbrock is Head of the Research Group Public Health at the WZB.