Building Healthy and Complete Communities

A number of organizations have resources available on how to build complete communities. Having policies that encourage building complete communities is a requirements of the Province's Growth Plan for the Greater Golder Horseshoe. Listed below are some additional documents on complete communities. 

• "Where and How to Grow" summary of the complete community policies of the Growth Plan 
• "Create Vibrant and Complete Communities" performance indicators for the Growth Plan
• "Growing Close to Home: Creating Complete Rural Communities" published by the Greenbelt Foundation

The Brant County Health Unit is one of a number of organizations that provides resources about healthy communities and the impacts that our built environment and surroundings can have on our health. Check these out below. 

• "Healthy Living and Safety" web page from the Brant County Health Unit
• "Healthy Communities Practice Guide" from the Canadian Institute of Planners
• "Healthy Communities: A Backgrounder" from the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance
• "Integrating Health in Urban and Territorial Planning: A Sourcebook" from UN-Habitat and the WHO

The Planning Division has prepared a discussion paper and summary on the topic of building healthy and complete communities to help guide the conversations on this topic as they may apply to the County of Brant. The discussion paper and 'glossy' summary can be found below. 

• Read the Building Healthy and Complete Communities Discussion Paper
• View the Building Healthy and Complete Communities One-Page Summary of the paper

You can also check out the Safe and Healthy Communities web page with information about a number of community health and safety initiatives through our Community Services division. 

• If you want to read about the technical information and a variety of topics around Healthy and Complete Communities, the new Official Plan, the Province's Growth Plan and more, check out our full discussion guide on the topic (found at this link) or by visiting www.brant.ca/CompleteCommunitiesGuide.
  
  
• If you'd prefer a shorter summary on the topic, check out the glossy version of our guide on the topic (found at this link) or by visiting www.brant.ca/CompleteCommunitiesSummary. 

A key component of healthy and complete communities is to provide opportunities for residents to live and work in the community. Did you know that currently two-thirds of Brant's working residents commute to jobs outside the County of Brant? On the other hand, the County also attracts many commuters that live outside of Brant, and make up 70% of the workforce within the limits of the County of Brant. 

How can we provide communities with a stronger balance of employment and housing opportunities that encourage live-work situations?

Our environmental impacts and the health and fitness of County residents can be improved with communities that provide sustainable and active transportation options. While the County may not need full public transportation services, active and sustainable transportation options can connect our communities in ways that will encourage biking and walking for trips that are closer to home. Strong transportation policies are also important when the County of Brant has conversations with neighbouring municipalities and with the Province of Ontario about connections beyond the County's boundaries. 

What can the County do to make the urban areas more attractive for alternative forms of transportation? 

The current housing stock in the County is primarily made up of ground-oriented housing, such as single-detached, semi-detached, and townhomes, with only about 5% of dwelling units being located in apartment buildings or other types of housing within direct access to ground level. It is also primarily made up of owner-occupied housing, with only 13% of the current units being rental-occupied. 

Access to affordable, safe, and adequate housing options has a direct impact on the health of a population and individuals. The quality of this housing and the neighbourhood in which it is located can also impact a persons health. Housing needs change over our lifetime, and flexible housing options within proximity to services we can use regularly are an important way to foster community connection and support, housing stability, affordability and walkable neighbourhoods. 

How can we integrate higher-density options for housing into our existing and new communities?

 Over 40% of the County of Brant's population is over the age of 50. The aging of the population is anticipated to increase our need for senior's housing. Getting older can mean less mobility, less disposable income, and an increase in health care requirements. These characteristics often mean medium and higher-density housing forms that are close to amenities and services can be important to this portion of our population. We need to find ways to provide the services needed for our aging population while encouraging a flexibility to our communities which recognizes that population trends change over time.

In other situations, families wish to stay close to rural properties that have been in their family for generations. Allowing more flexible housing options in our rural areas will provide families who may wish to support a child, parent, or friend on their property the ability to make the appropriate adjustments to their housing situations. 

What needs to be done to accommodate our aging population and how can we ensure that what we build today will be flexible for our population changes beyond 2051?

 A healthy community builds opportunities for physical and economic activity and access to the natural environment right into its planning and design. The healthy of the overall population can be impacted by how close you live to community amenities and services, your access to walking and biking trails, the population density of your neighbourhood and relationships with your community, and access of local food and other products.

Living in a rural community is much different that living in an urbanized area. Rural areas provide abundant natural spaces but can also mean that services and amenities are located further away. Creating age-friendly, compact, and complete rural communities is also important when considering the equity of the services provided by the County of Brant. 

How can we plan our communities to encourage active transportation and healthy lifestyles?

 Access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food can lower the risk of many diseases. Land-use planning must consider the protection and conservation of a local food production capacity that can sustain the County of Brant and stimulate our economy. A sustainable agri-food network provides fair living for growers and processions and promotes local self-reliance and sustainability. Local food production can provide higher nutritional value, reduced environmental impacts, and increased food safety standards. 

How can we plan to protect and enhance our food production opportunities in the County of Brant to encourage local commerce?

 Equitable and safe access to public services and spaces is important in forming any community. Spending more time in green spaces and the natural environment has been proven to benefit mental well-being and promote a sense of community. Improving proximity and access to public services and spaces can promote healthy activity and work to improve and increase the services provided. 

How can we ensure that services and amenities are evenly distributed between our rural and urban areas?