We’ve blogged in the past about the unfair 3 month wait period that Ontario forces on new immigrants and Canadian citizens returning to the province; refugees and those who have been denied asylum; people who have lost their documentation, such as the homeless and mentally ill; and those who are in the country illegally. There […]
Refugees are feeling the real cost of cuts to health benefits
Nearly two weeks have passed since the federal government cut health benefits for many refugees, and the real costs are beginning to show. Dr. Anna Banerji, a specialist in children’s infectious diseases at St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s hospitals, has gone public with a case of a four-and-a-half-year-old refugee girl who almost died of meningitis […]
Continue ReadingRefugees are feeling the real cost of cuts to health benefits
New Federal Changes to Refugee Health Care Make a Bad Situation Far Worse
The federal government today released its list of Designated Countries of Origin The dangerous health impact will be that refugee claimants from these countries considered ‘safe’ will be denied almost all healthcare. This will make a harshly inequitable health situation even worse. This list policy is fundamentally flawed and dishonest. The evidence is enormous and […]
Continue ReadingNew Federal Changes to Refugee Health Care Make a Bad Situation Far Worse
Poverty is a health issue: it’s time to address housing and homelessness
Housing insecurity and homelessness have significant health impacts. The poorest neighbourhoods have the worst quality housing and the worst health profiles. Health impacts of poor housing include increased incidence of illnesses and premature death. Children who live in homes that are damp or moldy have a greater risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, and […]
Continue ReadingPoverty is a health issue: it’s time to address housing and homelessness
Why Do Trans People Avoid Emergency Departments?
Nobody likes going to the emergency department, but it’s reassuring to know that its there if we need it. New research from the Trans PULSE study, one of the longest running community-academic partnerships in research in the province, however, found that 21 percent of transgender, transsexual, or transitioned (trans) Ontarians reported avoiding the emergency department, even when they felt […]
Continue ReadingWhy Do Trans People Avoid Emergency Departments?
Importance Of Accessible Community Recreation Services
This is the second of a series of policy briefs that analyzes youth-related policy implications from the St. Jamestown Initiative’s Voices of Multicultural Youth report and sets out recommendations and options for action.
Continue ReadingImportance Of Accessible Community Recreation Services Download PublicationThe Importance Of Accessible Community Recreation Services: Findings From The St. James Town Multicultural Youth Photovoice Project
Healthy Policy For A Healthy Toronto
Our Mayoral Health Equity Impact Assessments came out each week in the final lead up to the Toronto 2014 Mayoral election. With these pieces we hoped to provide insight into the important policy issues that impact the health of Torontonians, and asked the question, What do our Mayoral candidates have to say about it? In […]
Continue ReadingHealthy Policy For A Healthy Toronto Download PublicationMayoral Election 2014 HEIA
Welcome to Canada – don’t get sick!
Canadians pride themselves on the universality of our health care system. Despite the obvious room for innovation and the need for improved health equity, we let out a sigh of relief because at least no one has to pay for care. Ever since the days of Tommy Douglas, Canadian governments have covered all medically necessary […]
Youth Community Voice – Photos
Thank you for joining us last night for our exhibition of photography and stories from St. James Town youth! The display featured aspects of the neighbourhood that are perceived to play a role in multicultural youth health and wellbeing. There was a great turnout and we received a lot of positive feedback from various community […]
Looking deeper into racism and health care in Canada
Sheryl Nestel, Guest Blogger The launch last week of Colour Coded Health Care: The Impact of Race and Racism in Canadians’ Health, was, by all measures a tremendous success. Clearly, that the issues raised by the report are of immense interest to health researchers, health care workers, social scientists and community activists. One of the […]
Continue ReadingLooking deeper into racism and health care in Canada