Several factors affect citizens' health in Toronto.

Description

The city is part of the Toronto Public Health Division, and is home to many hospitals.

Another risk to health for citizens is exposure to crime in the city. Toronto has a rate of violent crime of 738 incidents per 100,000 people, though this is still lower than the national average of 951, according to 2006 Statistics Canada data, and far lower than other cities of comparable size (particularly those in the United States).[1]

Governance

Several municipally funded programs affect health in the city. They are listed below, and where possible their annual budgets are provided. Provincial and federal programs also affect health in Toronto, such as the provincial Smoke-Free Ontario Act which bans cigarette smoking in enclosed spaces in the province.

History of public administration

All municipalities had their own public health programs, meaning a patchwork of systems throughout Ontario, including within the modern borders of Toronto. For example, the Town of Mimico, Town of New Toronto, and Village of Long Branch each had their own program, despite the communities bordering each other within a few kilometre stretch of Lakeshore Road. In 1956, the Lakeshore Board of Education in 1956 asking the councils of to consider forming one central service.[3]

Metropolitan Toronto was created in 1954 as a measure to encourage collaboration between the urban municipalities in southern York County. In 1960, the Toronto Board of Health chair called for a Metro-wide board, stating "epidemics don't recognize municipal boundaries. The present chaotic division of health responsibilities in ridiculous."[4]

Premier John Robarts' government looked to find efficiencies in local governance. That included Health Minister Dr. Matthew Dymond proposing a joint board of health for Metro's six municipalities. Local Medical Officers of Health and board chairs largely balked at the idea, announced in 1967, even though the province offered to pay 75% of costs, instead of the previous 25%.[5] It was thought that a merger would raise costs,[6] that one body couldn't serve 2 million residents, and that a merger might lead to a "lowest common denominator" approach.[7][8] Dymond remained firm, noting that other large municipalities had been successful in such transitions.[9]

Organizations

Health organizations in Toronto include:

The city hosted the 2006 XVI International AIDS Conference.

See also

References

  1. ^ "National crime rate down in 2006". 18 July 2007 – via Toronto Star.
  2. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-07-28.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Public Health United Formation Urged". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 13 April 1956. p. 4.
  4. ^ "Health Service Amalgamation For Metro Area Is Suggested". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 12 November 1960. p. 5.
  5. ^ Anderson, Susan (2 June 1967). "Dymond plan in rough seas: York Spurns joint health setup". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Proposed health district running afoul of boroughs". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 2 October 1967. p. 15.
  7. ^ Anderson, Susan (6 December 1967). "Metros 6 mayors close ranks against amalgamation of their hoards of health". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. p. 5.
  8. ^ "A crazy-quilt health system does not serve Metro". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 8 December 1967. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Hears plea, Dymond still firm on one health unit for Metro". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. 7 December 1967. p. 5.
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