Item - 2016.HL11.1
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Board of Health on April 25, 2016 and was adopted with amendments.
HL11.1 - Stop Marketing to Children: A Window of Opportunity
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Board Decision
The Board of Health:
1. Requested the Government of Canada to:
a. implement a ban on all commercial marketing to children aged sixteen years and under, in order to provide the most comprehensive protection of child and youth rights and health; and
b. as an important first step, act swiftly to implement recommendations on commercial marketing of all foods and beverages to children signalled in both the Minister of Health's Mandate Letter of November 12, 2015 and the Senate Report on Obesity in Canada.
2. Requested the Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care to support the Government of Canada in implementing restrictions on marketing to children, as per the recommendations in the provincial Healthy Kids Panel (HKP) report;
3. Forwarded the report (April 11, 2016) from the Medical Officer of Health to the Ontario Ministries of Children and Youth Services, Education, Government and Consumer Services, Health and Long-Term Care, Health Promotion, to Health Canada, Industry Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Public Health Agency of Canada;
4. Forwarded the report (April 11, 2016) from the Medical Officer of Health to the Toronto Food Policy Council, the General Managers of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Children’s Services, and Economic Development and Culture, the Chairs of the Toronto Transit Commission and the Toronto Public Library Board to increase their awareness of the impact of commercial marketing on children's health and wellbeing;
5. Forwarded the report (April 11, 2016) from the Medical Officer of Health to the Stop Marketing to Kids (M2K) Coalition via the Heart & Stroke Foundation and Childhood Obesity Foundation;
6. Forwarded the report (April 11, 2016) from the Medical Officer of Health to Advertising Standards Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, the Canadian Marketing Association, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and the Association of Canadian Advertisers; and
7. Forwarded the report (April 11, 2016) from the Medical Officer of Health to the Directors and Chairs of the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud, and Conseil scolaire Viamonde with the request that school boards:
a. request the Government of Canada to implement a ban on all commercial marketing to children aged sixteen years and under, in order to provide the most comprehensive protection of child and youth rights and health;
b. request the Government of Canada to, as an important first step, act swiftly to implement recommendations on commercial marketing of all foods and beverages to children signalled in both the Minister of Health's Mandate Letter of November 12, 2015 and the Senate Report on Obesity in Canada; and
c. review their school boards' marketing and advertising policies to ensure that they reflect current evidence that shows that children under the age of 8 do not have the cognitive ability to understand the manipulation behind advertising, and the research evidence that links food and beverage advertising to children as a contributing factor to the overweight/obesity epidemic that includes 29% of grades 7-12 Toronto students.
Decision Advice and Other Information
The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation on Stop Marketing to Children: A Window of Opportunity.
Origin
Summary
Governments have increasingly taken an interest in policy interventions to prevent childhood obesity and protect children's rights and wellbeing. Legislated restrictions on commercial marketing to children and youth is one such policy approach that has gained traction in recent years.
Recent developments at the federal level have brought the issue of marketing to children to the national agenda. Restrictions on commercial marketing of foods and beverages to children, proposed by the senate and a national advocacy coalition and signalled by the federal government, would help address the impacts of commercial marketing on childhood obesity. They also mark an important first step in addressing a broader range of health issues facing children and youth, including sedentary behaviour and other aspects of physical and emotional health and wellbeing, along with supporting internationally recognized principles of children's rights.
Since 1979, the Board of Health has advocated for comprehensive restrictions on commercial marketing targeted to this vulnerable group. In 2010, the BOH supported a comprehensive restriction on all commercial advertising targeted to children under the age of thirteen, directing this recommendation to both federal and provincial governments, as well as to municipal partners. This position strengthened earlier support of prohibitions on all commercial advertising of food and beverages to children.
Recent research provides evidence to strengthen the current BOH position by recommending restrictions on all commercial marketing to children and youth age sixteen and under. This would provide the most protection for children's rights and wellbeing.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-92004.pdf
Attachment 1: The Ottawa Principles
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-92005.pdf
Attachment 2: Toronto Public Health Letter Endorsing Ottawa Principles
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-92006.pdf
(April 25, 2016) Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health on Stop Marketing to Children: A Window of Opportunity
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-92542.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-60261.pdf
(April 25, 2016) Presentation from Elizabeth Holmes and Pat Vanderkooy, Stop Marketing to Kids (M2K) Coalition (HL.New.HL11.1.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-60262.pdf
(April 21, 2016) Letter from Dr. Jan Hux, Chief Science Officer, Canadian Diabetes Association (HL.New.HL11.1.3)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-60263.pdf
(April 25, 2016) Submission from Bill Jeffery, LLB, Executive Director, of the Centre for Health Science and Law (CHSL) (HL.New.HL11.1.4)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/hl/comm/communicationfile-60266.pdf
Speakers
Pat Vanderkooy, Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition
Bill Jeffery, LLB, Executive Director, Centre for Health Science and Law (CHSL)
Lesley James, Senior Manager of Health Policy, Heart and Stroke Foundation
Motions
That:
1. Recommendation 4 be amended by deleting "the Directors of the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud, and Conseil scolaire de district du Centre Sud-Ouest".
2. The following new recommendation be added:
"The Board of Health forward this report to the Directors and Chairs of the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud, and Conseil scolaire Viamonde with the request that school boards:
a. request the Government of Canada to implement a ban on all commercial marketing to children aged sixteen years and under, in order to provide the most comprehensive protection of child and youth rights and health;
b. request the Government of Canada to, as an important first step, act swiftly to implement recommendations on commercial marketing of all foods and beverages to children signalled in both the Minister of Health's Mandate Letter of November 12, 2015 and the Senate Report on Obesity in Canada; and
c. review their school boards' marketing and advertising policies to ensure that they reflect current evidence that shows that children under the age of 8 do not have the cognitive ability to understand the manipulation behind advertising, and the research evidence that links food and beverage advertising to children as a contributing factor to the overweight/obesity epidemic that includes 29% of grades 7-12 Toronto students."
That:
1. Recommendation 3 be amended by replacing "Government Services" with "Government and Consumer Services".
2. Recommendation 6 be amended by also forwarding the report to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Delete Recommendation 1 and replace it with:
The Board of Health request the Government of Canada to act swiftly to implement recommendations on commercial marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children signalled in both the Minister of Health's Mandate Letter of November 12, 2015 and the Senate Report on Obesity in Canada.
Councillor Nunziata requested a separate vote be taken on Recommendation 1 a. and 1 b. in the staff report, which carried.