Item - 2018.HL25.4

The Board of Health:

1.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to collaborate with Transportation Services and support monitoring and adaptation for REimagining Yonge as plans are implemented, to ensure health benefits are maximized.

North York Centre, Yonge Street (Sheppard to Finch) is at the end of its lifecycle, and the Official Plan and North York Secondary Plan support a vision for multi-modal travel, improved road safety and a healthy and vibrant public realm. A Municipal Class Environmental Assessment identified two preferred options for improving the area during reconstruction. The Board of Health directed the Medical Officer of Health to conduct a public health assessment of the proposed options.

Based on a review of published research about health impacts of various street design elements, Toronto Public Health found that both preferred options for REimagining Yonge have the potential to support safe, active travel and improve walkability. Both include design elements that make active transportation the convenient and safer choice for people of all types of mobility, reducing the risk of serious injury or death from collisions and increasing physical activity, which reduces the risk of over 25 chronic health conditions.

Differences in health impacts between the two preferred options cannot be predicted with certainty as this is dependent on many inter-related decisions that will occur during implementation. Regardless of which option is selected, it is critical that decisions that arise during implementation preserve the original intent of the Official Plan and do not compromise the neighbourhood's functionality as a safe and active neighbourhood. During implementation, ongoing monitoring and adaptation will be required to ensure the vision is achieved and health benefits are maximized.

In the process of becoming more urbanized, cities similar to Toronto have successfully managed the transition to increased active transportation and compact, walkable neighbourhoods. The benefits to health of realizing such transformations are well supported by published literature. Therefore, moving in the direction of creating streets that promote safe, active transportation will promote population health.