- Workplace Health Resource Toolkit
Alberta Health Services
A toolkit that may be used to help create and implement health policies and programs relating to the reduction of chronic diseases in workplaces by focusing on specific risk factors.
- Healthy Eating in Schools: Policy Recommendations
Alberta Health Services
This resource is intended to guide the development and implementation of healthy eating policies for school-provided food. Included in the resource are strategies and resources to help guide the process of developing healthy eating policies.
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/school/csh/if-sch-csh-he-policy-recommendations.pdf
- Solutions for Tobacco Use Issues
Tobacco Atlas
This webpage lists various solutions by category for issues regarding tobacco use. The resource describes these solutions, their effectiveness, and examples of appropriate ways to implement these solutions from a policy administrator perspective.
- School Nutrition Policy Examples
Ever Active Schools
This resource provides examples of school nutrition policies from both a provincial and school jurisdiction level. The detailed policies may be applied in schools to a range of grade levels between Kindergarten and grade 12.
http://www.everactive.org/uploads/files/Documents/Annotated%20Nutrition%20Policy.pdf
- Resources for Planning Health Promotion Programs
Public Health Ontario
This webpage provides a link to a downloadable policy-planning workbook with a six-step approach to assist in the process of planning for healthy policy change. The workbook includes an in-depth explanation of each step, step-specific worksheets, and links to external tools and resources.
- Refining Your Ideas
Tamarack Institute, Galen MacLusky and Sarah Hennig
A step-by-step tool intended to assist in identifying, framing, and planning for the implementation of an idea to create impact.
- Public Health Infobase
Public Health Agency of Canada
This database is a collection of tools that can be used to access research and specific data. The tools are categorized as: Data Tools, to access data; Indicators, for set measurements; and Data Lab, that includes recent publication updates and a collection of visuals and infographics.
- Influencing Policy Development
Community Tool Box
This toolkit provides guidance for influencing policy development and policy change in organizations and communities. The toolkit outlines the steps of policy change and offers related resources for support.
- Health and Disease Prevention
Public Health Agency of Canada
This webpage provides a list of various PHAC Atlantic programs that could be used as a reference during policy development. There are four main health promotion areas with categories of programs listed below. For each of these categories, the specific projects in each Atlantic province are available.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/canada/regions/atlantic/hpdp-pspm-eng.php
- Focus On: Six strategic steps for situational assessment
Public Health Ontario
This resource outlines how a situational assessment can be used to inform decision making by using a six-step process to better understand the issue that a new policy would address.
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/eRepository/FocusOn-Situational_Assessment_2015.pdf
- Compendium of Collective Impact Resources: The Five Phases
Tamarack Institute
This is a summary of the five phases to follow when developing a policy or initiative to achieve a collective impact. Within the tool, there are phase-specific resources available.
http://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/library/compendium-of-collective-impact-resources
- Building blocks for TOBACCO CONTROL a handbook
WHO
This handbook is a “how to manual” developed to provide practical advice for creating national tobacco control programs. Part II (9) discusses working with media, and part II (8) delivers information on campaigning for tobacco control.
https://www.who.int/tobacco/resources/publications/tobaccocontrol_handbook/en/
- Bringing the Heart into Collective Impact
Tamarack Institute, Liz Weaver
A tool intended to better understand the motivations of your stake holders, connect them to the new idea, and provide resource options to increase the potential engagement and buy-in of these members.
http://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/library/bringing-the-heart-into-collective-impact
- Workplace – National Standard
Mental Health Commission of Canada
This webpage provides a link to the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace that provides a framework to inform the process of promoting mental health in the workplace. The separate Implementation Guide can help plan the steps required to implement the national standard.
https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/what-we-do/workplace/national-standard
- Understanding Policy Developments and Choices Through the “3-i” Framework: Interests, Ideas, and Institutions
National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy; Government of Quebec
This briefing note summarizes the common view in political science literature that suggests policy development is influenced largely by interests, ideas, and institutions.
- Public Policy Models and Their Usefulness in Public Health: The Stages Model
National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy; Government of Quebec
This briefing note provides a description of the Stages Model and how the five stages of the model can be used to develop a healthy public policy.
- Public Engagement Guide
Newfoundland Labrador Office of Engagement
This guide provides information on how to engage the public in policy development, including strategies for creating a public engagement plan to promote the development of a new policy.
- PolicyNL
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
This website provides an overview of the policy development process, with a comprehensive description of the policy development cycle. The website also offers the opportunity to network with other public health professionals and it provides links to various professional development opportunities.
- National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy
Government of Quebec
This website provides a variety of information and resources related to healthy public policy. The Centre’s goal is to connect public health communities from across Canada through developing and sharing knowledge, and facilitating the process of healthy public policy development.
- Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) Toolkit
Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health
This toolkit is intended to facilitate Knowledge Mobilization, or information sharing, and offers clear steps and resources to assist in the process. Though the toolkit is aimed towards mental health policy, it can easily be adapted to guide information sharing for a variety of policy changes.
- Implementing Evidence-Informed Practice
Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health
This toolkit is a useful resource that can assist in the process of implementing policy change by using evidence-informed practice. The toolkit is intended primarily for mental health initiatives but could be used to implement a variety of other programs.
http://www.excellenceforchildandyouth.ca/file/9060/download?token=wR6nKbJ4
- Healthy Public Policy Toolkit: Understanding & Engaging in Healthy Public Policy
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
This toolkit is an introduction to healthy public policy and offers a step-by-step process and additional resources to begin engaging in healthy public policy development.
http://www.wrha.mb.ca/extranet/publichealth/files/UnderstandingandEngaginginHealthyPublicPolicy.pdf
- Health Promotion
Public Health Agency of Canada
This webpage provides links to specific health promotion topics with related information, tools, and strategies that could help support the planning and implementation of a new policy.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion.html
- Health Equity Impact Assessment
Government of Ontario
This tool can help identify the potential health equity impacts that a new policy will have on a population. There are five key steps to complete an impact assessment: scoping, potential impacts, mitigation, monitoring, and dissemination.
- Health Communication at a Glance
Public Health Ontario
This webpage links to the At a Glance: 12 Steps for Developing a Health Communication Campaign that provides an in-depth guide and associated worksheets for establishing a health communication campaign.
- Guarding Minds at Work – A Workplace Guide to Psychological Health and Safety
Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA)
This website provides an eight-step tool that can be used to assess workplace psychological health and safety. The strategies and action items in the tool can support the implementation of a plan to promote psychological health and safety.
- Cost Savings Calculator
Alberta Health Services
This tool can be used to calculate the amount an organization would save by investing in a workplace health program. This resource could be used to support a case for policy change.
- Alberta Healthy Communities – Comprehensive Approach Model
Alberta Heath Services
This webpage provides a model for a comprehensive approach that considers four main action areas for health promotion in a community setting: social, physical, economic, and policy environments. For each area, there are links to numerous resources that could be used to inform a new initiative or policy change.
https://albertahealthycommunities.healthiertogether.ca/take-action/comprehensive-approach/
- Community Engagement Toolkit
Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC)
This toolkit outlines five key steps for designing a community engagement plan. There is also an additional 47 methods that could be further applied to support putting a new policy into action.
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/316071/Resources/Tools/A_CE_toolkit.pdf
- Building the Capacity to Innovate: A guide for nonprofits
The Bridgespan Group & The Rockefeller Foundation
This guide outlines ways to identify new ideas in practice, and how to plan for and implement new changes. This resource can be used to identify tools to successfully create change.
- Building a Healthy Workplace
Alberta Health Services
This webpage provides strategies, tips, and resources for workplaces to help promote health across five focus areas: alcohol reduction, healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco reduction and ultraviolet (UV) protection.
https://workplaces.healthiertogether.ca/tool-kits/overview-tool-kits/
- Resource Hub – Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention
Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention (APCCP)
APCCP provides leadership, tools and support to decision makers, researchers, practitioners and the public with the aim of supporting policy change for a healthy Canada. This resource hub connects you to the many resources available on the APCCP website to help you illustrate evidence, use policy templates, outline public support, and understand policy contexts.
http://abpolicycoalitionforprevention.ca/resources/resource-hub/
- By-law Development Primer
Public Health Ontario
This webpage provides a primer and recommended step-by-step process for health promotion and public health professionals to engage in municipal by-law development. Though it is specific to municipalities, many of these principles and approaches are applicable to situations involving broader policies and other types of organizations or groups. There are additional resources listed to aide those interested in policy development process, one specific resources is a PDF that describes the 8 steps of the process as they have been applied to the development of a municipal alcohol policy.
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/map-scan-primer.pdf?la=en
- Reflections on a 38-year career in public health advocacy: 10 pieces of advice to early career researchers and advocates
Public Health Research & Practice
This article discusses valuable lessons and principles that are importance for public health advocates and researchers to consider, especially when trying to create policy change. It lists what the author sees as the ten most fundamental tips for advocacy.
- Continuous Update Project (CUP)
World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF)
This is an ongoing project to provide up-to-date research on how diet, nutrition, physical activity, and weight affect cancer risk and survival. The research is added to a database that may be accessed by anyone, from policy makers to members of the public, seeking information how to minimize the risk of developing cancer.
http://www.wcrf.org/int/research-we-fund/continuous-update-project-cup
- Resources
Alberta Centre of Active Living
An online collection of research findings, policy documents, program information, and websites related to physical activity and sedentary behaviour.
- Toolkit to Healthier Communities – Influencing Healthy Public Policies
Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance
This toolkit is for anyone who wants to advance health policy in their community or encourage change at the local level.
https://www.ocdpa.ca/sites/default/files/publications/OCDPAHCToolkit_Final_ENG.pdf
- Media Advocacy 101
Berkeley Media Studies Group
This webpage provides an overview of media advocacy, examples of case studies, and additional resources such as the Berkeley Media Studies Group’s (BMSG) keynote address, which describes their approach to media advocacy. The focus is on how to use media advocacy to improve news coverage of health issues.
- Health Communication Outcomes
Public Health Ontario
This resource provides information on how to measure the success of campaigns by developing appropriate outcome objectives and indicators.
http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/eRepository/Health_Communication_Outcomes_2011.pdf
- Developing Health Communication Campaigns
Public Health Ontario
This presentation deck outlines the different steps of the health communication campaign planning model and illustrates how you can apply these steps to your own situation. The resource also provides a 12-item checklist to help you develop persuasive health communication messages.
http://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/eRepository/Developing_health_communication_campaigns_2012.pdf
- Health Evidence
McMaster University
This website provides resources and tools to help public health use the best evidence in practice. Users can find evidence in the online data base or use the consultation services to apply evidence in practice.
- Guide to Planning an Action Strategy for Healthier Public Policy
Canadian Healthy Communities Network
The strategies and tools put forward in this guide focus on actions designed to help draft and amend public policy to promote health at the local level.
- A Framework for Analyzing Public Policies – Practical Guide
National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy
This briefing note presents a structured process based on an analytical framework that reflects a public health perspective, while at the same time integrating other concerns that matter in the context of policy making.
- Evidence and Healthy Public Policy: Insights from Health and Political Sciences
National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy.
Author: Patrick Fafard (University of Ottawa)
Policy makers are often challenged when producing public policy to consider the role of evidence, especially scientific evidence. Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) Research Fellow Patrick Fafard explores this challenge in the publication Evidence and Healthy Public Policy: Insights from Health and Political Sciences. - Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention
World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF)
Published in 2009, this report examines how interventions at different levels of society can help to prevent cancer by creating environments where healthy choices are easier for the people of the world to make.
- Registry of Tools and Methods
National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools
An online registry of methods and tools to assist with knowledge translation in public health. Among other things, this database can help practitioners support innovation, engage with community partners and make evidence informed policy decisions.
- Prevention Policy Directory
Cancer View Canada – Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
A regularly maintained directory of policies and legislation related to the prevention of cancer and chronic disease. The goal of the directory is to help encourage the development of healthy public policy in Canada.
https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/tools/prevention-policies-directory/
- ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
ParticipACTION
An evidence-informed document, this report card provides information on Canada’s rate of success in terms of providing opportunities for children and youth to be physically active.
- Fame and Shame Awards
The Parents Jury, Australia
This annual awards ceremony allows members of The Parents Jury (Australia) to determine whether the techniques used by food manufacturers and marketers to appeal to children deserve to be publicly celebrated or shamed. The past winners and descriptions of the many awards, such as the Digital Ninja, are available under the ‘Hall of Fame’ and ‘Hall of Shame’ tabs. This resource could be used by individuals interested in policy change to guide effective and helpful marketing campaigns.
- Grants and Contributions – Funding Programs
Public Health Agency of Canada
A list of open funding opportunities available to universities, non-governmental organizations, community groups, and/or provincial governments. Be sure to watch the webpage as new opportunities are added often.
- Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
World Health Organization
A health impact assessment is a tool that can help you assess the health impacts of policies, plans and projects. This webpage, developed by the World Health Organization, outlines the concept of the health impact assessment and provides tools and guidelines for determining whether to conduct one in your community. For an example of an HIA, see the University of London’s HIA Guide for Safe Routes to School.
- Towards Evidence Informed Practice – Learning Module Two – Making Evidence Work for You
Ontario Public Health Association
This is an excellent tool for those interested in working with evidence to promote health. It discusses what evidence is, where to find it and how it can be generated and applied to increase the effectiveness of health promotion programs. There is also a PDF that offers a condensed version of the module without external links but does not require additional software. The PDF is available here.
- Tobacco-Free Campus Guide: Why We Should Make Campuses Tobacco-Free—and How To Do It
Non-Smokers’ Rights Association and Smoking and Health Action Foundation
This guide was created to help advocates encourage the adoption and implementation of tobacco reduction policies on campuses; examples of tobacco-free policies are included.
http://www.leavethepackbehind.org/pdf/Tobacco_Free_Campus_Guide_web_final.pdf
- Healthy Meeting Policy
Eat Smart Meet Smart – How to Plan and Host Healthy Meetings, Events and Conferences
A supplement to the Eat Smart Meet Smart Guide, this document is an example of a simple policy template for the workplace.
https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/health-eatsmartmeetsmart-meetingchecklist.pdf
- Engaging Innovative Advocates as Public Health Champions
FHI, The Science of Improving Lives
A short guide that introduces readers to the champions advocacy model and outlines key strategies for working with champions and opinion leaders.
- Identifying Opinion Leaders/Champions
Valente, T.W and P. Pumpuang (2007). Identifying Opinion Leaders to Promote Behavior Change. Health Education 34: 881.
This document outlines ten strategies for identifying opinion leaders.
- Advocacy Toolkit
College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta
This website provides information and resources to effectively communicate with decision-makers in government and other institutions.
https://www.nurses.ab.ca/about/what-is-carna/policy-priorities-and-research/advocacy-toolkit
- The Citizen’s Handbook
The Vancouver Citizens Committee
This website offers an extensive guide for those interested in community-building and grassroots organization. In the guide, you will find many sections, such as Forming a Core Group, to help understand the importance of convening a group and Planning and Acting, to outline the considerations for planning and implementing a specific objective or a policy change.
- The Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement – Resource Library
The Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement
A website devoted to community engagement and building capacity to implement social change from the ground-up. The resource library has a variety of guides related to engagement, capacity building and community learning.
- Influencing Decision-Makers
Heart Health Resource Centre
This 12-page newsletter provides insight from long-time policy advocates on tactics for encouraging
policy change. This edition of the newsletter is specifically focused on influencing decision-makers to encourage policy change.http://www.hclinkontario.ca/images/Uploaded_files/2011/atheart_InfluencingDecisionMakers.pdf
- Investing in Prevention: The Economic Perspective
Public Health Agency of Canada
This document provides an overview of the economics of prevention in Canada and serves as a useful backgrounder for those working with evidence to illustrate the benefits of healthy public policy.
- CDC Social Media Tools, Guidelines & Best Practices
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
This webpage includes several resources that can be used by a policy maker to guide the use of social media to promote a policy and policy development.
- The Determinants of Health
The World Health Organization
Developed by the World Health Organization, this webpage provides a detailed account of the complex factors, ranging from transportation and housing to industry and urbanization that interact to influence human health.
- What Determines Health?
Public Health Agency of Canada
This webpage introduces readers to a population health perspective and outlines the determinants (environmental, economic, political, social, etc.) that work together to impact the health of Canadians.
- Designing and Implementing an Effective Tobacco Counter-Marketing Campaign – Chapter Nine, Media Advocacy
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Part of a larger body of work, this chapter on media advocacy includes useful information on framing advocacy messages to meet your policy goals.
For additional resources on framing advocacy messages, see the resource section on media advocacy.https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/counter-marketing/pdfs/chapter9.pdf
