The following article was written by Northern Health's Health Service Administrator in Terrace, Chris Simms…

Terrace, BC – The Terrace Area Healthy Communities Committee (TAHCC) wishes to formally announce our formation. Our diverse membership includes representatives from Northern Health, local governments, First Nations, the school district, RCMP, post-secondary institutions, local service providers, youth, and members of the public.

We founded the TAHCC to raise awareness and address risk factors for chronic disease in the community, and we are committed to improving the health of residents in Terrace, and the surrounding area. Chronic disease places a strain on the health care system, our local economy and the social fabric of our community. It has been well documented that the health of community members is influenced by our behaviour, our cultural support and connection, and by the community environment in which we live. Fortunately, most of these upstream risk factors are modifiable; changes can reduce the risk and improve our health at the same time. 

Our main function is to improve the conditions affecting community health and wellness by developing strong community partnerships; capacity building, drawing upon community assets, and planning strategically.  What does success look like?  Partnerships play a pivotal role in developing health-promoting environments and communities. It takes a whole community. When the environment, and the culture is nurtured to support people to make healthier choices where they live, learn, work and play, we know that they will live longer, healthier lives. Healthier Communities support their residents to adopt healthy lifestyles, with access to physical activity, local fresh foods, and tobacco free settings where they celebrate cultural connections with their neighbours.

Taking a population health approach, the Terrace Healthy Communities Committee looks to better understand the social determinates of health in our community.  Our committee is fortunate to have membership from a wide spectrum of local stakeholder groups whose expertise and knowledge of local issues should bring forth some creative and sustaining project ideas.

Community engagement and empowerment is at the very core of both the Healthy Communities initiative and the TAHCC. We look forward to engaging the community and other local stakeholders in developing a shared vision of a healthier community, and moving towards finding innovative and creative solutions that address our area’s unique health challenges.