Grant: Project Grant

The way our cities are designed influences population-level physical activity, social participation, well-being and health inequalities. Although massive investments are made in urban infrastructure, even well-intentioned change may adversely affect vulnerable populations through gentrification processes. The goal of this research is to analyse how urban interventions, gentrification, and population health and health inequalities relate. Specifically, we aim to: 1) document if urban interventions (e.g., new bike lanes) aiming to improve quality of life tend to be located primarily in more deprived areas. 2) assess whether urban interventions lead to gentrification or vice versa, or if both processes are at play 3) measure the impact of urban interventions, neighbourhood gentrification, and experienced residential gentrification on physical activity, social participation and well-being, and 4) analyse differences in health outcome trajectories between low SES individuals who were displaced from gentrified neighbourhoods and those who could stay, and lastly 5) build a pilot simulation tool to help decision makers choose the best urban intervention scenario for health and equity. This study will build on an existing CIHR-funded team (INTERACT, 2016-2021), adding study participants to an existing cohort to specifically analyse effects of urban change on health and health inequalities while accounting for gentrification processes in Montreal. GIS and spatial analysis tools will be used to analyse retrospective and prospective dynamics of urban change, gentrification, and health. A battery of tools including online questionnaires, smartphone apps and dedicated sensors will provide detailed data about daily mobility, physical activity, and well-being. Results will provide insights on how urban form changes impact population health outcomes and health inequalities, and support local and regional decision makers in designing and creating healthier communities.