Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

To consult stakeholders from a variety of sectors and disciplines across Southern Ontario (N=50) on knowledge gaps, challenges and key steps to implementing policy and planning changes related to the built environment to promote healthy and active living lifestyles and improve health outcomes. A stakeholder engagement meeting was held in Toronto to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders across multiple sectors and agencies and identify barriers, opportunities and solutions on policy and planning changes to the built environment. Based on stakeholder input, preliminary qualitative thematic analyses were conducted to identify emerging themes related to knowledge gaps and barriers that impede evidence-based decision-making and policy development related to the built environment. Relevant themes, key research priorities and next steps for influencing policy and planning changes to the built environment were identified and validated through post-meeting consultations with participating stakeholders. From the qualitative thematic analysis, five themes emerged including: targeted and Impactful Messaging, Common Measures and Tools, Tailored research for informed policymaking, Intersectoral collaboration and alignment within and between Levels of Government, Importance of Public and Private Sector Advocacy; and two cross-cutting themes: Collective impact approach and Implementation mechanisms for optimal impact, were identified. Additional research and action items were also identified to guide the development of solution-oriented strategies around future research, planning, and policymaking in informing policy and planning changes to the built environment. Our results highlight the importance of identifying solution-focused mechanisms to align visions and strategies across multiple sectors and agencies in order to achieve changes to the built environment.